Staples versus sutures for skin closure in hip arthroplasty: a meta-analysis and systematic review.
The purpose of the present study was to estimate complications and other outcomes associated with staple and suture closure after hip arthroplasty through meta-analysis techniques and a systematic review. We searched for articles in EMBASE, PubMed, Medline, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library. To determine the eligibility of the searched trials, Cochrane Collaboration's Review Manager software was used to perform the meta-analysis. Five randomized controlled trials and one retrospective cohort trial were included in our study. Our study indicated that for skin closure after hip arthroplasty, the risks of superficial infection and prolonged discharge were higher with staples than with sutures. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of allergic reaction, dehiscence, inflammation, abscess formation, the Hollander Wound Evaluation Scale or patient's satisfaction with skin closure methods. However, suturing required a longer operating time. Closure with sutures is associated with lower risks of superficial infection and prolonged discharge than closure with staples following hip arthroplasty, but it may take more time.


Successful integrative medicine case management of blepharospasm.
The objective of this case study was to use integrative medicine to treat a debilitating and long-standing case of blepharospasm. The patient suffered from blepharospasm, which conventional medicine had failed to alleviate despite numerous and varied attempts over the course of 3 years of treatment. Blepharospasm involves the uncontrolled or abnormal blinking or twitching of the eyelids, which impairs the ability to see. The patient's symptoms were so severe that she was unable to work, drive, or in general lead a normal life. Conventional and Chinese medicine practices were used in examining and diagnosing the patient. Treatment involved 6 weeks of electroacupuncture. The patient's symptoms were reduced from severe to nearly nonexistent, and this improvement persisted at least 6 months after treatment ended. While this study involved only 1 patient, it demonstrates the effectiveness of electroacupuncture as a treatment for blepharospasm in a case where the patient was experiencing debilitating symptoms, which conventional allopathic treatment had failed to alleviate. This suggests that electroacupuncture may be similarly effective in treating other cases of blepharospasm.


Visitation patterns of two ray mesopredators at shellfish aquaculture leases in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida.
The Indian River Lagoon is a primary location of field-based "grow-out" for bivalve shellfish aquaculture along Florida's Atlantic coast. Grow-out locations have substantially higher clam densities than surrounding ambient sediment, potentially attracting mollusk predators to the area. Inspired by clammer reports of damaged grow-out gear, we used passive acoustic telemetry to examine the potential interactions between two highly mobile invertivores-whitespotted eagle rays (Aetobatus narinari) and cownose rays (Rhinoptera spp.)-and two clam lease sites in Sebastian, FL and compared these to nearby reference sites (Saint Sebastian River mouth, Sebastian Inlet) from 01 June 2017 to 31 May 2019. Clam lease detections accounted for 11.3% and 5.6% of total detections within the study period, for cownose and whitespotted eagle rays, respectively. Overall, the inlet sites logged the highest proportion of detections for whitespotted eagle rays (85.6%), while cownose rays (11.1%) did not use the inlet region extensively. However, both species had significantly more detections at the inlet receivers during the day, and on the lagoon receivers during the night. Both species exhibited long duration visits (> 17.1 min) to clam lease sites, with the longest visit being 387.5 min. These visit durations did not vary substantially between species, although there was individual variability. Based on generalized additive mixed models, longer visits were observed around 1000 and 1800 h for cownose and whitespotted eagle rays, respectively. Since 84% of all visits were from whitespotted eagle rays and these longer visits were significantly longer at night, this information suggests that observed interactions with the clam leases are potentially underestimated, given most clamming operations occur during daytime (i.e., morning). These results justify the need for continued monitoring of mobile invertivores in the region, including additional experimentation to assess behaviors (e.g., foraging) exhibited at the clam lease sites.


Baseline neuropsychological characteristics in patients with epilepsy with left temporal lobe encephaloceles compared with left mesial temporal sclerosis.
Temporal lobe encephaloceles (TE) are increasingly recognized as a cause of drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy. Improved recognition of these lesions offers an opportunity to treat them with a limited resection sparing the hippocampus. However, as they can be difficult to identify on imaging, additional clues pointing to the diagnosis can be helpful. We sought to understand the baseline cognitive/neuropsychological profile in patients with left temporal lobe epilepsy caused by encephaloceles compared with that caused by mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS), a common entity in the differential diagnosis. Neuropsychological testing, including language (semantic and phonemic fluency and naming), verbal memory, intelligence quotient (IQ), and executive function measures were compared across two groups (five patients with left TE and five age- and gender-matched patients with left MTS). Other clinical variables related to cognition, including patient age, electroencephalographic characteristics, epilepsy duration, and factors related to antiseizure medication dosing, were also compared between groups. More patients with left MTS had atypical language lateralization (3/5 with right-sided language in the group with MTS compared with 0/5 in the group with TE). Patients with MTS had significantly worse scores on the Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) subscore of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS; p = 0.026). General IQ was also worse in patients with MTS (p = 0.028). There was a trend towards worse executive function in patients with MTS as measured on Trails B (p = 0.096). Other measures related to language and verbal memory did not differ significantly between the groups nor did other relevant clinical variables, except epilepsy duration, which was significantly longer in patients with MTS (p = 0.0001). This pilot study demonstrates few significant differences between the groups with left MTS and TE surveyed. A higher rate of atypical language lateralization was noted in patients with left MTS. The higher baseline global IQ and VCI scores in patients with left TE compared with patients with MTS may be attributable to longer duration of epilepsy in patients with left MTS. Future work with a larger sample size will focus on establishing a unique neuropsychological profile related to epilepsy due to TE.


Machine learning models for prediction of invasion Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess syndrome in diabetes mellitus: a singled centered retrospective study.
This study aimed to develop and validate a machine learning algorithm-based model for predicting invasive Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess syndrome(IKPLAS) in diabetes mellitus and compare the performance of different models. The clinical signs and data on the admission of 213 diabetic patients with Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscesses were collected as variables. The optimal feature variables were screened out, and then Artificial Neural Network, Support Vector Machine, Logistic Regression, Random Forest, K-Nearest Neighbor, Decision Tree, and XGBoost models were established. Finally, the model's prediction performance was evaluated by the ROC curve, sensitivity (recall), specificity, accuracy, precision, F1-score, Average Precision, calibration curve, and DCA curve. Four features of hemoglobin, platelet, D-dimer, and SOFA score were screened by the recursive elimination method, and seven prediction models were established based on these variables. The AUC (0.969), F1-Score(0.737), Sensitivity(0.875) and AP(0.890) of the SVM model were the highest among the seven models. The KNN model showed the highest specificity (1.000). Except that the XGB and DT models over-estimates the occurrence of IKPLAS risk, the other models' calibration curves are a good fit with the actual observed results. Decision Curve Analysis showed that when the risk threshold was between 0.4 and 0.8, the net rate of intervention of the SVM model was significantly higher than that of other models. In the feature importance ranking, the SOFA score impacted the model significantly. An effective prediction model of invasion Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess syndrome in diabetes mellitus could be established by a machine learning algorithm, which had potential application value.


Mental health before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in two longitudinal UK population cohorts.
The COVID-19 pandemic and mitigation measures are likely to have a marked effect on mental health. It is important to use longitudinal data to improve inferences. To quantify the prevalence of depression, anxiety and mental well-being before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, to identify groups at risk of depression and/or anxiety during the pandemic. Data were from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) index generation (n = 2850, mean age 28 years) and parent generation (n = 3720, mean age 59 years), and Generation Scotland (n = 4233, mean age 59 years). Depression was measured with the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire in ALSPAC and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 in Generation Scotland. Anxiety and mental well-being were measured with the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment-7 and the Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale. Depression during the pandemic was similar to pre-pandemic levels in the ALSPAC index generation, but those experiencing anxiety had almost doubled, at 24% (95% CI 23-26%) compared with a pre-pandemic level of 13% (95% CI 12-14%). In both studies, anxiety and depression during the pandemic was greater in younger members, women, those with pre-existing mental/physical health conditions and individuals in socioeconomic adversity, even when controlling for pre-pandemic anxiety and depression. These results provide evidence for increased anxiety in young people that is coincident with the pandemic. Specific groups are at elevated risk of depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is important for planning current mental health provisions and for long-term impact beyond this pandemic.


Inhibition of return in children and adolescents.
Inhibition of return (IOR), slowed responding to targets at a cued location after attention is removed from this location, has been shown to occur both in adults and in infants. To explore suggestion that the timecourse of IOR depends on factors that might affect the efficiency with which attention is removed from the cued location, we compared the performance of young children (5-10-year-olds, N=49, M=8 years, 4 months) to older children and adolescents (11-17-year-olds, N=61, M=14 years) in single and double cue procedures. Cue-target interval was varied to measure the timecourse of IOR in this within-subjects localization task. Whereas no IOR was found in the young group unless a double cue procedure was used, in the older group, we found IOR at all intervals with the double cue procedure and the typical crossover pattern, with early facilitation followed by inhibition in the single cue procedure.


Comparative study of the chemical composition and mineral element content of Artocarpus heterophyllus and Treculia africana seeds and seed oils.
A comparative study of Artocarpus heterophyllus and Treculia africana seeds, both of Moraceae family, was carried out to establish their chemical compositions and evaluate their mineral element content in order to investigate the possibility of using them for human and or animal consumption and also to examine if there is a relationship between the properties of these seeds. A. heterophyllus and T. africana are rich in protein; their protein contents are higher than those from high protein animal sources such as beef and marine fishes. Both seeds have high carbohydrate content and could act as source of energy for animals if included in their diets. The oil contents of the seeds are 11.39% and 18.54% for A. heterophyllus and T. africana, respectively. The oils are consistently liquid at room temperature. The results of the physicochemical properties of the two seeds are comparable to those of conventional oil seeds such as groundnut and palm kernel oils and could be useful for nutritional and industrial purposes. The seeds were found to be good sources of mineral elements. The result revealed potassium to be the prevalent mineral elements which are 2470.00 ppm and 1680.00 ppm for A. heterophyllus and T. africana, respectively followed by sodium, magnesium and then calcium. They also contain reasonable quantity of iron, in particular A. heterophyllus 148.50 ppm.


Speed of call delivery is related to context and caller identity in Campbell's monkey males.
Call rate can be a salient feature in animal communication. Depending on the species, different psychological variables appear to influence call rates but the exact nature of these relationships remains poorly explored. Here, we demonstrate for free-ranging Campbell's monkeys that the call rates of four different alarm series (termed H, K, K(+), and B series) vary systematically as a function of context, associated behaviour, and identity of the caller. K(+) series were given more rapidly to predation than non-predation events, K(+) and K series more rapidly to visual than auditory predator detection, and H series more rapidly while counterattacking an eagle than staying put. Finally, there were individual differences in B series, suggesting that call rate potentially provides listeners with cues about the caller's anti-predator behaviour, event type experienced, and his identity.


Wortmannin has opposite effects on phorbol ester-induced DNA synthesis and phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis.
The tumor promoter phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and hormonal activators of protein kinase C (PKC) commonly stimulate phospholipase D (PLD)-mediated formation of phosphatidic acid from phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) in fibroblasts and other cell types. On the basis that phosphatidic acid is a mitogen, PLD is often considered to have a major role in the regulation of cell growth by PKC activators. However, we found that in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts wortmannin, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), strongly inhibited DNA synthesis induced by 100 nM PMA, while it actually enhanced PMA-stimulated PtdCho hydrolysis. These results indicate that stimulation of PLD activity is either not required or not sufficient for the mitogenic action of PMA.


Lower subcutaneous fat index predicts bone metastasis in breast cancer.
Bone metastases affect 50% to 70% of breast cancer (BC) patients and have a high mortality rate. Adipose tissue loss plays a pivotal role in the progression of cancer. This study aims to evaluate the prognostic value of adipose tissue for bone metastasis in BC patients. 517 BC patients were studied retrospectively. Patients' characteristics before the surgery were collected. Quantitative measurements of the subcutaneous fat index (SFI) were performed at the level of the eleventh thoracic vertebra. In order to adjust for the heterogeneity between the low SFI and high SFI groups, propensity score matching (PSM) was used. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the 5-year bone metastatic incidence. The prognostic analysis was performed with the Cox regression models. Compared with the patients without bone metastasis, the patients with bone metastasis had reduced SFI levels. In addition, Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that patients with low SFI were more likely to develop bone metastases. The independent predictive value of SFI for bone metastases was confirmed by Cox regression analysis. The survival analysis was repeated after PSM with a 1:1 ratio, yielding similar results (P< 0.05). SFI is an independent predictor of bone metastasis in BC patients.


Warming may offset impact of precipitation changes on riverine nitrogen loading.
Climate change, especially in the form of precipitation and temperature changes, can alter the transformation and delivery of nitrogen on the land surface and to aquatic systems, impacting the trophic states of downstream water bodies. While the expected impacts of changes in precipitation have been explored, a quantitative understanding of the impact of temperature on nitrogen loading is lacking at landscape scales. Here, using several decades of nitrogen loading observations, we quantify how individual and combined future changes in precipitation and temperature will affect riverine nitrogen loading. We find that, contrary to recent decades, rising temperatures are likely to offset or even reverse previously reported impacts of future increases in total and extreme precipitation on nitrogen runoff across the majority of the contiguous United States. These findings highlight the multifaceted impacts of climate change on the global nitrogen cycle.


Long-term intermittent treatment with low-dose 5-aminosalicylic enemas is efficacious for remission maintenance in ulcerative colitis.
The standard remission maintenance treatment for ulcerative colitis (UC) is 5-amino-salicylic acid (5-ASA), given orally and topically and in different doses, with various frequencies and duration of administration. Both the efficacy of long-term intermittent therapy with low-dose 5-ASA enemas in preventing UC relapses and its economic implications were evaluated. In accordance with a prospective case control study, 42 adult UC outpatients (29 M and 13 F) were treated with 5-ASA tablets (1.6 g/day) and 5-ASA enemas (2 g/50 mL) twice weekly, and 42 concurrent UC outpatients, matched for sex, age, extension and duration of disease, received only the oral therapy; the median treatment period was 6 years. There was a significant reduction in the number (42%: P = 0.034) and incidence of relapses (43%: P = 0.022) in the patients receiving combined oral + topical 5-ASA, who also had a significantly higher cumulative probability of not experiencing a first relapse (P = 0.001). There were no dropouts or side effects. Local therapy increased drug costs, but decreased the costs of relapses by 48% and completely precluded hospitalization costs. The scheduled oral + topical 5-ASA treatment, at the lowest cumulative topical dosage tested over the longest known observation period, is efficacious in improving clinical outcome and decreasing overall costs in UC patients.


Extra-pancreatic end-to-side hepaticojejunostomy: a practical modification of the duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection (DPPHR) for chronic pancreatitis.
Duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection (DPPHR) is recognised for the surgical treatment of chronic pancreatitis. Approximately 15-20% of patients undergoing DPPHR require a synchronous biliary drainage procedure for stricture. This report describes a technical modification involving the placement of an extra-pancreatic end-to-side Roux hepaticojejunostomy utilising the same jejunal loop employed for pancreaticojejunal anastomosis. Extra-pancreatic end-side hepaticojejunostomy is a simple technical modification of DPPHR. The biliary anastomosis is constructed according to the well-established principles of biliary reconstruction and represents a safe and valuable technical option.


Pain Trajectories During Initial Rehabilitation After Spinal Cord Injury: Do Psychosocial Resources and Mental Health Predict Trajectories?
To identify classes of pain trajectories during initial rehabilitation after spinal cord injury (SCI) and to investigate whether psychosocial resources and mental health predict pain trajectory membership. Longitudinal analysis with prospective data from the Inception Cohort of the Swiss Spinal Cord Injury Cohort Study. Initial rehabilitation in 4 SCI specialized rehabilitation centers in Switzerland. Individuals aged ≥16 years with newly diagnosed traumatic or nontraumatic SCI admitted to initial rehabilitation between August 2015 and April 2021 (N=343). Not applicable. Pain intensity was assessed at 4 time points (4, 12, and 24 weeks after SCI and at discharge) with 1 item of the International SCI Basic Pain Dataset asking participants to rate their average pain intensity experienced during the past week on a 0-10 numeric rating scale. Four pain trajectories were identified by latent process mixed modeling: stable moderate pain (N=170, 49.6%), decreasing pain (N=36, 10.5%), increasing pain (N=16, 4.7%), and stable low pain (N=121, 35.3%). Participants with higher optimism (β = 0.12; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.03-0.22), more social support (β = 0.30; 95% CI, 0.01-0.59), and less anxiety (β = -0.13; 95% CI, -0.24 to -0.01) 1 month after injury were more likely to be classified to the decreasing pain than the stable moderate pain trajectory in adjusted analyses. Self-efficacy, purpose in life, and depressive symptoms did not predict this allocation when adjusting for sociodemographics, SCI characteristics, and pain medication. These findings highlight the importance of psychosocial resources and mental health for early pain trajectories after SCI onset and support the notion that strengthening psychosocial resources and mental health early after SCI could present promising targets in pain management.


Lower cranial nerve palsy produced by internal carotid artery dilatation. Report of two cases.
We report two cases of lower cranial nerve palsies (XII in case 1, IX-X-XII in case 2) associated with abnormalities of the internal carotid artery at the base of the skull. In case 1 a limited dissection of the carotid wall produced both paresis of the hypoglossal nerve and Horners syndrome by compression of the nerve trunk against the base of the skull and stretching of the periarterial sympathetic fibres respectively. In case 2 we speculate that a narrow angled kinking of the internal carotid artery may have damaged cranial nerves IX, X and XII by interfering with the blood supply to the nerve trunks. In both cases the outcome was favorable with almost complete regression of the initial symptoms. We conclude that the association between lower cranial nerve disturbances and internal carotid artery abnormalities is probably more common than was thought. We suggest that the pathogenesis of the damage to the cranial nerves may differ from one case to the next.


Extraction, characterization and biological activities of polysaccharides from Amomum villosum.
In the present study, the extraction, purification, characterization and biological activities of polysaccharides from the seeds of Amomum villosum (ASP) were investigated. Firstly, the optimal parameters for the extraction of ASP were obtained by using a Box-Behnken Design as follows: extraction temperature 78.8 °C, extraction time 71.3 min and ratio of water to raw material 39.3 ml/g. Then, the crude ASP was sequentially purified by chromatography of DEAE-52 and Sephadex G-100, resulting in three purified fractions of ASP-1, ASP-2 and ASP-3. The results showed that ASP-3 had a larger molecular weight and higher contents of protein, sulfuric radical and uronic acid than the other polysaccharide fractions. Furthermore, ASP-3 showed relative stronger inhibitory activity on the growth of HepG2 cells. Finally, ASP had strong free radical scavenging activities in vitro and significantly prevented the formation of malondialdehyde and enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes in CCl4-induced liver injury mice.


Early prehospital use of non-invasive ventilation improves acute respiratory failure in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
To evaluate the use of prehospital non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 36 adult patients were treated by prehospital NIV or standard oxygen therapy. Prehospital NIV was described as feasible by the paramedics. Prehospital improvement of respiratory rate and dyspnoea was significantly better and the length of intensive care was significantly lower in NIV patients. Prehospital NIV can be managed by a trained emergency team with high but sustainable workload. Dyspnoea and length of intensive care may be significantly reduced. ISRCTN47620321.


The effect of isoniazid (INH) on Chinese hamster and mouse spermatogonia.
Acute and chronic treatment of Chinese hamsters and mice with 5, 25 and 125 mg/kg isoniazid (INH) given by oral intubation did not enhance the chromosomal aberration frequencies in spermatogonia. The structural and numerical aberration rates remained in the range of spontaneous events even after the chronic treatment over 12 weeks with 3 x 125 mg/kg INH per week. This dose is much higher than normally used for prevention and therapy in man (3--16 mg/kg).


Perceived control over pain: individual differences and situational determinants.
Determinants of perceived control over pain were varied to assess their impact on pain tolerance to electric shock in an experimental setting where variably tolerant models were used to influence pain reports and behaviour. On the basis of locus of control scores, subjects were assigned to internal and external groups. Instructions were presented emphasizing personal or environmental determinants of pain. Fifty subjects were assigned randomly to 5 groups based on these instructions and whether they were paired with a model who was tolerant, intolerant or inactive. Findings indicated internals manifested greater pain tolerance, but that the instructions on situational as contrasted with personal sources of control over pain did not influence pain behaviour. As expected, the models promoted or inhibited exposure to the shocks consistent with the model's role. Subsequent disclosure of the model's roles, followed by further pain tolerance assessment, did not lead to changes in pain behaviour, indicating that the training effect was persistent. The discussion examines relative contributions of individual differences and situational factors to pain behaviour.


Increased (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose accumulation in bilateral adrenal glands of the patients suffering from vasovagal reaction due to blood vessel puncture.
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the hypothesis that patients having a vasovagal reaction (VVR) after blood vessel puncture show increased FDG accumulation in bilateral adrenal glands. Over the past 8 years, 26 patients experienced a VVR after blood vessel puncture following intra-venous injection of FDG at our institution. Of the 26 patients, 16 underwent multiple-occasion FDG-PET/CT scans while suffering a VVR at only one examination. All 16 patients had no morphological abnormality in the adrenal glands on FDG-PET/CT and follow-up examination. For the 16, we retrospectively reviewed the FDG-PET/CT scan with respect to the adrenal glands and compared the result to that for the FDG-PET/CT scan of the same patient when there was no VVR event. We used both visual analysis and semi-quantitative analysis employing either maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) or adrenal-to-liver (A/L) SUVmax ratio. On visual analysis of the FDG-PET/CT with VVR, accumulations in both of the adrenal glands was judged positive, defined as higher than the hepatic accumulation, in 84 % of the cases. The SUVmax in the right adrenal gland was 2.79 ± 0.69 with VVR and 1.92 ± 0.33 without VVR; this value in the left adrenal gland was 3.07 ± 0.71 with VVR and 2.05 ± 0.39 without. Mean SUVmax of both adrenal glands was 2.93 ± 0.66 with VVR and 1.98 ± 0.35 without. The A/L SUVmax ratio in the right adrenal gland was 1.02 ± 0.26 with VVR and 0.69 ± 0.11 without; this value in the left was 1.11 ± 0.23 with VVR and 0.74 ± 0.15 without. The mean A/L SUVmax ratio of both adrenal glands was 1.06 ± 0.24 with VVR and 0.72 ± 0.13 without. Each parameter with VVR was significantly higher than that without. For the two adrenal glands, the mean SUVmax with VVR was 48 % higher than that without VVR. We confirmed the hypothesis that patients having a VVR after blood vessel puncture show increased FDG accumulation in their bilateral adrenal glands. This may reflect hyper-metabolism of the adrenal glands in synthesizing and secreting catecholamine.


Characterization of Thinopyrum distichum chromosomes using double fluorescence in situ hybridization, RFLP analysis of 5S and 26S rRNA, and C-banding of parents and addition lines.
Diagnostic markers for eight Thinopyrum distichum addition chromosomes in Triticum turgidum were established using C-banding, in situ hybridization, and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The C-band karyotype conclusively identified individual Th. distichum chromosomes and distinguished them from chromosomes of T. turgidum. Also, TaqI and BamHI restriction fragments containing 5S and 18S-5.8S-26S rRNA sequences were identified as positive markers specific to Th. distichum chromosomes. Simultaneous fluorescence in situ hybridization showed both 5S and 18S-5.8S-26S ribosomal RNA genes to be located on chromosome IV. Thinopyrum distichum chromosome VII carried only a 18S-5.8S-26S rRNA locus and chromosome pair II carried only a 5S rRNA locus. The arrangement of these loci on Th. distichum chromosome IV was different from that on wheat chromosome pair 1B. Two other unidentified Th. distichum chromosome pairs also carried 5S rRNA loci. The homoeologous relationship between Th. distichum chromosomes IV and VII and chromosomes of other members of the Triticeae was discussed by comparing results obtained using these physical and molecular markers.


A fragment of the envelope protein from dengue-1 virus, fused in two different sites of the meningococcal P64k protein carrier, induces a functional immune response in mice.
Previously we have reported the capacity of the fusion protein PD3, composed of the P64k protein and the envelope (E) fragment from amino acids (aa) 286-426 of dengue-2 virus (DEN-2), to induce a functional immune response in mice against the homologous virus. In that case, the E fragment was inserted within the lipoyl-binding domain of the meningococcal P64k protein. In the present study, to test the functionality of the same E region from dengue-1 (DEN-1), a similar construct was made. Furthermore, another alternative of fusion protein was also constructed where the same E fragment from DEN-1 was fused to the C-terminus of the P64k protein. The recombinant proteins obtained (PD11 and PD10) were semi-purified and analysed for their antigenicity, immunogenicity and the ability to protect mice against lethal challenge. Both molecules exhibited the same recognition patterns against anti-DEN-1 polyclonal antibodies. In addition, when administered to mice, they elicited high levels of neutralizing antibodies and induced significant protection against lethal challenge with DEN-1 after intracerebral inoculation. These results reveal the availability of two sites within the P64k for the further insertion of DEN fragments, enabling a construct carrying two fragments from heterologous serotypes within the same molecule of this protein carrier.


Comment on Kim et al. The Association between Coffee Consumption and Risk of Colorectal Cancer in a Korean Population. Nutrients 2021, 13, 2753.
We read with interest the recent publication in Nutrients by Kim et al. [...].


Pharmacists' role in detection and evaluation of adverse drug reactions: Developing proactive systems for pharmacosurveillance.
To identify current challenges in detection of medication-related symptoms, and review technology-based opportunities to increase the patient-centeredness of postmarketing pharmacosurveillance to promote more accountable, safer, patient-friendly, and equitable medication prescribing. Pharmacists have an important role to play in detection and evaluation of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). The pharmacist's role in medication management should extend beyond simply dispensing drugs, and this article delineates the rationale and proactive approaches for pharmacist detection and assessment of ADRs. We describe a stepwise approach for assessment, best practices, and lessons learned from a pharmacist-led randomized trial, the CEDAR (Calling for Detection of Adverse Drug Reactions) project. Health systems need to be redesigned to more fully utilize health information technologies and pharmacists in detecting and responding to ADRs.


Relative humidity preference and survival of starved Formosan subterranean termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) at various temperature and relative humidity conditions.
Foraging groups of Formosan subterranean termites, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki were tested for their relative humidity (RH) preference in a humidity gradient arena in the laboratory at a constant temperature of 26°C. Five RH levels (9%, 33%, 53%, 75%, and 98%) were maintained in the test arena comprising of a series of closed containers by using dry silica gel, saturated salt solutions, or distilled water alone. Termites gradually aggregated to the highest RH chamber in the arena. After 1 h, a significantly greater percentage of termites (≈46%) aggregated to the highest RH chamber (98%) than to the lower RH chambers (≤75%). After 12 h, > 97% of the termites aggregated to the 98% RH chamber. In survival tests, where termites were exposed to 15 combinatorial treatments of five RH levels (9%, 33%, 53%, 75%, and 98%) and three temperatures (20°C, 28°C, and 36°C) for a week, the survival was significantly influenced by RH, temperature, and their interaction. A significantly higher mortality was observed on termites exposed to ≤75% RH chambers than to 98% RH chamber at the three temperatures and significantly lower survival was found at 36°C than at 28°C or 20°C. The combination of temperature and RH plays an important role in the survival of C. formosanus.


In situ biogas upgrading and enhancement of anaerobic digestion of cheese whey by addition of scrap or powder zero-valent iron (ZVI).
Cheese whey is an easily biodegradable substrate with high organic matter that can be anaerobically digested to biogas; however, the process is often inhibited by excess acidification due to the presence of undissociated volatile fatty acids and requires considerable concentration of alkaline buffer. The current study investigates a new approach for biogas upgrading, and increase of total CH4 in conjunction with buffering acidification by using zero-valent iron (powder and scrap metals at concentrations 25, 50, and 100 g/L) in anaerobic granular sludge and cheese whey under mesophilic batch conditions. During the first 2 cycles (total 34 days), a high performance was found in anaerobic bottles with 25 g/L powder zero valent iron (PZVI) and 50 g/L scrap zero valent iron (SZVI) since they had a higher total CH4 production compared to anaerobic bottles free of ZVI, as well as 97% CH4 composition in produced biogas compared to 74% CH4 for anaerobic bottles free of ZVI. Under these conditions, no additional NaOH was added to anaerobic bottles with 25 g/L PZVI and 50 g/L SZVI to increase the pH and at the end of 2nd cycle the concentration of VFAs was substantially lower compared to the anaerobic bottles free of ZVI. However, no positive effects of ZVI in terms of alkaline buffer were found at the 3rd and 4th cycle probably due to ZVI inactivation outer surface layer. Based on the experimental findings (anaerobic bottles: (a) 25 g/L PZVI, (b) 50 g/L SZVI and (c) free of ZVI) an economic comparison for anaerobic digestion of cheese whey by large scale was contacted and pointed out that the best scenario was the anaerobic digestion by addition of 50 g/L SZVI, followed by anaerobic digestion free of ZVI and last was the anaerobic digestion by addition of 25 g/L PZVI. This study highlights a new proof of concept for in-situ biogas upgrading and alleviation of acidification by addition of 50 g/L SZVI or 25 g/L PZVI during anaerobic digestion of cheese whey.


Photodegradation profiling of nitrendipine: evaluation of active pharmaceutical ingredient, tablets and its altered forms.
Nitrendipine (NTR) is a dihydropyridine drug, which is well-known as a photodegradable pharmaceutical. However, the photochemical reaction of NTR has not been evaluated in detail from now. In this study, we perform the photodegradation profiling of NTR for the elucidation of its photochemical behavior. NTR amounts during ultraviolet light (UV) irradiation were monitored using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). NTR was photodegraded almost completely within 24 h along with the generation of some photoproducts. Structural determination of two NTR photoproducts were carried out by means of electrospray ionization liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). Obtained results from this study clarified one novel NTR photoproduct, a nitroso pyridine analogue, in addition to a pyridine analogue. Furthermore, photodegradation pathway of NTR was speculated based on chemical structures of NTR photoproducts to clarify its photochemical behavior. It was proposed that a singlet oxygen molecule might withdraw two hydrogen radicals resulting in the form of a pyridine analogue, and the following reduction of its nitro group might produce a nitroso pyridine analogue. Finally, we evaluated the photostability of NTR tablets and its altered forms, indicating that the change of the dosage form led to a decrease of the photostability of NTR tablets. The obtained results will be helpful for the additional research to evaluate the effect of NTR photodegradation on its own biological activities.


Pharmacological developments in antihypertensive treatment through nitric oxide-cGMP modulation.
Treatment of hypertension until now has been directed at inhibition of vasoconstriction, of cardiac contractility and of blood volume regulation. Despite the arsenal of drugs available for this purpose, the control of target blood pressure is still a difficult goal to reach in outpatients. The nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine monophosphate signaling is one of the most important mediators of vasodilation. It might therefore be a potential and most welcome drug target for optimization of the treatment of hypertension. In this chapter we review the problems that can occur in this signaling system, the attempts that have been made to correct these problems, and those that are still under investigation. Recently developed, clinically safe medicines that are currently approved for other applications, such as myocardial infarction, await to be tested for essential systemic hypertension. We conclude that despite many years of research without translation, stimulation of nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine monophosphate is still a viable strategy in the prevention of the health risk posed by chronic hypertension.


Severity of mumps disease is related to MMR vaccination status and viral shedding.
During recent years, various mumps outbreaks have occurred among measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccinated persons in various countries worldwide, including the Netherlands. We studied mumps virus shedding in MMR vaccinated and unvaccinated mumps patients and related these findings to clinical data. In this study, we included 1112 mumps patients of whom diagnostic samples were tested positive in our laboratory between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2014. We compared mumps virus shedding and severity of disease between patients who had received 2 doses of MMR (n=592) and unvaccinated mumps patients (n=195). Mumps virus shedding in saliva and urine specimens was measured by qPCR. Severity of disease was studied in a subset of patients with clinical data available. Mumps patients who had received 2 MMR doses shed less often mumps virus in their urine than unvaccinated patients. Salivary viral loads were higher at day of onset of disease in twice MMR vaccinated patients with viruria than in twice MMR vaccinated patients without viruria. However, salivary viral loads did not significantly differ between patients who had received 2 MMR doses and unvaccinated patients. Bilateral parotitis and orchitis were less often reported in patients who had received 2 MMR doses than in unvaccinated patients. Furthermore, the prevalence of bilateral parotitis and orchitis was higher among twice MMR vaccinated patients with viruria than among twice MMR vaccinated patients without viruria. MMR vaccination was associated with less severe disease among mumps patients. Systemic spread of virus was associated with more severe disease. The elevated salivary viral loads in patients with systemic mumps disease suggest that these patients pose a higher risk for mumps virus transmission. Our study contributes to the understanding of mumps virus pathogenesis and shows the protective effect of MMR vaccination on severity of disease.


Race, geographical location and other risk factors for hypertension: South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011/12.
Hypertension is the leading cardiovascular disease in Africa. It is increasing in prevalence due partly to the epidemiological transition that African countries, including South Africa, are undergoing. This epidemiological transition is characterised by a nutrition transition andurbanisation; resulting in behavioural, environmental and stress changes that are subject to racial and geographic divides. The South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES) examined the association of traditional risk factors; and less traditional risk factors such as race, geographical location, social stressors and psychological distress with hypertension in a national population-based sample of South Africans. Data were analysed on individuals ≥15 years who underwent a physical examination in the SANHANES (n = 7443). Hypertension was defined by blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg or self-reported hypertension medication usage. Stepwise regression examined the association of demographic, socioeconomic, life stressors, and health risk factors with systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and hypertension. Secondly, the risk factor associations and geographical location effects were investigated separately for the African race group. Increasing age (AOR = 1.069, p < 0.001); male gender (AOR = 1.413, p = 0.037); diabetes (AOR = 1.66, p = 0.002); family history of high blood pressure (AOR = 1.721, p < 0.001); and normal weight, overweight and obesity (relative to underweight: AOR = 1.782, p = 0.008; AOR = 2.232, p < 0.001; AOR = 3.874, p < 0.001 respectively) were associated with hypertension. Amongst African participants (n = 5315) age (AOR = 1.068, p < 0.001); male gender (AOR = 1.556, p = 0.001); diabetes (AOR = 1.717, p = 0.002); normal weight, overweight and obesity (relative to underweight: AOR = 1.958, p = 0.006; AOR = 2.118, p = 0.002; AOR = 3.931, p < 0.001); family history of high blood pressure (AOR = 1.485, p = 0.005); and household crowding (AOR = 0.745, p = 0.037) were associated with hypertension. There was a significantly lower prevalence of hypertension in rural informal compared to urban formal settings amongst African participants (AOR = 0.611, p = 0.005). Other social stressors and psychological distress were not significantly associated with hypertension. There was no significant association between social stressors or psychological distress and hypertension. However, the study provides evidence of high-risk groups for whom hypertension screening and management should be prioritised, including older ages, males, people with diabetes or with family history of hypertension, and Africans who live in urban formal localities.


Opioid withdrawal: role in addiction and neural mechanisms.
Withdrawal from opioids involves a negative affective state that promotes maintenance of drug-seeking behavior and relapse. As such, understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying withdrawal from opioid drugs is critical as scientists and clinicians seek to develop new treatments and therapies. In this review, we focus on the neural systems known to mediate the affective and somatic signs and symptoms of opioid withdrawal, including the mesolimbic dopaminergic system, basolateral amygdala, extended amygdala, and brain and hormonal stress systems. Evidence from preclinical studies suggests that these systems are altered following opioid exposure and that these changes mediate behavioral signs of negative affect such as aversion and anxiety during withdrawal. Adaptations in these systems also parallel the behavioral and psychological features of opioid use disorder (OUD), highlighting the important role of withdrawal in the development of addictive behavior. Implications for relapse and treatment are discussed as well as promising avenues for future research, with the hope of promoting continued progress toward characterizing neural contributors to opioid withdrawal and compulsive opioid use.


Lumbar motor neuron size and number is affected by age in male F344 rats.
Motor neurons in the spinal cord of old rats appear similar in size but less numerous compared with those in mature rats; they also contain a large amount of lipofuscin, the lipid peroxidation by-product whose function is largely unknown. The object of this study was to morphometrically characterize motor neurons found in the L4/L5 lumbar spinal cord of mature (6-month) and old (22-month) rats. Paraformaldehyde-fixed, lumbar spinal cords from six rats at each age were embedded in paraffin, sectioned at 6 microm and stained with 0.1% toluidine blue. The nucleolar diameter and area from a minimum of 34 motor neurons per spinal cord were measured. Motor neuron number was calculated using Abercrombie's (Abercrombie, 1946) formula after correcting for tissue shrinkage. Motor neuron number was decreased with age while the neuronal area increased with age. Nucleolar diameter also increased in old rats. Frequency distributions of motor neuron area revealed unimodal distributions of motor neurons rats of both ages. We suggest that larger nucleolar diameter reflects more metabolically active neurons in old rats while larger neuron area is a reflection of the presence of lipofuscin in old motor neurons.


Delayed skin test reaction to injectable collagen implant (Zyderm). The histopathologic comparative study.
Ten cases of persistent positive test site responses to enzyme-digested purified bovine collagen solution (EPC; Zyderm Collagen Implant) were reviewed. Specimens were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, Gomori's trichrome, colloidal iron, elastic van Gieson, Snook 's reticulum, and polarized light. These granulomatous-like reactions were compared with cases of granuloma annulare, hypertrophic scarring, keloids, and rheumatoid nodules. These studies make it possible to differentiate a normal EPC implant from normal reticular dermis. The granulomatous reaction around the EPC implant can be differentiated from granuloma annulare, scars and keloids, and rheumatoid nodules. It is our conclusion that the granulomatous material is probably a combination of EPC and small amounts of altered human collagen.


Modelling the effect of specific inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor isoforms on cellular Ca2+ signals.
Oscillations of cytosolic Ca2+ are well-known to rely on the regulatory properties of the InsP3R (inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor). Three isoforms of this channel have been identified. They differ in their regulatory properties by Ca2+ and InsP3. Experiments in different cell types clearly indicate that the relative amounts of each isoform affect the time course of Ca2+ changes after agonist stimulation. In the present study, we investigate whether different steady-state curves for the open probability of the InsP3Rs as a function of Ca2+ imply different dynamical behaviours when these receptors are present in a cellular environment. We therefore describe by a specific phenomenological model the three main types of curves that have been reported: (i) the classical bell-shaped curve, (ii) the bell-shaped curve that is shifted towards higher Ca2+ concentrations when InsP3 is increased, and (iii) a monotonous increasing function of cytosolic Ca2+. We show that, although these types of curves can be ascribed to slight differences in the channel regulation by Ca2+ and InsP3, they can indicate important variations as to the receptor role in cellular Ca2+ control. Thus the receptor associated with the classical bell-shaped curve appears to be the most robust Ca2+ oscillator. If the steady-state curve is supposed to be a monotonous increasing function of cytosolic Ca2+, the modelled receptor cannot sustain Ca2+ oscillations in the absence of Ca2+ exchanges with the extracellular medium. When the bell-shaped curve is shifted towards higher Ca2+ concentrations with increasing InsP3 levels, the model predicts that the receptor is less robust to changes in density; this receptor, however, provides a finer control of the steady-state level of Ca2+ when varying the InsP3 concentration. Our model allows us to propose an explanation for the experimental observations about the effect of selectively expressing or down-regulating InsP3R isoforms, as well as to make theoretical predictions.


The plant Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Coville as a neutralizing source against some toxic activities of Bothrops jararacussu snake venom.
Snakebites produce several toxic effects in victims, such as hemorrhage, tissue necrosis, hemostatic, renal, or cardiotoxic alterations, inflammation, and death. To counteract these symptoms, antivenom is the official treatment. Although such therapy prevents death, it does not efficiently neutralize necrosis or other local effects, leading to amputation or morbidities of the affected limb. Therefore, the search for better and more efficient therapies deserves attention; further, plants have been used to ameliorate a number of diseases and medical conditions, including snakebites, for many years. Thus, the aim of this work was to evaluate the antivenom effect of the crude extract, fractions (aqueous and diethyl acetate), and subfractions derived from the aqueous fraction (P1, P2, P3, and P4) of the plant Stryphnodendron adstringens against in vitro (coagulation and proteolytic) and in vivo (edema, hemorrhage, and myotoxic) activities caused by Bothrops jararacussu venom. Overall, all extracts inhibited the toxic effect of B. jararacussu venom, but with different potencies, regardless of whether plant samples were incubated together with venom or injected before or after venom injection into animals; the crude extract and aqueous fraction were found to be the most effective. Indeed, phytochemical and mass spectrometry analysis of S. adstringens samples revealed the presence of flavonols, tannins, and saponins. In conclusion, the plant S. adstringens may represent a promising natural source of molecules to treat the toxic effects associated with envenomation by B. jararacussu snakebites.


Consistent involvement of band 12q14 in two different translocations in three lipomas from the same patient.
We studied cytogenetically three distinct lipomas from a patient with multiple subcutaneous lipomas in the left shoulder area. A breakpoint at 12q14 was involved in structural rearrangements in the three lipomas resulting in two different reciprocal translocations, i.e., t(3;12)(q28;q14) in two and a t(1;12)(q34.2;q14) in the third. These results confirm the consistency of involvement of the breakpoint at 12q14 in lipomas and give support to the hypothesis that multiple lipomas evolve from different stem cells.


Hospital trauma level's association with outcomes for injured pregnant women and their neonates in Washington state, 1995-2012.
Trauma occurs in 8% of all pregnancies. To date, no studies have evaluated the effect of the hospital's trauma designation level as it relates to birth outcomes for injured pregnant women. This population-based, retrospective cohort study evaluated the association between trauma designation levels and injured pregnancy birth outcomes. We linked Washington State Birth and Fetal Death Certificate data and the Washington State Comprehensive Hospital Abstract Recording System. Injury was identified using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision injury diagnosis and external causation codes. The association was analyzed using logistic regression to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We identified 2492 injured pregnant women. Most birth outcomes studied, including placental abruption, induction of labor, premature rupture of membranes, cesarean delivery, maternal death, gestational age <37 weeks, fetal distress, fetal death, neonatal respiratory distress, and neonatal death, showed no association with trauma hospital level designation. Patients at trauma Level 1-2 hospitals had a 43% increased odds of preterm labor (95% CI: 1.15-1.79) and a 66% increased odds of meconium at delivery (95% CI: 1.05-2.61) compared to those treated at Level 3-4 hospitals. Patients with an injury severity score >9, treated at trauma Level 1-2 hospitals, had an aOR of low birth weight, <2500 g, of 2.52 (95% CI: 1.12-5.64). The majority of birth outcomes for injured patients had no association with hospitalization at a Level 1-2 compared to a Level 3-4 trauma center.


Phenolic composition of Cynara cardunculus L. organs, and their biological activities.
Polyphenols are bioactive molecules exhibiting a lot of scientific attention due to their multiple biological activities. This study compared phenolic contents and antioxidant activity in Cynara cardunculus L. organs and focus on leaf phenolic compounds identification by RP-HPLC and their antibacterial activity. The analyzed organs exhibited different total polyphenol contents (7-14.8 mg GAE g(-1) DW). Leaf and seed phenolic contents were similar and two times higher than those in flowers. The same tendency was observed for the amount of flavonoids and tannins. However, seed extracts displayed the highest DPPH. scavenging ability with the lowest IC50 value (23 microg ml(-1)), followed by leaves and flowers (over 50 microg ml(-1)). In contrast, leaves showed the highest capacity to quench superoxide (IC50: 1 microg ml(-1)) as compared to seeds (6 microg ml(-1)). In addition, cardoon leaves were efficient to inhibit growth of pathogenic bacteria mainly against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The identification of phenolic compounds from leaves revealed that syringic and trans-cinnamic acids were the major molecules.


Eicosanoid and cytokine levels in plasma of patients during mesenteric infarction.
Multible organ failure (MOF) induced by mesenteric infarction is associated with a high mortality rate. This study reports eicosanoid and cytokine levels in the blood of three atherosclerotic patients who ultimately died from MOF induced by mesenteric infarction. High plasma levels of 6- keto-prostaglandin (PG) F(1alpha) (the stable metabolite of PGI(2)), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 are observed whereas plasma tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), TxB(2) (the stable metabolite of TxA(2)), PGE(2), leukotrienes (LT)B(4) and LTC(4), and whole blood platelet-activating factor levels are not different from values obtained in similarly severe atherosclerotic patients. This short report questioned the clinical involvement of TNFalpha during such a pathology where a persistent translocation of endotoxin has been observed through the gut endothelial barrier. Activation of phospholipase A(2) is suggested by the increase in the stable metabolite of PGI(2) and might be by itself or through lipidic metabolites, a major systemic stimulus of IL-6 and IL-8 production.


Skeletal rearrangement of seven-membered iminosugars: synthesis of (-)-adenophorine, (-)-1-epi-adenophorine and derivatives and evaluation as glycosidase inhibitors.
The mirror image of natural product (+)-adenophorine along with its 1-epi-, 1-homo-analogs and other derivatives have been synthesized and evaluated as glycosidase inhibitors. The synthetic strategy is based on the skeletal rearrangement of tetrahydroxylated C-alkyl azepanes obtained via a Staudinger/azaWittig/alkylation sequence starting from a sugar-derived azidolactol. Several organometallic species have been investigated for the alkylation step including organomagnesium, organolithium, organozinc, organoaluminum and organocerium reagents. While diallylzinc proved to be the most efficient to introduce an allyl substituent, disappointing results were obtained with the other organometallic species leading either to lower yields or no reaction. Enzymatic assays indicate that (-)-adenophorine is a moderate α-l-fucosidase inhibitor.


Factors associated with the patient privacy protection behaviours of nursing interns in China: A cross-sectional study.
To explore the associated factors of patient privacy protection behaviours among nursing interns. The patient privacy protection behaviours of nursing interns are closely related to information security incidents and the quality of clinical practice. However, little is known about the associated factors of patient privacy protection behaviours among nursing interns. A cross-sectional study. A comprehensive hospital in Hunan Province, China. Nursing interns in a comprehensive hospital from 30 different nursing schools were recruited using convenience sampling. Data on general information, patient privacy protection cognition, moral sensitivity, empathy and patient privacy protection behaviours were collected with a general information questionnaire and corresponding scales with good psychometric properties. U-test, spearman correlation analysis and multiple linear regression were used to determine the associated factors of patient privacy protection behaviours among nursing interns. This study showed that nursing interns in a college programme had better patient privacy protection behaviours than those nursing interns in a baccalaureate programme. Nursing interns who have more knowledge of privacy laws and whose clinical nursing teachers excelled in patient privacy protection might show better patient privacy protection behaviours. Nursing interns with better patient privacy protection cognition, higher moral sensitivity and greater empathy might have better patient privacy protection behaviours. Strengthening nursing interns' knowledge of privacy laws and patient privacy protection cognition, improving their moral sensitivity and empathy and standardising the patient privacy protection behaviours of clinical nursing teachers may can improve the patient privacy protection behaviours of nursing interns. Also, clinical teachers should pay close attention to nursing interns in baccalaureate programmes who are likely to have a lower level of patient privacy protection behaviours and act as role models for them in protecting patient privacy in clinical nursing education.


Acinetobacter chinensis, a novel Acinetobacter species, carrying blaNDM-1, recovered from hospital sewage.
Two strains of the genus Acinetobacter, named WCHAc010005 and WCHAc010052, were isolated from hospital sewage at West China Hospital in Chengdu, China. The two strains were found to be resistant to carbapenems due to the presence of carbapenemase gene blaNDM-1. Based on the comparative analysis of the rpoB sequence, the two strains formed a strongly supported and internally coherent cluster (intracluster identity of 98.7%), which was clearly separated from all known Acinetobacter species (≤ 83.4%). The two strains also formed a tight and distinct cluster based on the genuswide comparison of whole-cell mass fingerprints generated by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. In addition, the combination of their ability to assimilate malonate but not benzoate, and the inability to grow at 37°C could distinguish the two strains from all known Acinetobacter species. The two strains were subjected to whole genome sequencing using both short-read Illumina HiSeq2500 platform and the longread MinION sequencer. The average nucleotide identity and in silico DNA-DNA hybridization value between the genomes of WCHAc010005 and WCHAc010052 was 96.69% and 74.3% respectively, whereas those between the two genomes and the known Acinetobacter species were < 80% and < 30%, respectively. Therefore, the two strains represent a novel species of the genus Acinetobacter, for which the name Acinetobacter chinensis sp. nov. is proposed, and the type strain is WCHAc- 010005T (= GDMCC 1.1232T = KCTC 61813T).


Nicotine and opioid co-dependence: Findings from bench research to clinical trials.
Concomitant use of tobacco and opioids represents a growing public health concern. In fact, the mortality rate due to smoking-related illness approaches 50% among SUD patients. Cumulative evidence demonstrates that the vulnerability to drugs of abuse is influenced by behavioral, environmental, and genetic factors. This review explores the contribution of genetics and neural mechanisms influencing nicotine and opioid reward, respiration, and antinociception, emphasizing the interaction of cholinergic and opioid receptor systems. Despite the substantial evidence demonstrating nicotine-opioid interactions within the brain and on behavior, the currently available pharmacotherapies targeting these systems have shown limited efficacy for smoking cessation on opioid-maintained smokers. Thus, further studies designed to identify novel targets modulating both nicotinic and opioid receptor systems may lead to more efficacious approaches for co-morbid nicotine dependence and opioid use disorder.


Genotype and phenotype analysis of Taiwanese patients with osteogenesis imperfecta.
Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a congenital disorder characterized by increased bone fragility and low bone mass. The presence of COL1A1 or COL1A2 mutation was investigated by direct sequencing in 72 patients with OI type I, III, or IV (27 males and 45 females; age range 0.2-62 years) from 37 unrelated families. The clinical features of these patients were also recorded. Thirty-seven COL1A1 and COL1A2 mutations were identified, including 28 COL1A1 mutations and 9 COL1A2 mutations. Fifteen (41%) were novel mutations, and twelve (32%) were familial mutations. A review of their medical records revealed that the 72 patients could be classified into OI type I (n = 42), III (n = 5), and IV (n = 25). Twenty-nine patients had helical mutations (caused by the substitution of a glycine within the Gly-X-Y triplet domain of the triple helix), and 42 had haploinsufficiency mutations (caused by frameshift, nonsense, and splice-site mutations). Compared with haploinsufficiency, the patients with helical mutations had more severely impaired skeletal phenotypes, including shorter height, lower bone mineral density, poorer walking ability, more frequent manifestations of dentinogenesis imperfecta and scoliosis (p < 0.05). Genotype and phenotype databases are expected to promote better genetic counseling and medical care of patients with OI.


Correlation between impedance cardiography and 6 min walk distance in atrial fibrillation patients.
The correlation between impedance cardiography (ICG) and 6 min walk distance (6MWD) in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients remains unknown. We recruited 49 subjects in the study (21 AF patients and 28 patients without AF) and estimated hemodynamic parameters: cardiac output (CO), stroke volume (SV), stroke volume index (SVI), left stroke work (LSW), left stroke work index (LSWI), stroke systemic vascular resistance (SSVR), stroke systemic vascular resistance index (SSVRI); 6MWD, left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF), NT-pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro BNP) for the two groups. The AF group have apparently lower CO (2.26 ± 0.14 VS 4.11 ± 0.20 L/min, p = 0.039) and distinctly higher SVR (677.60 ± 69.10 VS 344.41 ± 22.98 dynes/cm(5), p = 0.001), SSVRI (396.97 ± 36.80 VS 199.01 ± 11.72 dynes/cm(5)/m(2), p < 0.001) than the control group. NT-pro BNP (1409.48 ± 239.90 VS 332.59 ± 68.85 pg/ml, p = 0.001) in the AF group was significantly higher than the control group and 6MWD (264.33 ± 14.55 VS 428.79 ± 29.98 m, p < 0.001) in the AF group was lower than the control group. There was no significant difference in LVEF between the two groups (62.67 ± 7.62 % VS 63.93 ± 5.03 %, p = 0.470). Pearson correlation analysis revealed that CO (R = 0.494, p = 0.023), SV (R = 0.633, p = 0.002), LSW (R = 0.615, p = 0.003) and LSWI (R = 0.491, p = 0.024) significantly correlated positively with 6MWD in AF patients. AF patients had lower cardiac output, shorter 6MWD and higher NT-pro BNP than patients with sinus rhythm. The cardiac output measured by impedance cardiography significantly correlated positively with 6MWD in AF patients.


Clinical application of pulse oximetry.
Pulse oximetry has become a common monitoring tool in critical care units over the past few years. But, as sometimes happens with new technology, use of the equipment can precede solid education about the applications and limitations of the device and how values should be interpreted.


Prostaglandin E2 Induces miR675-5p to Promote Colorectal Tumor Metastasis via Modulation of p53 Expression.
Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) promotes colorectal tumor formation and progression by unknown mechanisms. We sought to identify microRNAs (miRNAs) that might mediate the effects of PGE2 on colorectal cancer (CRC) development. We incubated LS174T colorectal cancer cells with PGE2 or without (control) and used miRNA-sequencing technology to compare expression patterns of miRNAs. We knocked down levels of specific miRNAs or proteins in cells using small interfering RNAs or genome editing. Cells were analyzed by immunoblot, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, chromosome immunoprecipitation, cell invasion, and luciferase reporter assays; we measured gene expression, binding activity, cell migration and invasion, and transcriptional activity of transcription factors. NOD-scidIL-2Rg-/- mice were given injections of LS174T cells, and growth of primary tumors and numbers of liver and lung metastases were quantified and analyzed by histology. We used public databases to identify correlations in gene expression pattern with patient outcomes. We identified miRNA 675-5p (miR675-5p) as the miRNA most highly up-regulated by incubation of colorectal cancer cells with PGE2. PGE2 increased expression of miR675-5p by activating expression of Myc, via activation of protein kinase B, also known as (AKT), nuclear factor κB, and β-catenin. PGE2 increased the invasive activities of cultured CRC cells. LS174T cells incubated with PGE2 formed more liver and lung metastases in mice than control LS174T cells. We identified a 3' untranslated region in the TP53 messenger RNA that bound miR675-5p; binding resulted in loss of the p53 protein. Expression of miR675-5p or its precursor RNA, H19, correlated with expression of cyclooxygenase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 and shorter survival times of patients with CRC. We found that treatment of mice with PGE2 increased CRC cells invasive activity and ability to form liver and lung metastases. PGE2 down-regulates expression of p53 by increasing expression of miR675-5p, which binds to and prevents translation of TP53 messenger RNA. These findings provide insight into the mechanisms by which PGE2 promotes tumor development and progression. Strategies to target PGE2 might be developed for treatment of CRC.


"Dinner's ready!" A qualitative exploration of the food domain across the lifecourse.
The influence of the childhood food domain on adult food-related practices is only partially understood. Through an interpretive study using in-depth life-story interviewing and narrative analysis, we aimed to discover how preferences and perceptions relating to the food domain become embodied during childhood, and once embodied, how these influence practices in adulthood. We observed distinct 'food mood' pathways seemingly anchored in childhood memories about dinnertime. One pathway led to food philosophies participants perceived to be beneficial for their health and wellbeing, whilst another led to perceptions of food as a chore and bore they would rather ignore. Parental attitudes were very important to the food domain of childhood, as this is now recalled through life-story narratives. Our findings suggest a positive relationship with the food domain needs to be fostered during childhood for the long-term protection and promotion of health and wellbeing in adulthood.


OXA-48 Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in a Household Contact of a Previously Infected Patient: Person-to-Person Transmission or Coincidental Community Acquisition?
We reported a woman with urinary-tract infection caused by OXA-48 producing Klebsiella pneumoniae. Using molecular techniques, we showed that she might acquire this bacterium from another family member who lived in the same house. The two isolates, although different by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and multilocus sequence typing, carried blaOXA-48 in a similar IncL/M plasmid. This case report shows that community spreading of carbapenemase producing Enterobacteriaceae occurs in the low endemic area not only in nosocomial setting but also in the community.


Differential movement patterns but not amount of activity in unconditioned motor behavior of Fischer, Lewis, and Sprague-Dawley rats.
Histocompatible Fischer 344 and Lewis rats have been shown to differ on a wide variety of behavioral, chemical, and molecular measures. This investigation aimed to clarify strain differences in unconditioned motor behavior with respect to the amount and patterns of movements. Twenty female Fischer 344, Lewis, and Sprague-Dawley were tested in the Behavioral Pattern Monitor for 30 min. The locomotor activity and movement patterns, quantified by counts of photobeam breaks and the spatial scaling exponent, d, were assessed. The level of locomotor activity did not differ significantly between Fischer, Lewis, and Sprague-Dawley rats. In contrast, movement patterns differed significantly between the strains. Specifically, Sprague-Dawley rats exhibited significantly more straight movements than both Fischer and Lewis rats. Moreover, Lewis rats showed significantly more straight movements compared to Fischer rats during the first 10 min in the enclosures. Differences in movement patterns across strains may provide an important behavioral variable to further explore the genetic and developmental aspects of behavior.


Reticular telangiectatic erythema after implantation of a pacemaker.
A case of a telangiectatic erythema appearing after implantation of a pacemaker is described. The eruption cleared completely after removal of the battery.


Concept for postoperative analgesia after pedicled TRAM flaps: continuous wound instillation with 0.2% ropivacaine via multilumen catheters. A report of two cases.
Pedicled TRAM flap surgery is a complex procedure characterised by an extensive wound site. We present two patients with efficient postoperative pain relief by continuous wound instillation of ropivacaine 0.2% via two multilumen catheters. The catheters were placed subcutaneously before the wound closure through the umbilicus into the abdominal wound, and under the autologous flap into the breast. Each multilumen catheter provides even distribution for local anaesthetics over 12.5 cm. At the end of surgery, patients received a single shot dose of local anaesthetic via the pain catheters. After surgery the continuous infusion of ropivacaine 0.2% was commenced at a rate of 10 ml/h per catheter. Pain scores at rest and on coughing were low on the first postoperative day, and later zero. No medication for breakthrough pain was required throughout the recovery period, and the patients experienced no adverse events linked to the analgesia scene. Patient satisfaction was excellent, and quality of recovery score was superior.


Differential expression of microRNAs in the hippocampi of male and female rodents after chronic alcohol administration.
Women are more vulnerable than men to the neurotoxicity and severe brain damage caused by chronic heavy alcohol use. In addition, brain damage due to chronic heavy alcohol use may be associated with sex-dependent epigenetic modifications. This study aimed to identify microRNAs (miRNAs) and their target genes that are differentially expressed in the hippocampi of male and female animal models in response to alcohol. After chronic alcohol administration (3~3.5 g/kg/day) in male (control, n = 10; alcohol, n = 12) or female (control, n = 10; alcohol, n = 12) Sprague-Dawley rats for 6 weeks, we measured body weights and doublecortin (DCX; a neurogenesis marker) concentrations and analyzed up- or downregulated miRNAs using GeneChip miRNA 4.0 arrays. The differentially expressed miRNAs and their putative target genes were validated by RT-qPCR. Alcohol attenuated body weight gain only in the male group. On the other hand, alcohol led to increased serum AST in female rats and decreased serum total cholesterol concentrations in male rats. The expression of DCX was significantly reduced in the hippocampi of male alcohol-treated rats. Nine miRNAs were significantly up- or downregulated in male alcohol-treated rats, including upregulation of miR-125a-3p, let-7a-5p, and miR-3541, and downregulation of their target genes (Prdm5, Suv39h1, Ptprz1, Mapk9, Ing4, Wt1, Nkx3-1, Dab2ip, Rnf152, Ripk1, Lin28a, Apbb3, Nras, and Acvr1c). On the other hand, 7 miRNAs were significantly up- or downregulated in alcohol-treated female rats, including downregulation of miR-881-3p and miR-504 and upregulation of their target genes (Naa50, Clock, Cbfb, Arih1, Ube2g1, and Gng7). These results suggest that chronic heavy alcohol use produces sex-dependent effects on neurogenesis and miRNA expression in the hippocampus and that sex differences should be considered when developing miRNA biomarkers to diagnose or treat alcoholics.


Editorial Commentary: Hip Arthroscopy in Patients With Early Degeneration Who Receive Intra-Articular Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate Can Achieve Outcomes Similar to Nonarthritic Patients.
The management of patients with early joint degeneration is challenging. In this setting, biologic interventions, from platelet-rich plasma to bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) to hyaluronic acid, may be beneficial. Recent research, with 2-year follow-up, shows that patients with early degenerative changes (Tönnis grade 1 or 2) who received intra-articular injection of BMAC after hip arthroscopy procedure had improvements in outcomes similar to nonarthritic patients (Tönnis 0) with symptomatic labral tears who underwent arthroscopy and did not receive BMAC. Although confirmatory investigation using patients with early degenerative changes as a control is required, it is possible that with BMAC, patients with early degenerative changes of their hip could achieve functional outcomes similar to patients with nonarthritic hips.


The use of sulprostone to induce abortion in the second trimester.
We have used a derivative of PGE2, sulprostone, to induce abortion in the second trimester of pregnancy in 26 women. 500 micrograms of sulprostone were administered i.m. every four or six hours and clinical rating of the efficiency of the treatment was done using a scale ranging from 20 to 100. FSH, prolactin, 17-beta-estradiol, progesterone, hPL and beta-hCG plasma levels were monitored during treatment. The drug was effective in 20 cases (79.9%) while in three cases additional administration of oxytocin was necessary and in three cases no effect was seen. Treatment was interrupted, due to the appearance of unpleasant side effects, in only one case. No specific variation in hormone levels was seen. In three cases in which only two doses of the drug were sufficient to induce abortion, hormone levels dropped more rapidly and to a greater extent than in the remaining cases. A correlation exist between the rate of decrease in progesterone and 17-beta-estradiol plasma levels and the time required for the treatment to induce abortion.


alpha-Fetoprotein and albumin mRNA levels in liver regeneration and carcinogenesis.
Using a titration procedure, we measured the proportion of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and albumin mRNA in normal, regenerating, and preneoplastic rat livers. AFP mRNA constitutes approximately 0.006% of the polysomal polyadenylated RNA of normal livers and this proportion increases only slightly before the onset of DNA synthesis in liver regeneration induced by partial hepatectomy or CCl4 injury. In either model of liver regeneration, the proportion of AFP mRNA in polysomal RNA is highest approximately 24 h after the peak of DNA synthesis. The increase in the proportion of AFP mRNA in polysomal RNA is relatively small during liver regeneration (2-4-fold) but is larger (30-50-fold) in preneoplastic livers of rats fed a choline-deficient diet containing 0.1% ethionine. In contrast to those changes in AFP mRNA, albumin mRNA levels remain unchanged during liver regeneration and double in preneoplastic livers. Our results indicate that the concept of "retrodifferentiation" as it applies to liver regeneration and certain types of hepatic neoplasia needs reevaluation.


Myasthenia gravis: management issues during pregnancy.
Myasthenia gravis (MG) often affects women in the second and third decades of life, overlapping with the childbearing years. The course of the disease is unpredictable during pregnancy; however, worsening of symptoms occurs more likely during the first trimester and postpartum. MG can be well managed during pregnancy with relatively safe and effective therapies. Anticholinesterase drugs are the mainstay of treatment, when MG symptoms are not satisfactorily controlled, corticosteroids, azathioprine and in some cases cyclosporin A can be used. Until information is available regarding safety, mycophenolate mofetil should be discontinued before pregnancy. Pregnancy should be avoided in women treated with methotrexate because of the risk of causing typical malformations. Plasmapheresis and intravenous immunoglobulins have been successfully used in the treatment of MG crisis during pregnancy. Caesarean section is recommended only for obstetric reasons; forceps delivery and vacuum extraction are sometimes required. Epidural anesthesia is advised to reduce physical and emotional stress. MG during pregnancy can lead to serious life-threatening conditions, including respiratory insufficiency; therefore, intensive checkups by a gynaecologist and a neurologist are necessary. Women with myasthenia gravis should not be discouraged from conceiving; however, they should discuss their plan for pregnancy with their neurologist and their gynaecologist.


A micellar liquid chromatographic procedure for the determination of amiloride, bendroflumethiazide, chlorthalidone, spironolactone and triamterene in pharmaceuticals.
A procedure for the determination of amiloride, bendroflumethiazide, chlorthalidone, spironolactone and triamterene in pharmaceutical preparations (tablets) by micellar liquid chromatography, using a 0.07 M SDS-0.5% pentanol mobile phase, is proposed. Recoveries were found in the 100-108% range, with relative standard deviations of 0.4-3.1%. Elution of the most retained diuretics occurred in less than 18 min (at a 1 ml min-1 flow rate). The change in the values of the solute-micelle binding constants and the partition coefficients of the diuretics between the stationary phase and water, upon addition of pentanol, was also studied.


An assessment of the impact of trauma systems consultation on the level of trauma system development.
Studies have shown that trauma systems decrease morbidity and mortality after injury. Despite these findings, overall progress in system development has been slow and inconsistent. The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (COT) has developed a process to provide expert consultation to facilitate regional trauma system development. This study evaluated the progress that occurred after COT consultation visits in six regional systems. All six trauma systems undergoing COT consultation between January 1, 2004 and September 1, 2006 were included in the study. Using a set of 16 objective indicators, preconsultation status was retrospectively assessed by members of the original consultation team using data from the final consultation reports. Postconsultation status was assessed by directed telephone conference, conducted by members of the original consultation team with current key representatives from each system. Progress was assessed by comparing changes in both aggregate and individual indicator scores. This study showed a statistically significant increase in aggregate indicator scores after consultation. The largest gains were seen in systems with the longest time interval between the two assessments. Individual indicators related to system planning and quality assurance infrastructure showed the most improvement. Little or no change was seen in indicators related to system funding. The COT consultation process appears to be effective in facilitating regional trauma system development. In this short-term followup study, progress was seen primarily in areas related to planning and system design. Consultation was not effective in helping systems secure stable funding.


A chimeric SM5-1 antibody inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma cell growth and induces caspase-dependent apoptosis.
cSM5-1 is a mouse-human chimeric antibody which has a high specificity for hepatocellular carcinoma, melanoma and breast cancer. In this study, cSM5-1 was found to be able to inhibit cell growth and induce apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. The antitumor activity of cSM5-1 was closely correlated with the expression level of the SM5-1 binding protein in the cancer cells. The role of caspases in cSM5-1-induced apoptosis was also investigated, indicating that cSM5-1-induced apoptosis was partially caspase-dependent and caspase-10 played a critical role. These in vitro data indicate that cSM5-1 has the potential to be a promising candidate for cancer treatment.


A comparison of gross and microsurgical techniques for repair of cornual occlusion in infertility: a retrospective study, 1968-1978.
A 10-year experience is recounted moving from traditional gross implantation methods to microsurgical anastomosis in the repair of cornual occlusion in infertility. Two gross surgical implantation techniques, one involving reaming out the intramural portion of the uterine tube and the other dissecting it out via a transfundal incision, are compared with microsurgical uterotubal anastomosis. The author reports a 4.7 times improvement in the term pregnancy rate after turning to microsurgery and describes his method for anastomosing the transected ampulla or isthmus to the intramural portion of the tube.


Skull 5 from Dmanisi: Descriptive anatomy, comparative studies, and evolutionary significance.
A fifth hominin skull (cranium D4500 and mandible D2600) from Dmanisi is massively constructed, with a large face and a very small brain. Traits documented for the first time in a basal member of the Homo clade include the uniquely low ratio of endocranial volume to basicranial width, reduced vertex height, angular vault profile, smooth nasal sill coupled with a long and sloping maxillary clivus, elongated palate, and tall mandibular corpus. The convex clivus and receding symphysis of skull 5 produce a muzzle-like form similar to that of Australopithecus afarensis. While the Dmanisi cranium is very robust, differing from OH 13, OH 24, and KNM-ER 1813, it resembles Homo habilis specimens in the "squared off" outline of its maxilla in facial view, maxillary sulcus, rounded and receding zygomatic arch, and flexed zygomaticoalveolar pillar. These characters distinguish early Homo from species of Australopithecus and Paranthropus. Skull 5 is unlike Homo rudolfensis cranium KNM-ER 1470. Although it appears generally primitive, skull 5 possesses a bar-like supraorbital torus, elongated temporal squama, occipital transverse torus, and petrotympanic traits considered to be derived for Homo erectus. As a group, the Dmanisi crania and mandibles display substantial anatomical and metric variation. A key question is whether the fossils document age-related growth and sex dimorphism within a single population, or whether two (or more) distinct taxa may be present at the site. We use the coefficient of variation to compare Dmanisi with Paranthropus boisei, H. erectus, and recent Homo sapiens, finding few signals that the Dmanisi sample is excessively variable in comparison to these reference taxa. Using cranial measurements and principal components analysis, we explore the proposal that the Dmanisi skulls can be grouped within a regionally diverse hypodigm for H. erectus. Our results provide only weak support for this hypothesis. Finally, we consider all available morphological and paleobiological evidence in an attempt to clarify the phyletic relationship of Dmanisi to Homo species evolving >2.0 to 1.0 Ma.


Accelerating digital health literacy for the treatment of growth disorders: The impact of a massive open online course.
Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is a rare disorder characterized by inadequate secretion of growth hormone (GH) from the anterior pituitary gland. One of the challenges in optimizing GH therapy is improving adherence. Using digital interventions may overcome barriers to optimum treatment delivery. Massive open online courses (MOOCs), first introduced in 2008, are courses made available over the internet without charge to a large number of people. Here, we describe a MOOC aiming to improve digital health literacy among healthcare professionals managing patients with GHD. Based on pre- and post-course assessments, we evaluate the improvement in participants' knowledge upon completion of the MOOC. The MOOC entitled 'Telemedicine: Tools to Support Growth Disorders in a Post-COVID Era' was launched in 2021. It was designed to cover 4 weeks of online learning with an expected commitment of 2 h per week, and with two courses running per year. Learners' knowledge was assessed using pre- and post-course surveys via the FutureLearn platform. Out of 219 learners enrolled in the MOOC, 31 completed both the pre- and post-course assessments. Of the evaluated learners, 74% showed improved scores in the post-course assessment, resulting in a mean score increase of 21.3%. No learner achieved 100% in the pre-course assessment, compared with 12 learners (40%) who achieved 100% in the post-course assessment. The highest score increase comparing the pre- and the post-course assessments was 40%, observed in 16% of learners. There was a statistically significant improvement in post-course assessment scores from 58.1 ± 18.9% to 72.6 ± 22.4% reflecting an improvement of 14.5% (p < 0.0005) compared to the pre-course assessment. This "first-of-its-kind" MOOC can improve digital health literacy in the management of growth disorders. This is a crucial step toward improving the digital capability and confidence of healthcare providers and users, and to prepare them for the technological innovations in the field of growth disorders and growth hormone therapy, with the aim of improving patient care and experience. MOOCs provide an innovative, scalable and ubiquitous solution to train large numbers of healthcare professionals in limited resource settings.


The lipid-binding peptide from the plasma membrane Ca2+ pump binds calmodulin, and the primary calmodulin-binding domain interacts with lipid.
Peptide G25 (KKAVKVPKKEKSVLQGKLTRLAVQI) representing the putative lipid-binding region (G region) of the erythrocyte Ca2+ pump was synthesized. This peptide interacted with acidic lipids, as shown by the increase in size of phosphatidylserine liposomes in its presence. This lipid interaction is consistent with the previous evidence suggesting that the portion of the pump from which this peptide was taken is responsible for the activation of the pump by acidic lipid. G25 also bound to calmodulin, as was shown by its cause of a shift in the fluorescence of 5-dimethylamino naphthalene-1-sulfonyl- (dansyl)-calmodulin, and by its competition with Ca2+ pump for calmodulin. Its Kd for dansyl-calmodulin was much higher (0.8 microM) than that of the peptides representing the primary calmodulin-binding region (C region) of the Ca2+ pump. Although the presence of the G region provided the possibility of a second calmodulin-binding site, activation of the pump by calmodulin always could be fitted by simple saturation kinetics. The calmodulin-binding peptide from the C region of the pump, C28R2, also interacted with lipid with even greater effectiveness than G25. When the C region of the pump was saturated with calmodulin, acidic lipid activation of the pump followed simple saturation kinetics. However, when calmodulin was omitted, a higher concentration of lipid was needed for saturation and the kinetics became complex. The data are consistent with the idea that calmodulin activates the pump only by interaction at the C region, but that acidic lipid activates by interaction at both of the C and G regions.


Self-calibrated optical thermometer based on luminescence from SrLu2O4:Bi3+,Eu3+ phosphors.
Bi3+,Eu3+ co-doped SrLu2O4 phosphors were synthesized by a solid state reaction method. Their structural, luminescent and temperature sensing properties have been systematically investigated. The color-tunable emissions from violet to red were detected with the increase of Eu3+ concentration. Relying on energy transfer process from Bi3+ to Eu3+ and thermal quenching behaviour, the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) presents excellent temperature sensing performance. The maximum absolute and relative sensitivities reach 1.10% K-1 and 0.87% K-1, respectively. These meaningful results indicate that SrLu2O4:Bi3+,Eu3+ is a promising material for optical temperature sensing.


QTLs influencing carbohydrate and fat choice in a LOU/CxFischer 344 F2 rat population.
Individual differences in macronutrient selection, particularly fat and carbohydrate, and associated body weight gain are partly inherited as polygenic traits, but the potential genetic pathways are unknown. To give an overview of the Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) and candidate gene pathways influencing these differences in rat was aimed in this study. To that end, F2 rats obtained from the crossbreeding between LOU/C and Fischer 344 rat strains to diet self-selection during 3 weeks were submitted. A genome scan was conducted with microsatellite markers covering evenly the whole genome. Genotypes and phenotypes were analyzed separately in male and female F2 rats by multiple interval mapping. Then, lists of candidate genes were treated by the Ingenuity Pathway software to propose gene pathways involved in our phenotypes. Among numerous others, a QTL on chromosome 12 that influences body weight gain, and fat and carbohydrate choices in the LOU/C x Fischer 344 F2 rat population was found. This locus contains notably the acyl-co-A dehydrogenase gene. A strong genetic determinism and complex pathways involving numerous candidate genes and processes, notably in accordance with the metabolic theory of feeding behavior control were found.


Characteristics and Outcomes of HEDIS-Defined Asthma Patients with COPD Diagnostic Coding.
Little is known of the disease burden of patients with persistent asthma (PA) who also have a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) diagnosis code (AS-COPD). The objective of this study was to characterize and compare patients with AS-COPD with those with PA without COPD diagnosis, and determine in AS-COPD the relationship between blood eosinophil count and future asthma exacerbations. This retrospective cohort study used administrative pharmacy and health care utilization data to identify, characterize, and compare the burden and asthma exacerbations in adults with AS-COPD (N = 901) with those with PA (N = 2392). Negative binomial regression and Poisson regression models were used to evaluate the relationships between baseline blood eosinophil counts (high vs low) based on various cutoff points and asthma exacerbations in the follow-up year, adjusting for demographics, comorbidities, and asthma burden. Compared with patients with PA, those with AS-COPD were significantly (all P < .001) older, more frequently female, less well educated, more likely to be or have been a smoker, had more comorbidities, received more asthma controller medications, and had greater rates and frequencies of asthma exacerbations, but had similar blood eosinophil counts. The rate of asthma exacerbations/person-year in AS-COPD during follow-up was 1.61 (95% CI, 1.18-2.20). Patients with AS-COPD with a blood eosinophil count ≥400 cells/mm(3) had an increased rate of future asthma exacerbations compared with those whose blood eosinophil count was <400 cells/mm(3) (adjusted rate ratio, 1.44, 95% CI, 1.09-1.90). Compared with patients with PA, those with AS-COPD had more disease burden, but a similar relationship of high blood eosinophil count to more future asthma exacerbations. These findings suggest a common inflammatory component between AS-COPD and PA.


Prevalence of genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection among young men and women in Spain.
There are no accurate data regarding the real prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Spain. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of C. trachomatis infections and the risk factors for acquiring them among 1,048 young (15-24 years old) inhabitants of Laviana. The study was completed in the period between 1st November 2010 and 31st December 2011. We conducted a capture strategy in the whole population, instead of only in a sample group, with a capture conducted in schools, in the local health centre, by post and by phone as a last resort. The design was based on the model used by Shafer to increase screening rates. C. trachomatis was identified by RT-PCR in urine samples. A total of 487 sexually active people underwent the test, which implies a response rate of 59.8% of the sexually active people (target population). The prevalence was 4.1% (CI 95%: 3.1-5.8): women: 4% ( CI 95%; 2.8-6.4) and men: 4.3% (CI 95%: 2.9-7.2). The circulating genotype was the E genotype. There was an increase in the risk of C. trachomatis infection when barrier contraceptives were not routinely used OR: 4.76 (CI 95%:1.30-17.36) p<0.05. In our study the prevalence in women resembles those found in other countries in Europe and the prevalence in men is similar to that in women. Screening for C. trachomatis infection in women would be cost-effective in Spain given the prevalence of C. trachomatis measured by this study. The use of a condom is the best preventative measure for avoiding STIs in sexually active people.


Traumatic brain injury related deaths in residents and non-residents of 30 European countries: a cross-sectional study.
The incidence and mortality of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) among non-residents to countries where they occur remains unknown, warranting epidemiological research. Epidemiological data are key to inform prevention and public health policies related to TBI, as well as to help promote safe travelling practice. The aim of this study was to analyse the epidemiological patterns of TBI-related deaths among residents and non-residents in 30 European countries in 2015 using standardised European level data on causes of death. A large-scale cross-sectional study analysing TBI-related deaths in 30 European countries in 2015 among residents and non-residents to the country of occurrence of the death was conducted. Data from death certificates collected on European level by Eurostat were used to calculate the numbers of TBI-related deaths and estimate crude and age-standardised mortality rates. Rates were stratified by country, sex, age-group and by resident status. External causes of the injury were determined using the provided ICD-10 codes. 40,087 TBI-related deaths were identified; overall about 3% occurred among non-residents with highest proportions in Turkey (11%), Luxembourg (9%) and Cyprus (5%). Taking into account tourism intensity in the countries, Bulgaria, Greece and Austria showed highest rates of TBI-related deaths in non-residents: 0.7,0.5 and 0.5 per million overnight stays, respectively. The pooled age-standardised TBI-related mortality in non-residents was 0.2 (95% CI 0.1-0.3), among residents 10.4 (95% CI 9.4-11.5) per 100,000. In non-residents, TBI-related deaths were shifted to younger populations (86% in < 35 years); in non-residents 78% were 15-64 years old. Falls were predominant among residents (47%), and traffic accidents among non-residents (36%). Male:female ratio was higher among non-residents (3.9), compared to residents (2.1). Extrapolating our findings, we estimate that annually 1022 TBI-related deaths would occur to non-residents in the EU-27 + UK and 1488 in Europe as a continent. We conclude, that the primary populations at risk of TBI-related deaths in European countries differ in several characteristics between residents and non-residents to the country of the occurrence of death, which warrants for different approaches in prevention and safety promotion. Our findings suggest that TBI occurring in European countries among non-residents present a problem worthy of attention from public health and travel medicine professionals and should be further studied.