The bacteriostatic effect of controlled-flux electrolyzed acidic solution on healthy hallucal skin.
There are various treatment protocols to manage the increased bacterial load in plantar ulcers. Recently, Controlled-Flux Electrolyzed Acidic Solution (CFEAS), with a pH less than 3, has appeared to be an effective option since its antimicrobial effect could help in the healing of those ulcers. In order to evaluate its potential in this sense, the aim of the present study was to compare bacterial growth on healthy hallucal skin using two types of bandaging (control and Controlled-Flux Electrolysed Acidic Solution). In a sample of 19 healthy subjects, two experiments were performed. In the first, for each subject, two identical hallux bandages were applied in the early morning. At random between left and right foot, either physiological saline (wetting every 2 h) was applied or nothing (control). In the second, two days later, new bandages were applied as before, but now either wetting with Controlled-Flux Electrolysed Acidic Solution (experimental, again wetting every 2 h) or nothing (control). In each experiment, the bacterial load in the nail fold was assessed at the first moment and after 10 h from standard counts of bacterial colony forming units (CFU). In the first experiment, the CFU counts had increased significantly (p < 0.05) in both toes after the 10-h period. In the second experiment, while the bacterial load increased significantly (p = 0.001) from 0.68 ± 0.8 × 104 CFU/cm2 (the "pre" sample) to 1.3 ± 0.9 × 104 CFU/cm2 (the "post" sample) in the control toe, in the experimental CFEAS toe, the pre sample bacterial load was 0.61 ± 0.6 × 104 CFU/cm2, and the post sample 0.9 ± 0.8 × 104 CFU/cm2, with no significant difference between them (p = 0.221). Negative cultures were obtained in 3 cases (15.78%) of the experimental toe post sample, and equal post and pre counts in 2 cases (10.5%). Controlled-Flux Electrolyzed Acidic Solution has an effect on healthy hallucal skin that is bacteriostatic, and in some cases bactericidal. This effect could be very helpful in treating plantar ulcers when there is a greatly increased bacterial load in the wound, thus potentially favoring the normal formation of granulation tissue in the skin and normal healing and closure of the ulcer.


Acute and 7-day portal pressure response to carvedilol and propranolol in cirrhotics.
Carvedilol, a non-selective beta- and alpha-1 blocking agent, has portal hypotensive action. This study evaluates the acute and 7-day response to carvedilol, and compares it to that of propranolol. Thirty-six cirrhotics were randomized into two groups of 18 each, and treated with carvedilol or propranolol. Hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) was measured before and 90 min after either 25 mg carvedilol or 80 mg propranolol was administered orally, and again 7 days after 12.5 mg carvedilol daily or 80 mg propranolol daily, respectively. 'Responders' were defined as those with HVPG reduction of > or = 20%. With carvedilol, 11/18(61.1%) and 11/17(64.7%) patients responded acutely and after 7 days, respectively, while 9/18(50%) and 10/16(62.5%) did so to propranolol. However, HVPG reduction (percent) by carvedilol was not superior to that by propranolol either acutely (27.67 +/- 31.49 compared to 22.98 +/- 27.40, P = 0.6) or after 7 days (28.2 +/- 29.05 compared to 23.25 +/- 20.15, P = 0.6). With carvedilol, the acute HVPG response (P < 0.001) and responder status (P = 0.018) were good predictors of the response after 7 days, but were weak predictors in the case of propranolol (0.1 > P > 0.05 and P = 0.059, respectively). On carvedilol, only one patient (with ascites) developed symptomatic systemic hypotension with oliguria. Carvedilol is a relatively safe, effective portal hypotensive agent, both acutely and over 7 days, but not superior to propranolol, at least in Indians. The acute hemodynamic response seems promising in predicting long-term response.


Phenobarbitone versus phenytoin for treatment of neonatal seizures: an open-label randomized controlled trial.
To compare the efficacy of phenobarbitone and phenytoin for treatment of neonatal seizures in term and near-term neonates. Open labeled randomized controlled trial. Neonatal intensive care unit of a level II unit from India, from November 2008 to September 2009. All term and late pre-term neonates admitted with clinically apparent seizures and not having any transient metabolic disorders (hypoglycemia or hypocalcemia) were randomly assigned. Phenobarbitone (n=54) or phenytoin (n=55) intravenously 20 mg/kg/dose over 20-30 min. Neonates whose seizures were not controlled by the assigned drug were then crossed over to be treated with other drug in same dose. Clinical control of seizures (seizure free period of 24 hours after giving anticonvulsant). Baseline characteristics including mean birthweight, gestation age and sex were comparable in both groups. Seizures were controlled in 8 of the 55 (14.5%) neonates who received phenytoin, as compared to 39 of 54 (72.2%) neonates who received phenobarbitone (P <0.001). In babies not responding to assigned drugs, after cross-over to the other drug, seizure control was achieved in 44/55 (80%) of the neonates assigned to receive phenytoin first as compared to 49/54 (91%) of those assigned to receive phenobarbitone first (P=0.014). After maximum dose of phenobarbitone seizures were controlled in 49/55(89%) in phenytoin group and 52/54 (96%) in phenobarbitone group (P<0.05). Phenobarbitone is more efficacious than phenytoin in control of clinical seizures in term or near-term neonates, irrespective of etiology. To evaluate serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) during the induction phase of chemotherapy.


Evaluation of right subphrenic fluid collections with emission computed tomography: an experimental study.
An animal model to study subphrenic fluid collections is presented. Performance of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) for detection of subphrenic fluid collections was compared to that of liver-lung scintigraphy and transmission computed tomography (TCT). TCT detected a water volume of 25 ml in the right subphrenic space. This volume was barely seen using SPECT and not detectable on scintigraphy. Differences in performance of the three imaging modalities are discussed.


Draft Genome Sequence of an Acid-Tolerant Yeast, Candida zemplinina NP2, a Potential Producer of Organic Acids.
Here, we report the draft genome sequence of the acid-tolerant yeast Candida zemplinina NP2, which was isolated from peach peels. This genome sequence will aid in the understanding of the organism's physiological properties as a potential producer of organic acids in acidic environments.


Pregnancy and birth outcomes of multiple gestations with PPROM occurred within 24 h after fetal reduction: A case series.
The study aims to analyze the pregnancy outcomes of multiple gestations with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) that occurred within 24 h after fetal reduction with potassium chloride (KCL). We identified and evaluated the outcomes of 16 retrospectively recorded multigestational pregnancies that met the inclusion criteria between 2006 and 2016, from the Obstetrics Department of Shandong Provincial Hospital. A total of 16 patients carrying twins or higher order multiple gestations experienced PPROM within 24 h after fetal reduction, and all of them received expectant management after understanding the relevant risks. The maternal and neonatal records were retrospectively collected and reviewed. Every surviving child was followed up to at least 2 years old. Of the 16 cases, 12 cases (75%) ended in successful pregnancy, resulting in the delivery of at least 1 child surviving from a multiple gestational pregnancy. All cases of successful pregnancies were either term (≥37 weeks) or near-term (36+5 weeks) at delivery. And of those 20 infants delivered, only 3 were low birth weight infants (<2500g) (15%), None of the 16 women had fever, or other clinical symptoms and signs of chorioamnionitis during hospital stay. Postnatal follow-up of the surviving babies showed no obvious sequelae thus far. No newborn baby had neonatal complications, or needed to be transferred to neonatal intensive care unit. Overall, our data demonstrate that dichorionic diamniotic (DCDA) twins or higher-order gestations who experienced PPROM of the reduced fetus within 24 h after selective reduction with KCL had relatively good outcomes with expectant management alone.


Type VI adenylyl cyclase negatively regulates GluN2B-mediated LTD and spatial reversal learning.
The calcium-sensitive type VI adenylyl cyclase (AC6) is a membrane-bound adenylyl cyclase (AC) that converts ATP to cAMP under stimulation. It is a calcium-inhibited AC and integrates negative inputs from Ca(2+) and multiple other signals to regulate the intracellular cAMP level. In the present study, we demonstrate that AC6 functions upstream of CREB and negatively controls neuronal plasticity in the hippocampus. Genetic removal of AC6 leads to cyclase-independent and N-terminus of AC6 (AC6N)-dependent elevation of CREB expression, and enhances the expression of GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors in hippocampal neurons. Consequently, GluN2B-dependent calcium signaling and excitatory postsynaptic current, long-term depression, and spatial reversal learning are enhanced in the hippocampus of AC6(-/-) mice without altering the gross anatomy of the brain. Together, our results suggest that AC6 negatively regulates neuronal plasticity by modulating the levels of CREB and GluN2B in the hippocampus.


Time-dependent photo-activated aminoborane room-temperature phosphorescence materials with unprecedented properties: simple, versatile, multicolor-tuneable, water resistance, optical information writing/erasing, and multilevel data encryption.
Triarylboranes-based pure organic room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) materials are rarely investigated because of their large steric hindrance and the electron defect of the boron atom. As a result, creating functional triarylborane RTP materials is difficult. Herein, we report the first photo-activated RTP materials with lifetimes/quantum yields ≤0.18 s/6.83% based on donor (D)-π-acceptor (A) from methylene carbazole-functionalized aminoborane (BN)-doped polymethyl methacrylate (BN-o-Met-Cz@PMMA) under 365 nm UV irradiation (30 s). Incredibly, BN-o-Met-Cz@PMMA films exhibited unprecedented photo-activated RTP dual-response properties (e.g., air + 365 nm: τ P = 0.18 s, Φ P = 6.83%; N2 + 365 nm: τ P = 0.42 s, Φ P = 17.34%). Intriguingly, the BN (D-π-A) system demonstrated good versatility for photo-activated RTP whether the electron-donating group or electron-withdrawing group was placed in the ortho (meta)-position of the B atom. As a result, a series of photo-activated single-molecule organic RTP materials with multi-color emission, high quantum yields, and ultra-long lifetimes can be prepared rapidly. BN-X@PMMA films showed broad application prospects for information encryption, data erasure, anti-counterfeiting, and water resistance. Our method provides new strategies for the design, synthesis, and application of RTP materials, thereby enriching the types of organic RTP materials and facilitating further developments in this area.


Total lymphoid irradiation for multiple sclerosis.
Although chemical immunosuppression has been shown to benefit patients with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), it appears that chemotherapy has an appreciable oncogenic potential in patients with multiple sclerosis. Accordingly, we developed a modified total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) regimen designed to reduce toxicity and applied it to a randomized double blind trial of TLI or sham irradiation in MS. Standard TLI regimens were modified to reduce dose to 1,980 rad, lowering the superior mantle margin to midway between the thyroid cartilage and angle of the mandible (to avert xerostomia) and the lower margin of the mantle field to the inferior margin of L1 (to reduce gastrointestinal toxicity by dividing abdominal radiation between mantle and inverted Y), limiting spinal cord dose to 1,000 rad by custom-made spine blocks in the mantle and upper 2 cm of inverted Y fields, and also protecting the left kidney even if part of the spleen were shielded. Clinical efficacy was documented by the less frequent functional scale deterioration of 20 TLI treated patients with chronic progressive MS compared to to 20 sham-irradiated progressive MS patients after 12 months (16% versus 55%, p less than 0.03), 18 months (28% versus 63%, p less than 0.03), and 24 months (44% versus 74%, N.S.). Therapeutic benefit during 3 years follow-up was related to the reduction in lymphocyte count 3 months post-irradiation (p less than 0.02). Toxicity was generally mild and transient, with no instance of xerostomia, pericarditis, herpes zoster, or need to terminate treatment in TLI patients. However, menopause was induced in 2 patients and staphylococcal pneumonia in one. Our data suggest that this modified TLI regimen has clinical efficacy and sufficiently low toxicity to make it suitable for investigative immunosuppressive treatment of patients with progressive MS or other non-malignant conditions.


Detoxification centers: who's in the revolving door?
Data from 443,812 admissions to publicly funded detoxification centers in Massachusetts (fiscal year 1984 to fiscal year 1996) were analyzed to assess changes in the population served. Substantial increases in admissions of women, African Americans, and Hispanics were apparent. Mean age at admission declined and unemployment increased. A 25% decline in admissions reporting alcohol use was coupled with a twofold increase in reported cocaine use and a fourfold increase in heroin use. Detoxification services have evolved. The older, white, male alcoholic is no longer the primary consumer. Policy initiatives (e.g., increased services for women) and the changing epidemiology of drugs abuse (e.g., increased access to heroin) contributed to the changing population served in detoxification centers.


[Diagnostic value of multidetector spiral computed tomography in identifying the composition of coronary atherosclerotic plaques].
To estimate the feasibility of 16-multidetector spiral computed tomography (16-MDCT) on detecting coronary plaques in comparison with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). Sixty-eight patients suspected of coronary heart diseases were examined by 16-MDCT, quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) and IVUS. Coronary stenosis was defined as lumen diameter reduction (DS) >or= 50%. Hounsfield units (HU) were used to determine different types of plaques: soft plaque (<or= 50 HU), fibrous plaque (50 - 119 HU) and calcified plaque (>or= 120 HU). Compared to QCA, the sensitivity and the specificity for patients with DS >or= 50% were 91.8% (112/122) and 97.8% (556/568) respectively, the positive and negative predictive value were 90.3% (112/124) and 98.2% (556/566) respectively. In 96 plaques evaluated both by 16-MDCT and IVUS, 20 and 21 soft plaques, 37 and 36 fibrous plaques, 39 and 38 calcified plaques were identified by 16-MDCT and IVUS respectively. HU value of soft (11 +/- 36), fibrous (83 +/- 20), and calcified (292 +/- 80) plaques were significantly different (P < 0.05). Noninvasive 16-MDCT could correctly estimate coronary stenosis and coronary plaques compositions.


Current concepts in intravitreal drug therapy for diabetic retinopathy.
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a major cause of preventable blindness in the developed countries. Despite the advances in understanding and management of DR, it remains a challenging condition to manage. The standard of care for patients with DR include strict metabolic control of hyperglycemia, blood pressure control, normalization of serum lipids, prompt retinal laser photocoagulation and vitrectomy. For patients who respond poorly and who progressively lose vision in spite of the standard of care, intravitreal administration of steroids or/and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) drugs appear to be a promising second-line of therapy. This review discusses the current concepts and the role of these novel therapeutic approaches in the management of DR.


Metabolic effects and distribution space of flufenamic acid in the isolated perfused rat liver.
The following aspects were investigated in the present work: (a) the action of flufenamic acid on hepatic metabolism (oxygen uptake, glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, uricogenesis and glycogenolysis), (b) the action of flufenamic acid on the cellular adenine nucleotide levels, and (c) the transport and distribution space of flufenamic acid in the liver parenchyma. The experimental system was the isolated perfused rat liver. Perfusion was accomplished in an open, non-recirculating system. The perfusion fluid was Krebs/Henseleit-bicarbonate buffer (pH 7.4), saturated with a mixture of oxygen and carbon dioxide (95:5) by means of a membrane oxygenator and heated to 37 degrees C. The distribution space of flufenamic acid was measured by means of the multiple-indicator dilution technique with constant infusion (step input) of [3H]water plus flufenamic acid. The results of the present work indicate that the metabolic effects of flufenamic acid are the consequence of an uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation, a conclusion based on the following observations: (a) flufenamic acid increased oxygen uptake, a common property of all uncouplers; (b) the drug also increased glycolysis and glycogenolysis in livers from fed rats (these are expected compensatory phenomena for the decreased mitochondrial ATP formation); (c) flufenamic acid inhibited glucose production from fructose, an energy-dependent process; (d) the cellular ATP levels were decreased by flufenamic acid whereas the AMP levels were increased; and (e) the total adenine nucleotide content was decreased by flufenamic acid and uric acid production was stimulated. Indicator-dilution experiments with flufenamic acid revealed that this substance undergoes flow-limited distribution in the liver and that its apparent distribution space greatly exceeds the aqueous space of the liver. Flufenamic acid changed its behaviour when the portal concentration was increased from 25 to 50 microM. At 25 microM the initial upslope of the outflow profile clearly preceded that of all other concentrations. From the trend of the curves obtained with 50, 100 and 250 microM, one would expect an initial upslope situated at the right of the 50-microM curve. Furthermore, the time of appearance of flufenamic acid in the outflowing perfusate was practically the same irrespective of the portal concentration. For theoretical reasons one would expect progressively longer appearance times when the portal concentration was decreased. It is possible that the amount of flufenamic acid bound to the cell membranes during the early stages of the infusion produced changes that enabled these structures to bind a larger quantity of the drug than originally possible.


Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin for detection and monitoring of sustained heavy drinking. What have we learned? Where do we go from here?
Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) has been widely investigated as a biological marker of heavy alcohol consumption. In general, it has been found to be at least as sensitive and probably more specific than gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT). Because the two analytes are not highly correlated, their use in parallel enhances the sensitivity of detection of heavy alcohol consumption, especially in clinical populations. Women as a group produce more CDT under natural conditions and may produce less CDT in response to heavy drinking. Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin has found a place in the monitoring of alcoholics during treatment. Changes in CDT levels from individualized baseline values seem to be more sensitive to lower level relapse drinking than is the use of raw cut-off values. There are some conditions such as severe liver disease in which higher than normal levels of CDT are produced, thereby reducing the specificity of this marker for detecting heavy drinking under certain conditions. Future directions for the use of CDT include standardization and automation of measurement technology, evaluation of how to use it wisely in myriad medical and institutional settings, understanding more thoroughly the gender issues in its production, and greater evaluation of its performance as a monitoring tool during treatment and follow-up situations. How to combine CDT with both verbal tools of alcohol assessment and newer biological markers will also need more extensive evaluation.


New biomarkers in an acute model of live Escherichia coli-induced sepsis in pigs.
We developed a live Escherichia coli model of acute sepsis in pigs with emphasize on biomarkers reflecting the early inflammatory response of sepsis. Healthy pigs, 25-35 kg, were challenged intravenously (IV) (n = 12) or intrapulmonary (n = 6) with live E. coli and observed for 3 and 5 h respectively. Control pigs received culture medium (n = 6 + 3). Haemodynamic parameters and a broad panel of inflammatory mediators were measured. The dose of bacteria was carefully titrated to obtain a condition resembling the early phase of human septic shock. The IV group displayed a pro-inflammatory response [significant increase in tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8] and an early anti-inflammatory response (significant increase in IL-10). For the first time, we demonstrate a significant increase in IL-12 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP) early in pig sepsis. Coagulation was activated (significant increase in thrombin-antithrombin complexes) and there was a significant decrease in the serum proteins suggesting capillary leakage. Haemodynamic parameters reflected a septic condition with significant decrease in systemic blood pressure, increases in heart rate, pulmonary artery pressure and base deficit. None of these changes was observed in the control group. Interleukin-1beta and vascular endothelial growth factor increased in both groups. Nitric oxide measurements suggested an initial pulmonary vascular endothelial inflammatory response. The intrapulmonary group, which did not resemble septic condition, showed a substantial increase in MMP-9. In this porcine model of sepsis, IL-12 and MMP-9 were detected for the first time. These biomarkers may have an impact in the understanding and future treatment of sepsis.


Quality control of commercial tablets containing the novel antipsychotic quetiapine.
Quetiapine (bis [2-(2-[4-(dibenzo[b,f][1,4]thiazepin-11-yl]ethoxy)ethanol]fumarate) is the most recent agent introduced on the drug market for the treatment of psychotic disorders. Two different analytical methods for the quality control of quetiapine in commercial formulations have been developed and compared: a spectrophotometric method and a capillary zone electrophoretic (CZE) method. The spectrophotometric assay was carried out measuring the absorbance at a wavelength of 246 nm. The CZE method used an uncoated fused-silica capillary and a pH 2.5, 50 mM phosphate buffer as the background electrolyte. The detection wavelength was 205 nm, the separation voltage was 15 kV, and a complete electrophoretic run lasts less than 2.5 min. Extraction of quetiapine from the commercial tablets consisted of a simple one-step treatment with a pH 2.5, 50 mM phosphate buffer. Linearity was observed in the 5-25 microg ml(-1) concentration range of quetiapine for the spectrophotometric method, and in the 5-50 microg ml(-1) concentration range for the electrophoretic method. Both methods gave satisfactory results in terms of repeatability and intermediate precision (RSD<1.9%). Also accuracy values were very good for both methods, the recovery being between 98.2 and 100.5%.


Participation by clients and nurse midwives in family planning decision making in Indonesia.
In order to enhance understanding of the quality of decision making during family planning consultations in developing countries, provider competencies and client behaviors during 179 randomly selected consultations in Indonesia were assessed. Results show that family planning clients make a significant contribution to the quality of the decision-making process, most notably by identifying the problem requiring a decision, expressing their feelings about using a method, and asking questions. Client involvement may compensate for provider weaknesses, which tend to be in areas calling for interpersonal rather than technical skills. However, the programmatic ideal of informed choice has not yet been realized. Supervisors, trainers, communicators, and program managers can improve the quality of decision making by: creating opportunities for client involvement during consultations, strengthening providers' ability to fully inform clients about their options, and making providers aware of the opportunities for decision making in consultations with continuing clients.


Decision Making and Sequential Sampling from Memory.
Decisions take time, and as a rule more difficult decisions take more time. But this only raises the question of what consumes the time. For decisions informed by a sequence of samples of evidence, the answer is straightforward: more samples are available with more time. Indeed, the speed and accuracy of such decisions are explained by the accumulation of evidence to a threshold or bound. However, the same framework seems to apply to decisions that are not obviously informed by sequences of evidence samples. Here, we proffer the hypothesis that the sequential character of such tasks involves retrieval of evidence from memory. We explore this hypothesis by focusing on value-based decisions and argue that mnemonic processes can account for regularities in choice and decision time. We speculate on the neural mechanisms that link sampling of evidence from memory to circuits that represent the accumulated evidence bearing on a choice. We propose that memory processes may contribute to a wider class of decisions that conform to the regularities of choice-reaction time predicted by the sequential sampling framework.


Anterior tibial artery aneurysm: Case report and literature review.
We present a patient with a true anterior tibial artery aneurysm without any causative history. A 59 year old male was referred with a swelling on his left lateral ankle which he noticed 2 months ago, with symptoms of soaring pain. Additional radiological research showed a true arterial tibialis anterior aneurysm. True anterior tibial artery aneurysm is a rare condition. The aneurysm was repaired by resection and interposition of a venous bypass. Patients may complain about symptoms like calf pain, distal ischemia, paresthesias due to nerve compression and the presence of a pulsating or increasing mass. Symptomatic aneurysms require surgical intervention, where bypass with a venous saphenous graft have shown good patency and endovascular treatment have shown good short term results. Asymptomatic and small aneurysm can be followed for several years with DUS. Clinical features, radiographic findings, surgical management, and a review of the literature on true anterior tibial aneurysms are discussed.


Enabling dual valorization of lignocellulose by fluorescent lignin carbon dots and biochar-supported persulfate activation: Towards waste-treats-pollutant.
The rationally-designed lignocellulose valorization that promotes a novel "waste-treats-pollutant" standpoint is highly desired yet still challenging for the spread of biomass industry. At this point, a cascade technique with the assistance of deep eutectic solvent (DES) fractionation is tailored to dually valorize wheat straw into fluorescent lignin carbon dots (LCDs) and bimetallic Mg-Fe oxide-decorated biochar (MBC) via solvothermal engineering and co-precipitation/pyrolysis respectively. Benefitting from the abundance of β-aryl ether and hydroxyl groups in DES-extracted lignin, the photoluminescence LCDs emit blue color in a wide excitation span, which can be adopted to selectively detect ferric ions (Fe3+) in a broad dosage scale with a highly linear correlation of 10-50 μM. Taking advantages of the MBC-aided persulfate activation, we propose the efficient arbidol removal system with a universal concentration of 20-200 ppm in the scalable pH ranging from 3 to 11. The dominate migration pathways involving with active oxygen species and surface electron transfer are comprehensively studied via electron paramagnetic resonance, radical-quenching experiments, and theoretical arithmetic. With the endeavor of biorefineries, this full-scale platform ignites the dazzling wildfire from dual lignocellulose valorization that will also seek its accurate position in the kingdoms of functional materials and wastewater restoration.


[Clinical signs and therapy of intermittent normotensive hydrocephalus (author's transl)].
Ventricular fluid pressure (VFP) has been continuously recorded for several days in a series of 9 patients with Intermittently Normotensive Hydrocephalus. This entity can be diagnosed with a reasonable degree of certainty by this method, due to the occurrence of periodic increases of VFP--mainly of ramp-waves as described in the paper. Thus, the designation Intermittently Normotensive Hydrocephalus appears to be more exact. Therapy by means of CSF-shunting procedures is more successful in cases with clearcut periodic rises in VFP.


[Use of 18F-FDG PET scan in the diagnosis of large liver neoplasms and in the evaluation of therapeutic effectiveness].
The study involved 207 patients with large-size tumors. Results of 18FDG PET pointed to the basic factor of malignant transformation--foci of enhanced accumulation of radiological medicinal substances. Absence of ultrasound and CT-based evidence of such pathological accumulations contributed to interpretation of changes as benign ones. The effectiveness of chemotherapy was assessed by tumor metabolic response to treatment given at the time of 18FDG PET examination.


Meiosis in Schizophyllum commune: the effect of hydroxyurea on basidiospore sporulation, germination, and nuclear number.
In a search for an experimental procedure to synchronize meiosis in fruit bodies of Schizophyllum commune, the effect of hydroxyurea on sporulation was tested. Results indicate that hydroxyurea has an immediate and reversible effect on basidiospore sporulation, germination, and nuclear number. A tentative time schedule for meiosis is presented.


[Fulminant course of streptococcal-meningococcal infection--the OPSI syndrome (overwhelming postsplenectomy infection syndrome)].
On the basis of the foudroyant course of a streptococci-meningococci-sepsis in a 19-year-old splenectomized patient the importance of the spleen as an organ of important defence functions is described and the organ-preserving surgical treatment as prophylaxis of the OPSI-syndrome is demanded.


The prevalence of "risky behaviour" in adults with cystic fibrosis.
The prevalence of "risky-behaviour" including alcohol and illicit drug use, smoking and unprotected sexual intercourse, of adults with cystic fibrosis (CF) is unknown. We conducted this prospective questionnaire-based study to further explore this issue. An anonymous 71-point questionnaire was sent to all adult patients aged ≥18 years attending the Royal Brompton CF Unit. Results were compared to national (non-CF) data. 83% (n=151) drink alcohol and 13% (n=23) drink more than recommended by national guidelines. 46% (n=84) have tried smoking and 3% (n=5) continue to smoke regularly. 35% (n=64) have tried illicit drugs and 3% (n=6) continue to use them. 86% (n=154) are sexually active; 60% use contraception (males 46%, females 62%). Compared with the general (non-CF) UK population, less CF patients drink heavily (13 vs. 23%; p<0.001), smoke (3 vs. 21%; p<0.001), have tried illicit drugs (35 vs. 37%; p<0.001) and are sexually active (86 vs. 97%; p<0.001).The same proportion use contraception (60 vs. 61%; p=0.8). Participation in risky behaviour was modest. With improved life expectancy this may increase. Awareness of this is important so that health promotion measures can be introduced early.


[Analysis of the demand for dermatological care in the immigrant population served by hospital Miguel Servet in Saragossa, Spain].
In recent years there has been an increase in the size of the immigrant population consulting dermatology services in Spain. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological characteristics of this sector of the population in the health care area served by Miguel Servet Hospital in Saragossa, Spain. Data were collected on immigrant patients seen in the dermatology department of our hospital during 2004. Dermatological diagnoses were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification. Statistical analysis was undertaken using the SPSS statistical package, Access database management software, and Excel spreadsheets. A total of 706 patients were seen, corresponding to approximately 4 % of all first appointments, and more women were seen than men, a difference that was statistically significant. The mean age of the patients was 31 years and there were no statistically significant differences in age between the sexes. In order of frequency, the most common countries of origin of the patients were Ecuador, Colombia, Romania, Morocco, Gambia, Guinea, and Senegal. The most common skin diseases in this population group were infectious diseases, in particular mycoses, followed by viral diseases and pyodermatitis, as well as sexually transmitted diseases. In all cases, the incidence of the disease was higher than in the Spanish population. An appropriate knowledge of dermatological diseases in this population group is necessary both to obtain correct diagnosis and to develop preventative measures for imported diseases.


[Hunting for novel protein factors in G-protein pathway with yeast two-hybrid system].
To explore the protein factors that could interact with G beta subunit within the G protein signal transducing pathway. The highly sensitive protein-protein interaction system--Yeast Two-hybrid System was applied to screen the human cDNA library with constructed "Bite plasmid" containing G beta subunit gene fragment. And then the false positive test was adapted. Three positive gene fragments were obtained. One codes for "Actin bundling protein". The other two are new ones and their Gene Bank accession numbers are AF288405 and AF288406 respectively. It is the first time to find that among human brain tissue, G beta subunit becomes a structural or functional unit interacts with actin bundling protein and the other two unknown protein factors to activate the following pathway. This result may be important to understand the relationship between the actin cytoskeleton and G proteins.


Production of heterologous protein by Methylobacterium extorquens in high cell density fermentation.
The green fluorescent protein (GFP) was used as a model protein to study the recombinant protein production by the strain Methylobacterium extorquens ATCC 55366. Scale-up from shake flasks to 20 l fed-batch fermentation was achieved using methanol as a sole carbon and energy source and a completely minimal culture medium. Two different expression vectors were used to express GFP. Clone PCM-GFP containing the vector pCM110 with native promoter of the methanol dehydrogenase PmxaF produced approximately 100-fold more GFP than the clone PRK-GFP containing the vector pRK310 with the heterogeneous promoter Plac. Several fed-batch fermentations with and without selective pressure (tetracycline) were run in a 20 l stirred tank fermenter using the two different clones of M. extorquens. The methanol concentration was monitored with an on-line semiconductor gas sensor in the culture broth. It was maintained at a non-toxic level of 1.4 g l(-1) with an adaptative control which regulates the methanol feed rate. The same growth profile was achieved in all fermentations. The maximum growth rate (micro(max)) was 0.18 h(-1) with an overall yield (Y(X/S)) of 0.3 g g(-1) methanol. With this high cell density fermentation process, we obtained high levels (up to 4 g l(-1)) of GFP with the clone PCM-GFP. The maximum specific GFP production (Y(GFP/X)) with this clone was 80 mg g(-1) representing approximately 16% of the total cell protein. Additional feeding of pure oxygen to the fermenter permitted a longer phase of exponential growth but had no effect on the total yields of biomass and GFP. The specific GFP production of clone PCM-GFP remained unaffected in the presence or absence of selective pressure (tetracycline), within the initial 50 h of the fermentation culture. These results suggest that M. extorquens ATCC 55366 could be an interesting candidate for overexpression of recombinant proteins.


Multiple myeloma: clinical features and indications for therapy.
Multiple myeloma is a malignant plasma-cell proliferative disease with an expected 15,270 new cases and 11,070 deaths in the USA in 2004 alone. This accounts for 1% of all malignancies and slightly more than 10% of all hematologic malignancies in Caucasians and 20% in African Americans. The diagnosis is based on the presence of bone pain, anemia, and plasma-cell infiltrate in the bone marrow or within bone lesions. It is essential that the spectrum of plasma-cell proliferative disorders be recognized: monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), smoldering (asymptomatic) multiple myeloma (SMM), and active (symptomatic) MM. These distinctions affect important management decisions. Other related disorders include primary systemic amyloidosis, POEMS syndrome, and acquired Fanconi syndrome.


Impact of intraoperative remifentanil on postoperative pain and opioid use in thyroid surgery.
Remifentanil infusion is used as an intraoperative anesthetic for thyroidectomy, but has been associated with acute opioid tolerance and hyperalgesia. A national shortage of remifentanil provided an opportunity to study postoperative pain in patients undergoing thyroidectomy. Retrospective review of prospectively collected data from an outpatient surgery center. Primary analysis compared patients treated before and after remifentanil shortage. Median postoperative opioid consumption was 20 morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) among those treated in the high-dose period and 15 MMEs in the low-dose period. Remifentanil/weight received was a significant predictor of requiring a postoperative narcotic (P = .006). Total non-remifentanil narcotics administered were equivalent but patients in the low dose period received higher amounts of intraoperative long-acting narcotics. Remifentanil infusion for thyroid surgery is associated with higher postoperative pain and postoperative narcotics requirement. While a hyperalgesia state is possible, shifting of longer-acting narcotics from intraoperative to postoperatively is also supported.


Viruses and demyelinating disease of the central nervous system.
In MS, there are many mechanisms by which viruses can produce demyelinating diseases in humans and experimental demyelinating infections in animals.


The role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the alleviation of cadmium stress in cereals: A multilevel meta-analysis.
The symbiotic relationships between crop species and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are crucial for plant health, productivity, and environmental sustainability. The roles of AMF in reducing crop stress caused by cadmium (Cd) toxicity and in the remediation of Cd-contaminated soil are not fully understood. Here we report on a meta-analysis that sought to identify the functions of AMF in cereals under Cd stress. A total of 54 articles published between January 1992 and September 2022 were used to create the dataset, which provided 7216 data sets on mycorrhizal cereals under Cd stress examined. AMF effects on colonization rate, biomass, physiological level, nutritional level, and plant Cd level were measured using the logarithmic response ratio (Ln R). The results showed that AMF overall greatly reduced 5.14 - 33.6 % Cd stress on cereals in greenhouse experiments under controlled conditions. AMF colonization significantly stimulated crop biomass by 65.7 %, boosted the formation of photosynthetic pigments (23.2 %), and greatly increased plant nitrogen (24.8 %) and phosphorus (58.4 %) uptake. The dilution effect of mycorrhizal plants made the Cd concentration decline by 25.2 % in AMF plants compared to non-mycorrhizal ones. AMF also alleviated Cd stress by improving osmotic regulators (soluble protein, sugar, and total proline, from 14.8 to 36.0 %) and lowering the membrane lipid peroxidation product (MDA, 12.9 %). Importantly, the results from the random forest and model selection analysis demonstrated that crop type, soil characteristics, chemical form, and Cd levels were the main factors determining the function of AMF in alleviating Cd stress. Additionally, there was a significant interaction between AMF colonization rate and Cd addition, but their interactive effect was less than the colonization rate alone. This meta-analysis demonstrated that AMF inoculation could be considered as a promising strategy for mitigation of Cd stress in cereals.


Frequent, quantitative bone planar scintigraphy for determination of bone anabolism in growing mice.
To provide insight into bone turnover, quantitative measurements of bone remodeling are required. Radionuclide studies are widely used in clinical care, but have been rarely used in the exploration of the bone in preclinical studies. We describe a bone planar scintigraphy method for frequent assessment of bone activity in mice across the growing period. Since repeated venous radiotracer injections are hardly feasible in mice, we investigated the subcutaneous route. Repeated 99mTc-hydroxymethylene diphosphonate (HMDP) tracer bone planar scintigraphy studies of the knee region and µCT to measure femur growth rate were performed in eight mice between week 6 and week 27 of life, i.e., during their growth period. Three independent investigators assessed the regions of interest (ROI). An index was calculated based on the counts in knees ROI (normalized by pixels and seconds), corrected for the activity administered, the decay between administration and imaging, and individual weights. A total of 93 scintigraphy studies and 85 µCT were performed. Repeated subcutaneous tracer injections were well tolerated and allowed for adequate radionuclide studies. Mean scintigraphic indexes in the knees ROI decreased from 87.4 ± 2.6 × 10-6 counts s-1 pixel-1 MBq-1 g-1 at week 6 to 15.0 ± 3.3 × 10-6 counts s-1 pixel-1 MBq-1 g-1 at week 27. The time constant of the fitted exponential decay was equal to 23.5 days. As control mean femur length assessed by µCT increased from 12.2 ± 0.8 mm at week 6 to 15.8 ± 0.2 mm at week 22. The time constant of the fitted Gompertz law was equal to 26.7 days. A correlation index of -0.97 was found between femur growth and decrease of bone tracer activity count between week 6 and 24. This methodological study demonstrates the potential of repeated bone planar scintigraphy in growing mice, with subcutaneous route for tracer administration, for quantitative assessment of bone remodeling.


Quality of life of patients with implant-retained maxillofacial prostheses: a prospective and retrospective study.
Clinical studies on implant-retained maxillofacial prostheses have focused on biological outcomes. An assessment of the effect of prostheses on patients' quality of life (QOL) by using specific questionnaires developed for this patient population provides important information on treatment outcomes from the patients' perspectives. The purpose of this study was to report patient-based outcomes of implant-retained maxillofacial prostheses and to evaluate the effect of implant-retained maxillofacial prostheses on QOL of participants in a prospective study. Eighty-two participants were treated with implant-retained maxillofacial prostheses. Participants were divided into 2 groups: a retrospective group (participants treated and under care) and a prospective group (participants willing to be treated). The posttreatment patient satisfaction scores for each question were statistically analyzed by 2-way ANOVA with variables of defect type and retention type. The Student-Newman-Keuls test was used to determine any significant differences among the groups. In the prospective group, mean scores before and after prosthetic treatment were compared with the paired t test (α=.05). The details of 54 retrospective and 28 prospective participants were reviewed. The posttreatment results of 82 patients showed that patient satisfaction with implant-retained maxillofacial prostheses was significantly different for cleaning the prostheses and recommending treatment to other people, depending on the defect and retention type. In the prospective group, participants reported significant increases in satisfaction for all questions. Implant-retained prostheses were considered highly satisfactory, indicating good QOL for patients with maxillofacial defects. A comparison of pretreatment and posttreatment assessments revealed that implant-retained maxillofacial prostheses increased patient QOL.


Correlation between motor behavior and age-related intervertebral disc degeneration in cynomolgus monkeys.
The motor behavior in patients with lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) and animal models should be changed due to pain. However, there does not seem to be a strong correlation between IDD and motor behavior. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the correlation between motor behavior and age-related IDD. Twenty-one healthy male cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) distributed across the age range were included in this study. The experimental animals were divided into two groups: caged group (n = 14) and free-range group (n = 7). The data of IDD and motor behavior were obtained through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and PrimateScan Automatic Behavior Analysis System. More than 20 basic motor behaviors could be recorded and quantified, and then reclassified into 9 combined categories. We defined the sum of the duration of activity-related combined categories as the total duration of activity in 3 hours. The activity zone of the cynomolgus monkeys in the cage could be divided into top and bottom zones. Analyze the correlation between motor behavior and IDD. Age was correlated with both Pfirrmann grades (r = .700; P < .001) and T2 values (r = -.369; P < .001). The T2 value in the caged group was 45.97 ± 8.35 ms, which was significantly lower than the 55.90 ± 8.73 ms in the free-range group (P < .001). The mean T2 values were positively correlated with hanging duration (r = .548, P < .05), the total duration of activity (r = .496, P < .05), and top zone duration (r = .541, P < .05). There is an interactional relationship between IDD and motor behavior. Motor behavior could be used as one of the diagnostic indicators of IDD. It could also be used to infer the presence or extent of IDD in animal models. Avoiding a sedentary lifestyle and engaging in exercise in daily life could alleviate IDD.


Synthesis, biological evaluation, and molecular docking analysis of phenstatin based indole linked chalcones as anticancer agents and tubulin polymerization inhibitors.
A library of new phenstatin based indole linked chalcone compounds (9a-z and 9aa-ad) were designed and synthesized. Of these, compound 9a with 1-methyl, 2- and 3-methoxy substituents in the aromatic ring was efficacious against the human oral cancer cell line SCC-29B, spheroids, and in a mouse xenograft model of oral cancer AW13516. Compound 9a exhibited anti-cancer activity through disrupting cellular integrity and affecting glucose metabolism-which is a hallmark of cancer. The cellular architecture was affected by inhibition of tubulin polymerization as observed by an immunofluorescence assay on 9a-treated SCC-29B cells. An in vitro tubulin polymerization kinetics assay provided evidence of direct interaction of 9a with tubulin. This physical interaction between tubulin and compound 9a was further confirmed by Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) analysis. Molecular docking experiments and validations revealed that compound 9a interacts and binds at the colchicine binding site of tubulin and at active sites of key enzymes in the glucose metabolism pathway. Based on in silico modeling, biophysical interactions, and pre-clinical observations, 9a consisting of phenstatin based indole-chalcone scaffolds, can be considered as an attractive tubulin polymerization inhibitor candidate for developing anti-cancer therapeutics.


Comparisons of alum-precipitated and unprecipitated aqueous ragweed pollen extracts in the treatment of hay fever.
In 1969 and 1970, groups of patients with ragweed hay fever never before treated were started on preseasonal course of immunization with an alum precipitate of aqueous ragweed extract. A comparison between these two groups of patients and a similar group of patients treated with unprecipitated aqueous extract in 1968 shows that treatment with alum precipitate was safely initiated with fever injections even though a higher dose was administered. The larger cumulative dose appeared to give better IgG antibody responses and greater relief of symptoms. A repeat preseasonal course the next year again required fewer injections of the alum-precipitated extract than a repeat course of aqueous extract.


Nonviral gene delivery methods in cardiovascular diseases.
Nonviral gene delivery methods with naked plasmids and various plasmid carrier complexes have been used for intravascular, intramuscular and periadventitial gene delivery to cardiovascular system. Efficacy, homogenity and quality of the nonviral gene delivery complexes can be significantly affected by the way they are produced. This chapter presents basic methods to produce nonviral gene delivery complexes and describes common models to test their properties in cardiovascular applications in vivo.


Ecotoxicological effects of buprofezin on fecundity, growth, development, and predation of the wolf spider Pirata piratoides (Schenkel).
The toxicological effects of buprofezin, an insect growth regulator, on the fecundity, development, and pest control potential of the wolf spider Pirata piratoides (Schenkel) (Araneae: Lycosidae) were investigated in the laboratory. It was shown that buprofezin had low toxicity to P. piratoides and that the median lethal dosage (LD(50)) 48 h and 10% lethal dosage (LD(10)) after topical application for female spiders were 653 and 316 mg buprofezin/mg fresh weight of spider, respectively. Buprofezin significantly reduced the percent hatching of spiders' eggs but had only a slight effect on egg production. No negative effects on the development and growth were observed. However, spider predation rates were strongly affected: Insecticide-treated females predated on fewer prey than the controls, and their predation rate did not recover even 5 days after insecticide application. This indicated that their pest control potential might be influenced by buprofezin, and the use of buprofezin in biological control of insects is discussed.


Personalized citizen assistance for social participation (APIC): A promising intervention for increasing mobility, accomplishment of social activities and frequency of leisure activities in older adults having disabilities.
Social participation, a determinant of health in older adults, requires innovative interventions. The personalised citizen assistance for social participation (APIC) involves weekly three-hour personalised stimulation sessions targeting significant social and leisure activities difficult to accomplish. Recently adapted for older adults, the APIC's impact on this population is unknown. This study explored the impact of APIC on older adults with disabilities. A mixed-method design including a pre-experimental component was used with 16 participants (11 women) aged 66-91 (79.4±8.7) with disabilities, living at home. They completed functional autonomy, social participation, leisure and quality of life questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews. APIC increased older adults' functional autonomy (p=0.02), accomplishment (p<0.01) and satisfaction (p=0.02) with social participation, and frequency of leisure practice (p<0.01). Post-intervention, participants wished to modify the practice (p<0.01) and frequency (p<0.01) of leisure activities, and difficulties in their social environment diminished (p=0.03). Their attitude toward leisure (p=0.04) as well as their health (p<0.01) and psychological (p=0.03) quality of life improved. Older adults thought APIC helped them resume, maintain, explore and experiment with significant social activities. It also increased their psychological and physical well-being, feeling of control, connectedness, self-esteem and motivation to accomplish activities. Finally, APIC can compensate for an unavailable and crumbling social network. APIC is a promising intervention that leads to new opportunities for older adults to increase community integration and enhance the social component of their lives. It can also optimise how the needs of older adults are met, including utilisation of personal and environmental resources.


Argininosuccinic aciduria--an underdiagnosed cause of neonatal death?
We describe a case of neonatal argininosuccinic aciduria, a condition we suggest is underdiagnosed. Although the clinical presentation can be of overwhelming septicaemia, certain routine biochemical investigations are indicative of this inborn error of urea cycle metabolism.


Multifunctional bioactive chitosan/cellulose nanocrystal scaffolds eradicate bacterial growth and sustain drug delivery.
Chitosan-based hydrogels have received significant interest in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications owing to their superior biocompatibility. However, their applications are restricted owing to their weak mechanical strength. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are often explored as reinforcing agents to improve the native properties of polymers owing to their superior physicochemical properties. We fabricated a multi-functional hydrogel scaffold of chitosan/CNCs by incorporating different amounts of CNCs into a chitosan (CH) hydrogel. Significant enhancement in the mechanical strength was noted in the CH/CNCs as compared to that in pure CH hydrogel scaffolds. The cytocompatibility of the fabricated scaffolds was monitored in the presence of bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Improved cell viability and mineralization were observed with CH/CNC hydrogel scaffolds than those with pure CH hydrogel scaffolds. Enhanced osteogenic-related gene expression was observed in the CH/CNC hydrogel scaffold environment than that in the control, indicating their osteogenic potential, in addition to enhanced antibacterial activity. Developed composite scaffolds exhibited improved sustained drug release compared to that by pure polymer scaffolds, and this was more sustained in the scaffolds with higher CNC content. Therefore, the fabricated scaffolds may have been used in tissue engineering for osteogenesis, as antibacterial agents, and in sustained drug delivery.


Powering point-of-care diagnostic devices.
Effective and rapid point-of-care (POC) diagnostics have the capability to revolutionize public healthcare both in developed and developing countries. One of the key challenges that is critical to address in developing POC devices is to effectively and sufficiently power them. In developing countries, where the electricity grid is not well established and the use of batteries is not cost-effective, power supplies are the most problematic issue for stand-alone and self-sustained POC devices. In this review, we provide an overview of techniques for powering POC diagnostic devices for use in both developed and developing countries, as well as detailed discussions of recent advancements in POC devices. Then, we discuss next-generation POC diagnostics and their power source strategies.


Syntheses of two deacetyl-thymosin alpha(1) analogues and their effects on low E-rosette-forming lymphocytes of uraemic patients.
Two deacetyl-thymosin alpha(1) analogues containing Phe (4Br) or D-Phe (4Br) residue-[D-Phe(4Br)(21)]deacetyl-thymosin alpha(1) and [Phe(4Br)(21)]deacetyl-thymosin alpha(1), respectively-were synthesized by the manual solid-phase method and their immunological effects on the low E-rosette-forming lymphocytes of uraemic patients were examined. One of the synthetic analogues, [Phe(4Br)(21)deacetyl-thymosin alpha(1), demonstrated a restorative effect on the low E-rosette-forming lymphocytes of uraemic patients, which was stronger than that of deacetyl-thymosin alpha(1), but the other analogue, [D-Phe(4Br)(21)]deacetyl-thymosin alpha(1), showed no restorative effect under the same conditions.


Complementary activation of the ipsilateral primary motor cortex during a sustained handgrip task.
Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) can be used to examine bilateral motor cortex activation during a sustained motor task in brain areas where increased oxygenation reflects cortical activation. This study examines the time course of activation of the bilateral motor cortex during a moderate-intensity handgrip task. Ten healthy right-handed male subjects participated in this study. Functional NIRS probes were placed over the cortex to measure motor cortical activations while the subjects performed a 180-s handgrip task incrementally [30-60% of the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) at 0.17% increase/s] Contralateral primary motor cortex (ContraM1) oxygenation values significantly increased from baseline between 40 and 120 s after the start of the motor task (p < 0.05). Moreover, the ipsilateral primary motor cortex (IpsiM1) oxygenation values significantly increased from baseline between 140 and 180 s after the start of the motor task (p < 0.05). IpsiM1 oxygenation gradually increased from 140 to 180 s, whereas ContraM1 oxygenation gradually decreased from 120 to 180 s after the start of the motor task. These results suggest that the complementary functions of IpsiM1 become activated in response to the working of the ContraM1 during a continuous handgrip task.


The application of Kriging and empirical Kriging based on the variables selected by SCAD.
The commonly used approach for building a structure-activity/property relationship consists of three steps. First, one determines the descriptors for the molecular structure, then builds a metamodel by using some proper mathematical methods, and finally evaluates the meta-model. Some existing methods only can select important variables from the candidates, while most metamodels just explore linear relationships between inputs and outputs. Some techniques are useful to build more complicated relationship, but they may not be able to select important variables from a large number of variables. In this paper, we propose to screen important variables by the smoothly clipped absolute deviation (SCAD) variable selection procedure, and then apply Kriging model and empirical Kriging model for quantitative structure-activity/property relationship (QSAR/QSPR) research based on the selected important variables. We demonstrate the proposed procedure retains the virtues of both variable selection and Kriging model.


A large-scale targeted proteomics of plasma extracellular vesicles shows utility for prognosis prediction subtyping in colorectal cancer.
The pathogenesis of cancers depends on the molecular background of each individual patient. Therefore, verifying as many biomarkers as possible and clarifying their relationships with each disease status would be very valuable. We performed a large-scale targeted proteomics analysis of plasma extracellular vesicles (EVs) that may affect tumor progression and/or therapeutic resistance. Plasma EVs from 59 were collected patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and 59 healthy controls (HC) in cohort 1, and 150 patients with CRC in cohort 2 for the large-scale targeted proteomics analysis of 457 proteins as candidate CRC markers. The Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test and random forest model were applied in cohort 1 to select promising markers. Consensus clustering was applied to classify patients with CRC in cohort 2. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis were performed to identify potential molecular factors contributing to the overall survival (OS) of patients. In the analysis of cohort 1, 99 proteins were associated with CRC. The analysis of cohort 2 revealed two clusters showing significant differences in OS (p = 0.017). Twelve proteins, including alpha-1-acid glycoprotein 1 (ORM1), were suggested to be associated with the identified CRC subtypes, and ORM1 was shown to significantly contribute to OS, suggesting that ORM1 might be one of the factors closely related to the OS. The study identified two novel subtypes of CRC, which exhibit differences in OS, as well as important biomarker proteins that are closely related to the identified subtypes. Liquid biopsy assessment with targeted proteomics analysis was proposed to be crucial for predicting the CRC prognosis.


Ultrasound of the inguinal floor for evaluation of hernias.
This study aimed to evaluate the utility of ultrasound in the diagnosis of inguinal hernias and obscure groin pain. A series of 65 consecutive groin explorations performed subsequently to percutaneous ultrasound examination were prospectively evaluated. Patients were examined in an office setting. The examination included a history and a physical. Then an ultrasound of the inguinal region was performed. Ultrasound was performed by the staff surgeon and fellows. Patients then were taken to surgery for either a laparoscopic or open hernia repair. The preoperative and operative findings were compared to determine the utility of groin ultrasound. A series of 41 patients presenting with symptoms of groin pain or palpable groin bulge were evaluated with ultrasound of the groin. Of these patients, 24 went on to have bilateral repairs, bringing the study total to 65 groins. Surgery involved 50 laparoscopic and 15 open hernia repairs. This included 20 groins without hernia, as determined by physical examination, and 45 groins with a palpable hernia. Overall, ultrasound was used to identify the type of hernia correctly (direct vs indirect) with 85% success. In the 20 patients who had no palpable bulge, ultrasound identified a protrusion (hernia or lipoma) in 17. Two of these were false positives, and the three negative ultrasound examinations were false negatives. Thus ultrasound identified the pathology in a groin without a palpable bulge at an accuracy of 75%. The overall accuracy in finding a hernia of any kind by ultrasound was 92%. Ultrasound is a useful adjunct in evaluating the groin for hernia, and can be performed by surgeons.


Co-delivery of epirubicin and paclitaxel using an estrone-targeted PEGylated liposomal nanoparticle for breast cancer.
Breast cancer is one of the most frequent malignancies in the female population. Recently, the development of medical products has been advanced for this disease; however, patients still suffer from the failure of current treatments and new therapeutic strategies are urgently required. In this study, due to the overexpression of the estrogen receptor (ER) in breast cancer and the ability of ER to specifically bind to its ligand estrone (ES), an ES-targeted PEGylated epirubicin (EPI) and paclitaxel (PTX) co-loaded liposomal nanoparticle (NP) (termed as ES-SSL-EPI/PTX) was developed. Physicochemical studies demonstrated that the ES-SSL-EPI/PTX had a nanoscaled particle size (~120 nm) and a neutral zeta potential (~-5 mV) and presented favorable stability in physiological media. In vitro, the ES-SSL-EPI/PTX showed a significantly higher cellular uptake in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells mainly via the receptor-ligand mediated pathway resulting in effective cytotoxic activity. In vivo targeting study, the accumulation of targeted liposomes in tumor was significantly improved. The systemic circulation time and biodistribution in main organs of EPI and PTX delivered by ES-SSL-Liposomes were increased. Consequently, the ES-SSL-EPI/PTX significantly suppressed tumor growth in the MCF-7-derived tumor-bearing mouse model without inducing toxicity. These results suggested that the ES-SSL-EPI/PTX was a promising formulation for co-delivery of chemotherapeutics in the treatment of breast cancer.


Ultrasound intensification suppresses the need of methanol excess during the biodiesel production with Lipozyme TL-IM.
The synthesis of biodiesel from sunflower oil and methanol based on transesterification using the immobilized lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosus (Lipozyme TL-IM) has been investigated under silent conditions and under an ultrasound field. Ultrasound assisted process led to reduced processing time and requirement of lower enzyme dosage. We found for the first time that oil to methanol ratio of 1:3 was favored for the ultrasound assisted enzymatic process which is lower than that observed for the case of conventional stirring based approach (ratio of 1.4). Our results indicate that intensification provided by ultrasound suppresses the need of the excess of the methanol reactant during the enzymatic biodiesel production. Ultrasound assisted enzymatic biodiesel production is therefore a faster and a cleaner processes.


Single-port Robotic Surgery Allows Same-day Discharge in Majority of Cases.
To assess the influence of single-port (SP) robotic surgery on length of stay (LOS) in our initial experience using the da Vinci SP robot as compared with traditional, multiport procedures. We evaluated our single surgeon (RA) prospective database for the initial 100 SP procedures performed between January 2019 and January 2020. Patient LOS was compared with standard multiport robotic surgery patients since we began routinely offering same-day discharge (SDD) in September 2016. Among the initial 100 SP robotic surgeries, there were 59 prostatectomies, 18 partial nephrectomies, 12 pyeloplasties, 4 nephrectomies, 4 adrenalectomies, 2 partial cystectomies, and 1 nephroureterectomy. The rate of SDD in SP procedures was higher compared to our historical SDD for multiport robotic surgeries despite uniformly offering SDD to all patients in both groups (88% vs 51%, P < .0001). Among prostatectomies, 88% of SP patients were discharged the same day versus 55% (P < .001). Among partial nephrectomies, 83% of SP patients went home the same day versus 17% (P < .001) as well as 83% of pyeloplasty patients versus 52% (P = .064). For SP adrenalectomy, nephrectomy, partial cystectomy, and nephroureterectomy, all were discharged the same day. Our initial experience with SP robotic surgery suggests earlier discharge is possible with the large majority (88%) so far opting to go home the same day as surgery. Further experience will be necessary to allow analysis of pain scores and analgesic usage as potential causative factors.


Soluble calcium-binding proteins: parvalbumins and calmodulin from eel skeletal muscle.
1. Eel skeletal muscle contains three parvalbumin isoforms. The overall parvalbumin concentration in the muscle is 0.5 mmol kg-1 wet weight. 2. Calmodulin (0.1 mumol kg-1 wet weight) was purified by extraction with ethylenediamine tetraacetate-containing buffer, fractionation with trichloroacetic acid and separation by ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and by molecular sieving on Ultrogel AcA 54. 3. Troponin-C-free calmodulin was obtained by fast protein liquid chromatography on a Mono Q column.


The Association of SNAP25 Gene Polymorphisms in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most highly heritable psychiatric disorders in childhood. The risk gene mutation accounts for about 60 to 90 % cases. Synaptosomal-associated protein of 25 kDa (SNAP-25) is a presynaptic plasma membrane protein which is expressed highly and specifically in the neuronal cells. A number of evidences have suggested the role of SNAP-25 in the etiology of ADHD. Notably, the animal model of coloboma mouse mutant bears a ∼2-cM deletion encompassing genes including SNAP25 and displays spontaneous hyperkinetic behavior. Previous investigators have reported association between SNPs in SNAP25 and ADHD, and controversial results were observed. In this study, we analyzed the possible association between six polymorphisms (rs3746544, rs363006, rs1051312, rs8636, rs362549, and rs362998) of SNAP25 and ADHD in a pooled sample of ten family-based studies and four case-control studies by using meta-analysis. The combined analysis results were significant only for rs3746544 (P = 0.010) with mild association (odds ratio (OR) = 1.14). And, the meta-analysis data for rs8636, rs362549, and rs362998 are the first time to be reported; however, no positive association was detected. In conclusion, we report some evidence supporting the association of SNAP25 to ADHD. Future research should emphasize genome-wide association studies in more specific subgroups and larger independent samples.


[Radium in pharmacy! Second Part: Pharmaceutical used of radium during the inter-war years].
This article presents the raise of patent medicines composed of radium during the inter-war years. Because of a lack of regulation, this production was getting anarchistic. It is studied throught many documents from pharmaceutical laboratories wich are kept by the Curie' museum. Those laboratories would obtain certificates from Curie Institute, to show them in their advertisements.


Structural characterisation of an anti-complementary arabinogalactan from the roots of Angelica acutiloba Kitagawa.
An anti-complementary arabinogalactan (AGIIb-1), isolated from the roots of Angelica acutiloba Kitagawa, has been subjected to methylation analysis, digestion with alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase, controlled Smith-degradation, and partial acid hydrolysis. AGIIb-1 consisted of arabinose, galactose, rhamnose, galacturonic acid, and glucuronic acid in the molar ratios 1.8-2.2:1.0:0.2-0.3:0.2-0.4:0.1. AGIIb-1 contained mainly an arabino-3,6-galactan moiety, and most of the Ara was present as alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl residues in the non-reducing terminals and the highly polymerised and branched side-chains which were attached mainly to positions 3 and 6 of (1----6)- and (1----3)-linked Gal, respectively. Some Ara-containing chains were also attached to (1----4)-linked Gal residues. The 13C-n.m.r. data for AGIIb-1 showed that the Galp was beta. Mild acid hydrolysis of AGIIb-1 yielded several linear and highly branched arabino-oligosaccharides, a neutral arabinogalactan, and two acidic arabinogalactans. Some arabino-oligosaccharides contained a (1----4)-linked Arap at the reducing terminal. The neutral arabinogalactan contained (1----3)-, (1----4)-, and (1----6)-linked and 3,6-di-O-substituted Gal, whereas the acidic arabinogalactans contained, in addition, non-reducing terminal GlcA, (1----4)-linked GalA, and 2,4-di-O-substituted Rha. The anti-complementary activity was decreased when AGIIb-1 was partially hydrolysed with mild acid (10mM HCl, 100 degrees, 10 min), but treatment with exo-alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase markedly enhanced the activity.


Achieving a natural glanular meatus for distal hypospadias with a narrow and shallow plate: tubularized incised plate versus modified Barcat repair.
Although the tubularized incised plate (TIP) repair has become the most popular surgical procedure for distal hypospadias, some authors suggest that this is not suitable for hypospadias with a narrow plate or shallow groove. The configuration and position of the reconstructed meatus were postoperatively analyzed in patients with distal hypospadias whose preoperative urethral plates were shallow or narrow. The findings were compared between six patients undergoing TIP repair and seven patients undergoing modified Barcat (BAVIS) repair. Among those undergoing the TIP procedure, a slit-like meatus at the tip of the glans was achieved in one patient, a slit-like meatus at the mid portion of the glans in four patients and a round meatus at the mid portion of the glans in one patient. In those repaired by the BAVIS procedure, a slit-like meatus at the tip of glans was achieved in three patients, a round or irregularly shaped meatus at the tip of the glans in two patients, an irregularly shaped meatus at the mid portion of the glans in one patient and neourethral dehiscence in one patient. The present study confirms that a higher rate of achieving slit-like meatus but a lower rate of locating in the glans tip can be attained after TIP repair. On the other hand, there is a higher rate of locating the meatus in the glans tip but a lower rate of achieving a slit-like meatus after BAVIS repair.


Nationwide population-based cohort study of adverse obstetric outcomes in pregnancies with myoma or following myomectomy: retrospective cohort study.
Our objective was to evaluate risks of adverse obstetric outcomes in pregnancies with myoma(s) or in pregnancies following myomectomy. We analyzed the national health insurance database, which covers almost the entire Korean population, between 2004 and 2015. The risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes in pregnancies with myoma(s) or in pregnancies following myomectomy, compared to those in women without a diagnosed myoma, were analyzed in multivariate logistic regression analysis. During the study period, 38,402 women with diagnosed myoma(s), 9890 women with a history of myomectomy, and 740,675 women without a diagnosed myoma gave birth. Women with a history of diagnosed myoma(s) and women with a history of myomectomy had significantly higher risks of cesarean section (aOR 1.13, 95% CI 1.1-1.16 and aOR 7.46, 95% CI 6.97-7.98, respectively) and placenta previa (aOR 1.41, 95% CI 1.29-1.54 and aOR 1.58, 95% CI 1.35-1.83, respectively), compared to women without a diagnosed myoma. And the risk of uterine rupture was significantly higher in women with previous myomectomy (aOR 12.78, 95% CI 6.5-25.13), compared to women without a diagnosed myoma, which was much increased (aOR 41.35, 95% CI 16.18-105.69) in nulliparous women. The incidence of uterine rupture was the highest at delivery within one year after myomectomy and decreased over time after myomectomy. Women with a history of myomectomy had significantly higher risks of cesarean section and placenta previa compared to women without a diagnosed myoma.


Oncolytic virus treatment differentially affects the CD56dim and CD56bright NK cell subsets in vivo and regulates a spectrum of human NK cell activity.
Natural killer (NK) cells protect against intracellular infection and cancer. These properties are exploited in oncolytic virus (OV) therapy, where antiviral responses enhance anti-tumour immunity. We have analysed the mechanism by which reovirus, an oncolytic dsRNA virus, modulates human NK cell activity. Reovirus activates NK cells in a type I interferon (IFN-I) dependent manner, inducing STAT1 and STAT4 signalling in both CD56dim and CD56bright NK cell subsets. Gene expression profiling revealed the dominance of IFN-I responses and identified induction of genes associated with NK cell cytotoxicity and cell cycle progression, with distinct responses in the CD56dim and CD56bright subsets. However, reovirus treatment inhibited IL-15 induced NK cell proliferation in an IFN-I dependent manner and was associated with reduced AKT signalling. In vivo, human CD56dim and CD56bright NK cells responded with similar kinetics to reovirus treatment, but CD56bright NK cells were transiently lost from the peripheral circulation at the peak of the IFN-I response, suggestive of their redistribution to secondary lymphoid tissue. Coupled with the direct, OV-mediated killing of tumour cells, the activation of both CD56dim and CD56bright NK cells by antiviral pathways induces a spectrum of activity that includes the NK cell-mediated killing of tumour cells and modulation of adaptive responses via the trafficking of IFN-γ expressing CD56bright NK cells to lymph nodes.


Perceived occupational gaps one year after stroke: an explorative study.
To explore and describe factors associated with occupational gaps and to identify factors at 3 months that predict occupational gaps one year post-stroke. A gap, a restriction in participation, is considered to be present when there is a discrepancy between what the individual wants to do and what they actually do in everyday life. Prospective longitudinal study. Two hundred persons with stroke. Data from the Occupational Gaps Questionnaire, one year post-stroke, was used as the dependent variable in 3- and 12-month regression analyses. Domains of the Stroke Impact Scale, global life satisfaction, demographic and medical factors were used as independent variables. At 3 months, activities of daily living abilities, social participation and not being born in Sweden predicted occupational gaps at 12 months. Stroke severity and not being born in Sweden and 3 factors at 12 months: social participation, self-rated recovery, and global life satisfaction were associated with occupational gaps. Activities of daily living ability at 3 months predicted occupational gaps after stroke. Thus, it is possible to identify early on, and provide interventions for, those that risk participation restrictions. Not being born in the country might be an indicator of a risk for participation restrictions.


Association of two polymorphisms of tumor necrosis factor gene with acute severe pancreatitis.
Acute severe pancreatitis (ASP) has an unpredictable course and outcome. Polymorphisms of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) gene have been related to TNF production and outcome in a variety of inflammatory diseases. We assessed whether TNF gene polymorphism and plasma concentrations of TNF-alpha were related to the occurrence of ASP and septic shock from it. The study included 208 patients (102 with ASP, 106 with acute mild pancreatitis) and 116 healthy volunteers. TNF-beta and TNF-alpha-308 polymorphisms were performed by analyzing NcoI-digested DNA fragment obtained by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). HLA-DRB1*0301 (HLA-DR3) typing was performed by sequence-specific oligonucleotide typing on PCR-amplified genomic DNA. Plasma concentrations of TNF-alpha were measured by solid-phase enzyme-amplified sensitivity immunoassay. The overall TNF2 allele frequency and TNFB2 allele frequency were similar in patients with mild or severe pancreatitis. Further, no significant difference in gene polymorphism frequencies was noted between patients with acute pancreatitis and controls. TNF2 frequency was significantly increased in septic shock patients compared with nonseptic shock patients (53.8 vs 22.4%; P = 0.003), as was TNFB2 frequency (88.5 vs 63.2%; P = 0.015). A linkage disequilibrium between TNF2 allele and HLA-DR3 was seen, this haplotype was not associated with severity of acute pancreatitis or outcome of septic shock in ASP patients. With regard to the mortality rate in patients who developed septic shock, those with a TNF2 allele had a significantly higher rate of mortality than those with a TNF1 allele (expired: 8 vs 1, P = 0.018). Plasma levels of TNF-alpha did not differ significantly in ASP patients displaying different alleles of the TNF gene studied. Results indicate that the TNF gene polymorphisms studied play no part in determination of disease severity or ASP susceptibility; however, they are both strongly related to the development of septic shock in ASP. TNF2 allele was associated with death as a result of ASP-associated septic shock.


[Septic portal vein thrombosis. Its successful therapy by local fibrinolysis and a transjugular portasystemic stent-shunt (TIPS)].
A 68-year-old man, without any preceding hepatic or abdominal disease, suddenly developed a severe septic illness with consumptive coagulopathy and upper abdominal pain. B-mode and duplex ultrasonography revealed fresh portal vein thrombosis. Despite extensive conservative measures there was no significant improvement after one week and further thrombus extension with threatened acute mesenteric vein occlusion. Local fibrinolysis with recombinant plasminogen activator and urokinase via percutaneous transjugular intrahepatic catheterization of the portal vein achieved almost complete dissolution of the thrombus within 3 days. Subsequently the portal vein catheter was changed into a transjugular portosystemic stent shunt (TIPS). While local or systemic fibrinolysis has been practised in previously reported cases of acute portal vein thrombosis, the described use of TIPS introduces a new element. The shunt between hepatic and portal veins assures therapeutic access to the portal venous bed. It lowers portal vein pressure and can diminish the danger of recurrent thrombosis by raising portal flow. This minimally invasive procedure may be a nearly ideal treatment even in the course of portal vein thrombosis which has a high complication rate.


Physiological dissection of various effects of ruthenium red dye on Paramecium cells.
Polycationic dye ruthenium red, but not alcian blue, if externally applied to Paramecium cells quickly inhibits their phagocytosis. Ruthenium red combined with the cell surface diminishes frequency and duration of ciliary reversals and gradually inactivates the Ca++ gating mechanism. This effect persists for 1-3 after ruthenium red removal from the culture medium.


MicroRNAs: New players in intervertebral disc degeneration.
Chronic low back pain is generally attributed to intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IDD), which is closely associated with apoptosis, extracellular matrix (ECM) disruption, cell proliferation and inflammatory response. Currently, there is no clinical therapy targeting the pathophysiology of disc degeneration. microRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small noncoding RNA molecules that negatively regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional levels. miRNAs not only regulate many normal physiological processes, but also play an important role in the development of most disorders, including degenerative disc disease. A variety of miRNAs are differentially expressed in degenerative human IVD tissues and cells. Among these, some of the miRNAs have been shown to be involved in multiple pathological processes during disc degeneration, including apoptosis, ECM degradation, cell proliferation and inflammatory response. This review will mainly focus on the expression profiles, roles, and therapeutic implications of miRNAs in IDD. With continued efforts, restoration of dysregulated miRNA expression may represent a promising biological treatment approach for mitigating or reversing IVD degeneration.


Noninvasive ventilation in neuromuscular disease.
The treatment of respiratory failure in patients who have NMD continues to be an evolving process. Negative-pressure ventilation, once prominent in the 1940s and 1950s, gave way to intermittent positive-pressure ventilation with tracheostomy or endotracheal tubes in the 1960s. Now there is a resurgence of noninvasive ventilation, brought about by innovative modes of positive pressure delivered through nasal and facial masks. Although frequently relegated to second-line choices, negative-pressure devices still offer a practical treatment alternative as patient preference still plays a role in selecting a proper mode of ventilation. Studies have shown that noninvasive ventilation can prevent or reverse respiratory failure and improve quality of life and longevity. Despite the seemingly widespread acceptance of noninvasive ventilation in the treatment of respiratory failure, physicians still appear reluctant to use ventilatory assistance in the neuromuscular arena. In 1985, a survey found that respiratory support systems were utilized routinely in only 33% of the 132 responding Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) clinics. Bach recently surveyed 273 MDA clinic directors and co-directors from 167 clinics, to evaluate their current use of mechanical ventilation. Ventilatory assistance was recommended and used electively in only 43 (26%) of the 167 clinics. Furthermore, it was the policy in 68 of the clinics to discourage the use of mechanical ventilation. Even more importantly, only 2 physicians who discouraged the use of mechanical ventilation were familiar with the newest noninvasive methods of ventilatory support. Sadly, although our methodologies in the treatment of respiratory failure continue to improve, physician practice has lagged behind. Physicians who treat patients who have NMD need to become cognizant of these new techniques and incorporate them into their present therapeutic armamentarium.


rap1B, a cAMP-dependent protein kinase substrate, associates with the platelet cytoskeleton.
rap1B is a member of the ras superfamily of low molecular weight GTP binding proteins which constitutes a focal point of GTP and cAMP signal transduction systems. Like other members of this superfamily, rap1B is membrane-associated in resting platelets, presumably through polyisoprenylation. The studies presented here were undertaken to determine the subcellular changes in rap1B localization during cell activation. Activated and unactivated platelets were fractionated by Triton X-100 lysis followed by differential centrifugation to obtain a 10,000 x g cytoskeleton fraction, a 100,000 x g membrane skeleton fraction, and a 100,000 x g supernatant fraction containing solubilized proteins. In unactivated platelets, rap1B was present in the 100,000 x g supernatant fraction. In contrast, in platelets activated with 1 unit/ml alpha-thrombin or with the calcium ionophore, A23187, rap1B was quantitatively recovered in the 10,000 x g cytoskeleton fraction. rap1B was absent from the 100,000 x g fraction containing the membrane skeleton and could not be detected in the 100,000 x g supernatant containing cytosolic proteins and solubilized membrane components. These results indicate that rap1B associates with the cytoskeleton during cell activation.


Insulinomimetic zinc(II) complexes with natural products: in vitro evaluation and blood glucose lowering effect in KK-Ay mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
In vitro insulinomimetic activities of Zn(II) complexes with three natural products, betaine, L-lactic acid, and D-(-)-quinic acid (qui), were found in rat adipocytes treated with epinephrine in terms of the inhibition of free fatty acid release. Based on the results, the blood glucose lowering effect in KK-A(y) mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus was observed by daily i.p. injections of a monomeric zinc(II) complex, Zn(qui)(2), for 13 d.


Influence of medical care in the quality of life (WHOQOL-100) of women living with systemic lupus erythematosus.
Lupus requires careful treatment by medical specialists. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of life of patients living with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). The method approached women with a confirmed diagnosis of SLE under medical supervision in a University hospital outpatient clinic or in a private clinic. We used an instrument containing relevant information of the patient and also the Portuguese version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Group (WHOQOL-100) questionnaire. The study population consisted of 39 women, married in their majority (56.4%); prevalently aged 37-60 years old; prevalence of diagnosis time over five years (66.7%); and in use of less than 5 medications (69.2%). 92.3% had the disease inactive with higher means in mobility (p=0.0463) and quality of life (p=0.0199) facets; on the other hand, the physical safety and security facet (p=0.0093) showed higher mean for people with active disease. Health and social care analysis showed availability and quality (p=0.0434), even when with other associated diseases (33.3%); and the highest means were Dependence on medicinal substances and medical aids (p=0.0143). The negative results for associated diseases were higher in sexual activity (p=0.0431) and transportation (p=0.0319) facets. if women living with SLE receive continuous medical attention, they will enjoy good quality of life, while minimizing the complications inherent in this condition.


Evaluation of sesquiterpene lactone fraction of Saussurea lappa on transudative, exudative and proliferative phases of inflammation.
The sesquiterpene lactone fraction of Saussurea lappa roots was evaluated for its effect on the transudative, exudative and proliferative phases of inflammation using the cotton pellet granuloma assay in rats. The fraction (25-100 mg/kg, p.o.) showed significant dose-dependent inhibition of the increase in wet weight of the cotton pellet at 3 h (transudative phase), leakage of dye from the bloodstream around granuloma at 24 h (exudative phase) and increase in dry weight of the cotton pellet on day 6 (proliferative phase). It significantly lowered the elevated biochemical parameters such as alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase and significantly elevated the lowered albumin concentration in serum. The studies suggest that the antiinflammatory activity of the sesquiterpene lactone fraction of S. lappa may, in part, be due to stabilization of lysosomal membranes and an antiproliferative effect.


Advantages of the integration of ICE and 3D electroanatomical mapping and ultrasound-guided femoral venipuncture in catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.
To evaluate how the integration of intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) and ultrasound-guided femoral venipuncture (USGVC) may affect the safety of catheter ablation (CA) of atrial fibrillation (AF). From a single center 374 patients with AF underwent 3D electroanatomic mapping-guided CA with or without the integration of ICE and USGVC. The primary endpoints were periprocedural complications, fluoroscopy time, and procedure time between the two groups. The median age of patients was 60 years. Sixteen patients had major complications (4.3%); 10 of these (2.7%) had major vascular complications. Thirty-seven patients had minor complications (9.9%) that did not require intervention. There were fewer major complications in the CA with the aid of ICE and USGVC than in the conventional approach (1% vs 7%, p = 0.004). The combined approach required less fluoroscopy time than the conventional procedure (median with ICE + USGVC 14 min (interquartile range (IQR) 8-21) vs median without ICE + USGVC 22 min (IQR 17-32)), p < 0.001, and less radiofrequency time (median with ICE + USGVC 1686 s (IQR 1367-1998) vs median time without ICE + USGVC: 1792 s (IQR 1390-2400)), p = 0.012. After adjustment for confounding factors, only the use of ICE + USGVC (hazard ratio: 0.139; p = 0.05) was a significantly protective factor against major complications. The use of ICE and USGVC in CA of AF is associated with significantly fewer major complications and lower fluoroscopy and radiofrequency time, so these aids increased the safety of the procedure.


A case with hepatic portal vein gas who required delayed elective surgery.
Hepatic portal venous gas (HPVG) is believed to be an indication for emergent surgery because it is associated with high mortality rate. However, the recent increase in the use of modern abdominal computed tomography (CT) has resulted in the detection of HPVG in more benign conditions. Therefore, the decision-making process whether we chose emergent surgery or conservative treatment without surgery is important for the patients with HPVG. An 84-year-old male was referred to our hospital due to the sudden onset of abdominal pain and massive hepatic portal vein gas on emergent CT. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II Score was calculated as 17; slightly elevated comparing with the other cases who were successfully treated without surgery. Although the PHVG was remained at follow up CT on the next day after the onset, the symptoms were improved. We selected conservative treatment without emergent surgery and he discharged on 9th day after the onset. However, he was suffered from right lower abdominal pain and vomiting and admitted our hospital on 23th day. He developed ischemic intestinal stenosis and underwent a surgery of partial resection of ileum. The clinical finding of this case showing subtle differences from cases who were successfully treated without surgery. We hope this report will help physician's decision-making process for HPVG.


A new method for classifying different phenotypes of kidney transplantation.
For end-stage renal diseases, kidney transplantation is the most efficient treatment. However, the unexpected rejection caused by inflammation usually leads to allograft failure. Thus, a systems-level characterization of inflammation factors can provide potentially diagnostic biomarkers for predicting renal allograft rejection. Serum of kidney transplant patients with different immune status were collected and classified as transplant patients with stable renal function (ST), impaired renal function with negative biopsy pathology (UNST), acute rejection (AR), and chronic rejection (CR). The expression profiles of 40 inflammatory proteins were measured by quantitative protein microarrays and reduced to a lower dimensional space by the partial least squares (PLS) model. The determined principal components (PCs) were then trained by the support vector machines (SVMs) algorithm for classifying different phenotypes of kidney transplantation. There were 30, 16, and 13 inflammation proteins that showed statistically significant differences between CR and ST, CR and AR, and CR and UNST patients. Further analysis revealed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network among 33 inflammatory proteins and proposed a potential role of intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in CR. Based on the network analysis and protein expression information, two PCs were determined as the major contributors and trained by the PLS-SVMs method, with a promising accuracy of 77.5 % for classification of chronic rejection after kidney transplantation. For convenience, we also developed software packages of GPS-CKT (Classification phenotype of Kidney Transplantation Predictor) for classifying phenotypes. By confirming a strong correlation between inflammation and kidney transplantation, our results suggested that the network biomarker but not single factors can potentially classify different phenotypes in kidney transplantation.


Invasive ductal carcinoma within fibroadenoma and lung metastases.
Fibroadenomas are one of the most common benign tumors of the breast. Malignant transformation from fibroadenoma to cancer is rare. We present a case of an invasive ductal carcinoma within an otherwise benign fibroadenoma with lung metastasis in a 69-year-old woman.


The clinical impact of platelet-rich plasma on tendinopathy compared to placebo or dry needling injections: A meta-analysis.
The purpose of this meta-analysis was to compare the impact of platelet-rich plasma with that of placebo or dry needling injections on tendinopathy. The databases of PubMed, CENTRAL, Scopus, Web of Science, and trial registries, reference lists, and conference abstract books were searched up to December 2014. Adults with tendinopathy in randomized controlled trials were enrolled. The trials compared effect of platelet-rich plasma with that of placebo or dry needling. We used subgroup analysis linked to the anatomical location of the tendinopathy. The primary outcome was pain intensity at two or three and six months after intervention. The secondary outcome was functional disability at three months after treatment. Five trials were included. There was a statistically significant difference in favor of the platelet-rich plasma intervention at the second primary outcome time point (SMD -0.48, 95%CIs -0.86 to -0.10, I(2) = 0%, p = 0.01) and at the secondary outcome time point (SMD -0.47, 95%CIs -0.85 to -0.09, I(2) = 0%, p=0.01). Platelet-rich plasma did not provide significantly greater clinical benefit versus placebo or dry needling for the treatment of tendinopathy at a six-month follow-up. However, there was a marginal clinical difference in favor of platelet-rich plasma injections on rotator cuff tendinopathy.


Studies on the pepsinogens of human gastric mucosal extracts.
1. Electrophoretic separation of proteases from human gastric mucosal extracts of five patients with gastric ulcer, one with duodenal ulcer and three with gastric cancer were investigated by agar-gel electrophoresis at pH 8.3 and pH 5.0. 2. In the fundic mucosal study, there were seven faster moving proteases in all nine cases, but the slowest moving protease showed a slightly different picture in each case. In the antral mucosal study, two of eight cases showed mainly group II pepsinogens, seven of nine cases, however, showed the same results as in the fundic mucosal study. 3. In the cases of the nine mucosal extracts activated at pH 1.5 or pH 4.0, they all showed the same electrophoretic separation at each pH level. At these two pH levels, however, quite different electrophoretic patterns were observed. The presence of pepsin 3 appeared to diminish at the higher levels of pH, although that of pepsin 5 and pepsin 7 appeared to increase at pH 4.0 and above. Pepsin 6 appeared for the first time at pH 4.0 and existed at higher pH levels. 4. We thus conclude that electrophoretic patterns of pepsins in the gastric mucosal extracts are changeable depending on the pH level of the incubating medium, and further that diversity of pepsins in gastric juices may also depend on the pH level of gastric juices.