Association of the eNOS E298D polymorphism and the risk of myocardial infarction in the Greek population.
Nitric oxide (NO), produced by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), plays a key role in the regulation of vascular tone. Endothelium-derived NO exerts vasoprotective effects by suppressing platelet aggregation, leukocyte adhesion and smooth muscle cell proliferation. The E298D polymorphic variant of eNOS has been associated with myocardial infarction (MI), but data relating to this variant are divergent in Greece. Accordingly, we examined a possible association between the E298D polymorphism of the eNOS gene and MI in a subgroup of the Greek population. The study population consisted of 204 patients with a history of MI and 218 control subjects. All subjects were of Greek origin and were selected from the general population of the greater Athens area. Genotyping was performed with melting curve analysis (Lightcycler system) of polymerase chain reaction amplified products using hybridization probes. According to the univariate findings, the risk for MI in E298D TT was 2.06 (95%CI: 1.06-4.00, p = 0.032) versus GG+GT and 2.34 (95%CI: 1.17-4.68, p = 0.016) versus GG. The risk for the T allele was estimated at 1.42 (95%CI, 1.06-1.89, p = 0.022) as compared to G allele. Regarding the additive model, one allele increase was associated with 43% higher risk of MI (OR = 1.43, 95%CI: 1.07-1.93, p = 0.018) as compared to the baseline category of homozygous GG. The positive association of TT versus GG+GT with MI risk remained even after adjusting for the main study covariates. Moreover, strong evidence was found for an increased risk for MI among carriers of the TT genotype who were smokers, hypertensive and had a family history of CAD. This study indicates that E298D polymorphism of the eNOS gene seems to be associated with MI occurrence in the Greek population. It is possible that TT genotype is closely linked to the etiology of MI even after adjusting for known MI risk factors.


Pitfalls in preoperative staging in prostate cancer.
Clinical staging in 60 patients with adenocarcinoma of the prostate was compared with pathologic staging to identify factors which may contribute to staging errors. Understaging was directly related to tumor stage and was documented in 0 per cent of A2, 26.5 per cent of B1, and 66.7 per cent of B2 patients. Capsular invasion was found in 11.8 per cent of B1 and 52.4 per cent of B2 patients, seminal vesicle extension in 17.7 per cent of B1 and 52.4 per cent of B2 patients, and lymph node metastases in 2.9 per cent of B1 and 28.6 per cent of B2 patients. The majority of patients who had unnoticed gross extension of the tumor beyond the prostate underwent transurethral resection of the prostate or failed irradiation therapy prior to radical prostatectomy. The results suggest that intraprostatic or periprostatic changes caused by previous treatment to the prostate may interfere with the preoperative staging.


The Bradford bone-anchored hearing aid programme: impact of the multidisciplinary team.
The aim of this study was to assess the impact on implant survival, abutment skin reaction and patient satisfaction in patients implanted with a bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA), following the introduction of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) in 1997. Part prospective and retrospective analysis. Implant survival and cause of failures were recorded along with abutment skin reaction (graded as none, mild, moderate and severe, according to the amount of wound care required). Patient satisfaction and quality of life were assessed using a questionnaire enquiring about several aspects of the use and benefits of their BAHA. Eighty patients treated at the Bradford Royal Infirmary between 1991 and 2005. The unit is a recognized tertiary referral centre. Twelve out of 80 implants failed, giving an overall failure rate of 15 per cent. Kaplan-Meier survival curves show a steady decrease in implant survival. The MDT had a positive effect on implant survival and adverse skin reactions, with a higher proportion of patients experiencing no reaction after its introduction. There was a 92.5 per cent response rate to the questionnaire. Overall patient satisfaction was high, both before and after the introduction of the MDT.


Identification of Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy using multimodal PET/MRI radiomics.
To construct a machine learning model for differentiating Parkinson's disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) by using multimodal PET/MRI radiomics and clinical characteristics. One hundred and nineteen patients (81 with PD and 38 with MSA) underwent brain PET/CT and MRI to obtain metabolic images ([18F]FDG, [11C]CFT PET) and structural MRI (T1WI, T2WI, and T2-FLAIR). Image analysis included automatic segmentation on MRI, co-registration of PET images onto the corresponding MRI. Radiomics features were then extracted from the putamina and caudate nuclei and selected to construct predictive models. Moreover, based on PET/MRI radiomics and clinical characteristics, we developed a nomogram. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were performed to evaluate the performance of the models. Decision curve analysis (DCA) was employed to access the clinical usefulness of the models. The combined PET/MRI radiomics model of five sequences outperformed monomodal radiomics models alone. Further, PET/MRI radiomics-clinical combined model could perfectly distinguish PD from MSA (AUC = 0.993), which outperformed the clinical model (AUC = 0.923, p = 0.028) in training set, with no significant difference in test set (AUC = 0.860 vs 0.917, p = 0.390). However, no significant difference was found between PET/MRI radiomics-clinical model and PET/MRI radiomics model in training (AUC = 0.988, p = 0.276) and test sets (AUC = 0.860 vs 0.845, p = 0.632). DCA demonstrated the highest clinical benefit of PET/MRI radiomics-clinical model. Our study indicates that multimodal PET/MRI radiomics could achieve promising performance to differentiate between PD and MSA in clinics. This study developed an optimal radiomics signature and construct model to distinguish PD from MSA by multimodal PET/MRI imaging methods in clinics for parkinsonian syndromes, which achieved an excellent performance. •Multimodal PET/MRI radiomics from putamina and caudate nuclei increase the diagnostic efficiency for distinguishing PD from MSA. •The radiomics-based nomogram was developed to differentiate between PD and MSA. •Combining PET/MRI radiomics-clinical model achieved promising performance to identify PD and MSA.


Interpreting plural predication: homogeneity and non-maximality.
Plural definite descriptions across many languages display two well-known properties. First, they can give rise to so-called non-maximal readings, in the sense that they 'allow for exceptions' (Mary read the books on the reading list, in some contexts, can be judged true even if Mary didn't read all the books on the reading list). Second, while they tend to have a quasi-universal quantificational force in affirmative sentences ('quasi-universal' rather than simply 'universal' due to the possibility of exceptions we have just mentioned), they tend to be interpreted existentially in the scope of negation (a property often referred to as homogeneity, cf. Löbner in Linguist Philos 23:213-308, 2000). Building on previous works (in particular Krifka in Proceedings of SALT VI, Cornell University, pp 136-153, 1996 and Malamud in Semant Pragmat, 5:1-28, 2012), we offer a theory in which sentences containing plural definite expressions trigger a family of possible interpretations, and where general principles of language use account for their interpretation in various contexts and syntactic environments. Our theory solves a number of problems that these previous works encounter, and has broader empirical coverage in that it offers a precise analysis for sentences that display complex interactions between plural definites, quantifiers and bound variables, as well as for cases involving non-distributive predicates. The resulting proposal is briefly compared with an alternative proposal by Križ (Aspects of homogeneity in the semantics of natural language, University of Vienna, 2015), which has similar coverage but is based on a very different architecture and sometimes makes subtly different predictions.


Screening of 42 medicinal plants for in vivo anthelmintic activity against Dactylogyrus intermedius (Monogenea) in goldfish (Carassius auratus).
In the present study, methanol extracts of 42 traditional medicinal plants with potent anthelmintic activity against Dactylogyrus intermedius (Monogenea) in goldfish (Carassius auratus) were investigated. Cinnamomum cassia, Lindera aggregata, and Pseudolarix kaempferi exhibited 100% activity and were selected for further evaluation by applying five solvents (petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol, and water) for the extraction of the samples, followed by the in vivo bioassay. Among the extracts tested, water and methanol extracts of C. cassia showed the highest efficacies with EC(50) values of 13.2 and 12.3 mg L(-1), showing 100% efficacy against D. intermedius at 30.0 and 40.0 mg L(-1), followed by methanol extract of L. aggregata which demonstrated 100% efficacy at 60.0 mg L(-1) with EC(50) value of 17.1 mg L(-1) after 48 h of exposure. Methanol and ethyl acetate extract of P. kaempferi, which exhibited a 100% efficacy against D. intermedius at 60.0 and 50.0 mg L(-1), revealed similar activity with EC(50) values of 23.5 and 23.3 mg L(-1), respectively. Acute toxicity of these active extracts was investigated on goldfish for 48 h and the corresponding median lethal concentrations (LC(50)) of 56.9, 31.3, 88.7, 168.2, and 165.7 mg L(-1), respectively. These findings indicated that these extracts of the three plants can be developed as preferred natural antiparasitic agents for the treatment of D. intermedius.


Triptan drugs, natural killer cell cytotoxicity, and neutrophils pro-matrix metalloproteinase-9 secretion.
To study the effect of various triptan-like drugs, eg, avitriptan, naratriptan, and sumatriptan, as well as the benzopyran alnitidan, on the natural killer cell (NKC) activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples and highly purified NKC (HPNKC) preparations. We also examined the possible role of these agents as immunomodulators by studying their effect upon the in vitro secretion of pro-matrix metalloproteinase-9 (pMMP-9) from whole blood and purified neutrophils samples. The pharmacological profile of a large number of triptan-like compounds has been extensively studied. However, relatively little is known of their interactions with cellular components of the immune system. Blood was obtained from nonsmoking, drug-free healthy individuals from the Blood Bank of the University of Chile main Clinical Hospital (J.J.A.). PBMC were separated by centrifugation and HPNKC acquired by an immunomagnetic isolation procedure. NKC cytotoxicity was assayed using (51)Cr-labeled K-562 cells as target. Addition of drugs and of effector cells (30 : 1, 50 : 1, and 70 : 1 ratio for PBMCs, and 5 : 1 for HPNKCs) was followed by incubation. Paired Student's t-test (2-tailed) was used to determine the significance of the specific (51)Cr release in controls vs drug-treated samples. Aliquots of whole blood or purified neutrophils were added test drug, incubated, centrifuged, and the supernatant analyzed by gelatine zymography. Gelatinolytic activity was visualized, and a digested zone at MW 92 kD indicated presence of pMMP-9. Area of proteolysis was estimated by densitometry; prestained standards were used to assess pMMP-9 molecular weight. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell's NKC cytotoxicity was consistently decreased after incubation with each and every one of the drugs tested. This result, observed for the 3 effector : target (E : T) cell ratios used, was relatively similar among the various compounds studied, and reached statistical significance only at E : T 70 : 1. Similar drug treatment failed, however, to produce significant changes in the cytotoxicity of HPNKC preparations, suggesting that modulation of the PBMC's NKC activity and that of HPNKC samples require different kinds of cell's derived signal. Incubation with either of the drugs tested failed to significantly alter (basal) nonstimulated pMPP-9 secretion by whole blood samples. However, basal pMMP-9 secretion by purified neutrophil preparations was significantly inhibited by alnitidan and sumatriptan, and not affected by naratriptan. Various drugs with a triptan-like chemical structure interact with cellular components of the innate immune system, resulting in an apparent indirect inhibition of NKC activity and direct inhibition of neutrophils pMMP-9 secretion. These results suggest that they may play a positive role in decreasing the severity of inflammatory processes. Whether this effect is part of triptans antimigraine mechanism of action, or just an added beneficial effect of their use for the reversal treatment of migraine headaches remains to be explored.


A tissue-level phenome-wide network map of colocalized genes and phenotypes in the UK Biobank.
Phenome-wide association studies identified numerous loci associated with traits and diseases. To help interpret these associations, we constructed a phenome-wide network map of colocalized genes and phenotypes. We generated colocalized signals using the Genotype-Tissue Expression data and genome-wide association results in UK Biobank. We identified 9151 colocalized genes for 1411 phenotypes across 48 tissues. Then, we constructed bipartite networks using the colocalized signals in each tissue, and showed that the majority of links were observed in a single tissue. We applied the biLouvain clustering algorithm in each tissue-specific network to identify co-clusters of genes and phenotypes. We observed significant enrichments of these co-clusters with known biological and functional gene classes. Overall, the phenome-wide map provides links between genes, phenotypes and tissues, and can yield biological and clinical discoveries.


Neonatal circumcision availability in the United States: a physician survey.
A significant proportion of boys present to surgical specialists later in infancy/early childhood for elective operative circumcision despite the higher procedural risks. This study aims to assess physician perspectives on access to neonatal circumcision across the United States and identify potential reasons contributing to disparities in access. A cross-sectional survey was electronically distributed to physician members of the Societies for Pediatric Urology and the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Hospital Medicine. Hospital characteristics and circumcision practices were assessed. Associations between NC availability and institutional characteristics were evaluated using chi-squared testing and multivariable logistic regression. Qualitative analyses of free-text comments were performed. A total of 367 physicians responded (129 urologists [41%], 188 pediatric hospitalists [59%]). Neonatal circumcision was available at 86% of hospitals represented. On univariate and multivariate analysis, the 50 hospitals that did not offer neonatal circumcision were more likely to be located in the Western region (odds ratio [OR] = 8.33; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.1-25 vs. Midwest) and in an urban area (OR = 4.2; 95% CI 1.6-10 vs. suburban/rural) compared with hospitals that offered neonatal circumcision. Most common reasons for lack of availability included not a birth hospital (N = 22, 47%), lack of insurance coverage (N = 8, 17%), and low insurance reimbursement (N = 7, 15%). Institutional, regional, or provider availability (68%), insurance/payment (12.4%), and ethics (12.4%) were common themes in the qualitative comments. Overall availability of neonatal circumcision varied based on hospital characteristics, including geography. Information from this survey will inform development of interventions designed to offer neonatal circumcision equitably and comprehensively.


Whole-cell MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry: a tool for immune cell analysis and characterization.
Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is widely used in proteomics. It has been recently demonstrated that MALDI-TOF MS can be used to identify and classify numerous bacterial species or subspecies. We applied MALDI-TOF MS directly to intact mammalian cells, and we found that this method is valuable to identify human circulating cells and cells involved in the immune response including macrophages. As macrophages are characterized by a high degree of plasticity in response to their microenvironment, we stimulated human macrophages with cytokines, bacterial products, and a variety of bacteria. We found that MALDI-TOF MS discriminated unstimulated and stimulated macrophages, and also detected multifaceted activation of macrophages. We conclude that whole-cell MALDI-TOF MS is an accurate method to identify various cell types and to detect subtle modifications in cell activity.


Incidence and predictors of perioperative mortality in a low-resource country, Ethiopia: a prospective follow-up study.
This study aimed to assess the incidence and identify predictors of perioperative mortality among the adult age group at Tibebe Ghion Specialised Hospital. A single-centre prospective follow-up study. A tertiary hospital in North West Ethiopia. We enrolled 2530 participants who underwent surgery in the current study. All adults aged 18 and above were included except those with no telephone. The primary outcome was time to death measured in days from immediate postoperative time up to the 28th day following surgery. A total of 2530 surgical cases were followed for 67 145 person-days. There were 92 deaths, with an incidence rate of 1.37 (95% CI 1.11 to 1.68) deaths per 1000 person-day observations. Regional anaesthesia was significantly associated with lower postoperative mortality (adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) 0.18, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.62). Patients aged ≥65 years (AHR 3.04, 95% CI 1.65 to 5.75), American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) physical status III (AHR 2.41, 95% CI 1.1.13 to 5.16) and IV (AHR 2.74, 95% CI 1.08 to 6.92), emergency surgery (AHR 1.85, 95% CI 1.02 to 3.36) and preoperative oxygen saturation <95% (AHR 3.14, 95% CI 1.85 to 5.33) were significantly associated with a higher risk of postoperative mortality. The postoperative mortality rate at Tibebe Ghion Specialised Hospital was high. Age ≥65, ASA physical status III and IV, emergency surgery, and preoperative oxygen saturation <95% were significant predictors of postoperative mortality. Patients with the identified predictors should be offered targeted treatment.


Comparable three months' outcome of total arterial revascularization versus conventional coronary surgery: Copenhagen Arterial Revascularization Randomized Patency and Outcome trial.
The in-hospital safety of total arterial revascularization for coronary artery bypass surgery seems to be comparable to conventional revascularization, but randomized trials evaluating this are few and data on complications in the postoperative months are sparse. In a randomized single-center trial, 331 patients underwent total arterial revascularization using single or bilateral internal thoracic and radial arteries versus conventional revascularization using the left internal thoracic artery and saphenous vein grafts. We report the results from 3 months' follow-up. The mean age of patients was 59 +/- 8 years, and 39 were women (12%). The median EuroSCORE was 2 (interquartile range 1-4). The arterial group comprised 161 patients, and the conventional group comprised 170 patients. The mean number of bypasses in the arterial group was 2.9 +/- 0.9 versus 3.2 +/- 0.9 in the conventional group (P = .004). Three months' follow-up for the arterial versus conventional groups showed the following: deaths: 1 (0.6%) versus 0; stroke: 3 (1.9%) versus 3 (1.8%); myocardial infarction: 6 (3.7%) versus 4 (2.4%); sternal wound reoperation: 4 (2.5%) versus 0 (P = .054); arm and leg wound complications requiring hospitalization: 3 (1.9%) versus 6 (3.5%) (P = .50), respectively. These results confirm previous reports that total arterial revascularization can be performed with low in-hospital morbidity and mortality. Further, in the 3 postoperative months, total arterial revascularization did not lead to more complications or admissions than conventional surgery. Arterial grafting was performed with significantly fewer bypasses, but no differences in anginal status were seen after 3 months. A tendency toward more sternal complications after arterial grafting was observed, but clinical outcomes were comparable to conventional grafting.


Citations and Author Characteristics in Open-Access and Subscription-Based Otolaryngology Journals.
To describe the academic impact and author characteristics of open-access journals in otolaryngology. Original articles from three open-access (OTO Open, Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology, and World Journal of Otorhinolaryngology) and three conventional subscription-based otolaryngology specific journals (Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, The Laryngoscope, JAMA Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery) were assessed. Publication dates of articles from January 2017 to July 2020 were included. Google Scholar and Web of Science citation counts were recorded. H-indexes of first and last authors were included according to Google Scholar and Web of Science and analyzed. This analysis included 3284 articles. Articles published in open-access otolaryngology-specific journals had significantly fewer citations on average (6.8) than articles published in subscription-based journals (12.4, p < 0.0001). The last authors of articles published in subscription-based journals had significantly higher h-indexes (23.50) compared with the last authors of articles published in open-access journals (19.53, p < 0.0001). The first authors of articles published in open-access journals had similar h-indexes (10.26) as the first authors of articles published in subscription-based journals (10.33). Articles published in open-access journals in otolaryngology were cited significantly less than those published in subscription-based journals. The h-index of the last authors was significantly lower in open-access journals; however, the h-index of the first authors was similar between open-access and subscription-based journals. As measured by citations, open-access publications do not yet appear to have the impact of subscription-based publications. NA Laryngoscope, 133:79-82, 2023.


Adoption of assistive technology for computer access among college students with disabilities.
Fourteen college students with disabilities identified factors that influenced them to adopt or reject Assistive Technology (AT) for the personal computer in order to assess the effectiveness of a college course on adapted computer use. Forty-eight items were developed for a Q sort to represent both positive and negative statements in each of the three areas of Scherer's' model (milieu, person and technology). The model was modified to include specific statements about the training experience. A series of three interviews were administered to the students during the year following completion of the class. Factor analysis of the Q sorts indicated that the participants had a unanimously positive experience. Three factors ('a positive experience', 'I'm OK, you're not OK', and 'support') emerged from the Q sort analysis. The training programme, the technology provided, and the characteristics of the individuals in the class all seemed to contribute to the success of the experience. Seventy-five percent of the students who took the class adopted at least some of the AT a year later. This study supports the need for specific training programmes and course work for college students with disabilities who are interested in improving computer access skills.


Genetic testing and the phenotype of Polish patients with Unverricht-Lundborg disease (EPM1) - A cohort study.
The aim of this study was to explore genetic findings and the phenotype in Polish patients with Unverricht-Lundborg disease (ULD). We retrospectively evaluated mutations in the cystatin B (CSTB) gene and clinical presentation in a cohort of patients with ULD. The study population consisted of 19 (14 males) patients with genetically confirmed disease. Sixteen patients were homozygous for the expanded dodecamer repeat mutation alleles, one subject was compound heterozygous for the dodecamer repeat expansion and other mutation, in two, the type of mutation has not yet been established. The numbers of repeats in the CSTB gene varied from 60 to 81. Clinical information was available for 16 subjects. The disease course was progressive in all patients, leading to severe disability, mainly due to myoclonus, in nine. Genetic findings and the clinical picture of our patients with ULD were in accordance with available studies. The most common genetic defect underlying ULD was homozygosity for an unstable expansion of a dodecamer repeat in the CSTB gene. Patients with action or/and stimulus sensitive myoclonus or intractable myoclonus epilepsy, especially with onset in late childhood/adolescence should be screened for ULD.


Converting nonhydrolyzable nucleotides to strong cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) agonists by gain of function (GOF) mutations.
Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is the only ligand-gated ion channel that hydrolyzes its agonist, ATP. CFTR gating has been argued to be tightly coupled to its enzymatic activity, but channels do open occasionally in the absence of ATP and are reversibly activated (albeit weakly) by nonhydrolyzable nucleotides. Why the latter only weakly activates CFTR is not understood. Here we show that CFTR activation by adenosine 5'-O-(thiotriphosphate) (ATPγS), adenosine 5'-(β,γ-imino)triphosphate (AMP-PNP), and guanosine 5'-3-O-(thio)triphosphate (GTPγS) is enhanced substantially by gain of function (GOF) mutations in the cytosolic loops that increase unliganded activity. This enhancement correlated with the base-line nucleotide-independent activity for several GOF mutations. AMP-PNP or ATPγS activation required both nucleotide binding domains (NBDs) and was disrupted by a cystic fibrosis mutation in NBD1 (G551D). GOF mutant channels deactivated very slowly upon AMP-PNP or ATPγS removal (τdeac ∼ 100 s) implying tight binding between the two NBDs. Despite this apparently tight binding, neither AMP-PNP nor ATPγS activated even the strongest GOF mutant as strongly as ATP. ATPγS-activated wild type channels deactivated more rapidly, indicating that GOF mutations in the cytosolic loops reciprocally/allosterically affect nucleotide occupancy of the NBDs. A GOF mutation substantially rescued defective ATP-dependent gating of G1349D-CFTR, a cystic fibrosis NBD2 signature sequence mutant. Interestingly, the G1349D mutation strongly disrupted activation by AMP-PNP but not by ATPγS, indicating that these analogs interact differently with the NBDs. We conclude that poorly hydrolyzable nucleotides are less effective than ATP at opening CFTR channels even when they bind tightly to the NBDs but are converted to stronger agonists by GOF mutations.


Bacterioferritin nanocage: Structure, biological function, catalytic mechanism, self-assembly and potential applications.
Bacterioferritin (Bfr) is a subfamily of ferritin protein family. Bfrs are composed of 24 identical subunits and self-assemble into 4-3-2-fold symmetric cage-like structure with the incorporation of 12 heme groups into twelve 2-fold symmetric binding sites between subunits. Bfr protein cage has an outer diameter of ∼12 nm and interior cavity diameter of ∼8 nm with a total of 62 pores to connect the interior cavity with the bulk solution outside the protein nanocage. In vivo, the interior cavity of Bfr can store up to ∼2700 iron atoms in the ferrihydrite-like mineral. Recent years, more and more Bfr structures have been solved, which elucidated more details about the ferroxidase center, the catalytic mechanism, the possible channels used by iron ions to access the interior cavity, the electron transfer pathway involved in the iron redox cycle, and the molecular function of the heme group. The preliminary applications of both mammalian and bacterial ferritins in drug delivery, imaging diagnosis, and nanoparticle vaccine make Bfr exploration uniquely attractive for researchers from a broad range of research fields because Bfr has advantages over ferritins in controlling the self-assembly and redesigning the subunit. In this article, we outline the structure of Bfr, review the recent progress in the molecular mechanism of Bfr to store and release iron, and focus on the self-assembly and genetic modification of Bfr nanocage. Based on the comparison between Bfr and other ferritin family members, we further discuss the potential applications of Bfr. We expect that both fundamental and applied researches on Bfr will attract broad interest in protein nanocage design, nanomedicine, precise therapy, nanoparticle vaccine, bionanotechnology, bionanoelectronics, and so on.


Synthesis and characterization of new nano-particles as blue ceramic pigment.
The synthesis of a new nano-blue ceramic pigment CoxMg1-xAl2O4 (0 < or = x < or = 0.1) using the combination between co-precipitation and combustion synthesis (CS) method. The structure of pigments is assigned based on thermogravimetric and differential thermogravimetric analysis (TG-DTGA), X-ray diffractions (XRD), and UV-vis spectroscopy. Also, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) using CIE L*a*b* parameter measurement method, infrared spectroscopy (IR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is used. The result revealed that the nano-size particle pigment was obtained in range 24-35 nm by using 3-methyl-pyrozole-5-one (3MP5O) as a fuel at 400 degrees C in open furnace. Also, results show the varying colors and particles' size as a result of different calcination temperatures from 500 to 1200 degrees C for 2h.


Deciphering the structural basis of the broad substrate specificity of myo-inositol monophosphatase (IMP) from Cicer arietinum.
Myo-inositol monophosphatase (IMP) is a crucial enzyme in the inositol biosynthetic pathway that dephosphorylates myo-inositol 1-phosphate and other inositol phosphate derivative compounds to maintain the homeostasis of cellular inositol pool. In our previous research, we have biochemically and functionally characterized IMP enzyme from chickpea (CaIMP), which was able to catalyze diverse substrates. We cloned, overexpressed recombinant CaIMP protein and purified it and further characterized the CaIMP with its three main substrates viz. galactose 1-P, inositol 6-P and fructose 1,6-bisP. Homology model of CaIMP was generated to elucidate the factors contributing to the broad substrate specificity of the protein. The active site of the CaIMP protein was analysed with respect to its interactions with the proposed substrates. Structural features such as, high B-factor and flexible loop regions in the active site, inspired further investigation into the static and dynamic behaviour of the active site of CaIMP protein. The electrostatic biding of each of the key substrates was assessed through molecular docking. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations showed that these interactions indeed were stable for extended periods of time under physiological conditions. These experiments conclusively allowed us to establish the primary factors contributing to the promiscuity in substrate binding by CaIMP protein.


An insight into the complex roles of metallothioneins in malignant diseases with emphasis on (sub)isoforms/isoforms and epigenetics phenomena.
Metallothioneins (MTs) belong to a group of small cysteine-rich proteins that are ubiquitous throughout all kingdoms. The main function of MTs is scavenging of free radicals and detoxification and homeostating of heavy metals. In humans, 16 genes localized on chromosome 16 have been identified to encode four MT isoforms labelled by numbers (MT-1-MT-4). MT-2, MT-3 and MT-4 proteins are encoded by a single gene. MT-1 comprises many (sub)isoforms. The known active MT-1 genes are MT-1A, -1B, -1E, -1F, -1G, -1H, -1M and -1X. The rest of the MT-1 genes (MT-1C, -1D, -1I, -1J and -1L) are pseudogenes. The expression and localization of individual MT (sub)isoforms and pseudogenes vary at intra-cellular level and in individual tissues. Changes in MT expression are associated with the process of carcinogenesis of various types of human malignancies, or with a more aggressive phenotype and therapeutic resistance. Hence, MT (sub)isoform profiling status could be utilized for diagnostics and therapy of tumour diseases. This review aims on a comprehensive summary of methods for analysis of MTs at (sub)isoforms levels, their expression in single tumour diseases and strategies how this knowledge can be utilized in anticancer therapy.


[Radiation protection of the patient in nuclear medicine].
More emphasis should be put on radiation protection since the use of radioisotope- and X-ray procedures for the patient evaluation is steadily increasing. In adults carcinogenesis is the major risk factor. Because of the high sensitivity of the fetus to ionizing radiation special precautions are necessary for the use of radioisotopes in females in the reproductive age. Careful consideration of the benefit of investigations with radioisotopes is considered as the most effective radiation protection measurement.


Anti-varicella zoster virus and related anti-inflammation effects of ethanolic extract of Elaeocarpus sylvestris.
Elaeocarpus sylvestris var. ellipticus (ES), a plant that grows in Taiwan, Japan, and Jeju Island in Korea. ES root bark, known as "sanduyoung," has long been used in traditional oriental medicine. ES is also traditionally used to treat anxiety, asthma, arthritis, stress, depression, palpitation, nerve pain, epilepsy, migraine, hypertension, liver diseases, diabetes, and malaria. However, lack of efficacy and mechanism studies on ES. In the present study, we aim to investigate the VZV-antiviral efficacy, pain suppression, and the anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects of ES. and methods: Inhibition of VZV was evaluated by hollow fiber assays. Analgesic and antipyretic experiments were conducted using ICR mice and SD Rats, and anti-inflammatory experiments were conducted using Raw264.7 cells. To evaluate the efficacy of ESE against VZV, we conducted antiviral tests. ESE inhibited cell death by disrupting virus and gene expression related to invasion and replication. In addition, ESE suppressed the pain response as measured by writhing and formalin tests and suppressed LPS-induced inflammatory fever. Further, ESE inhibited the phosphorylation of IκB and NF-κB in LPS-induced Raw264.7 cells and expression of COX-2, iNOS, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. E. sylvestris shows potential as a source of medicine. ESE had a direct effect on VZV and an inhibitory effect on the pain and inflammation caused by VZV infection.


Pelvic lymph node metastasis from prostatic cancer: influence of tumor grade and stage in 452 consecutive patients.
During the last decade 452 patients have undergone pelvic lymphadenectomy as a staging procedure for apparently localized prostatic cancer. Of these patients 105 (23 per cent) had pelvic node metastasis. Node involvement occurred in no patient with a stage A1, 24 per cent with stage A2, 12 per cent with stage B1, 28 per cent with stage B2 and 53 per cent with stage C tumor. Correlation with tumor grade revealed nodal metastasis in 10 per cent of the patients with well differentiated tumors, 24 per cent with moderately differentiated lesions and 54 per cent with poorly differentiated tumors. The incidence of positive nodes is low enough to preclude lymphadenectomy in patients with stage A1 (0 per cent) and well differentiated stage B1 tumors (4 per cent), and high enough to assume metastatic disease without lymphadenectomy in those with poorly differentiated stage C tumors (93 per cent). All other patients with apparently localized prostatic cancer should undergo a staging pelvic node dissection before definitive treatment.


Synthesis of trans-caffeate analogues and their bioactivities against HIV-1 integrase and cancer cell lines.
Forty caffeate analogues were synthesized via a convenient method starting from vanillin with moderate to good yields. The testing of biological activity of these compounds against HIV-1 integrase indicates that four compounds: bornyl caffeate, bornyl 2-nitrocaffeate, 5-nitrocaffeic acid and 5-nitrocaffeic acid phenethyl ester (5-nitroCAPE) possess a good HIV integrase inhibitory activity, IC(50) 19.9, 26.8, 25.0 and 13.5 microM , respectively. Twelve caffeate analogues were tested by MTT assay on growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma BEL-7404, human breast MCF-7 adenocarcinoma, human lung A549 adenocarcinoma and human gastric cancer BCG823 cell lines, respectively. And the best result is IC(50) 5.5 microM for CAPE against BEL-7404.


Assessment of the Phytotoxicity of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles on Two Crop Plants, Maize (Zea mays L.) and Rice (Oryza sativa L.).
In this study, the phytotoxicity of seven metal oxide nanoparticles(NPs)-titanium dioxide (nTiO₂), silicon dioxide (nSiO₂), cerium dioxide (nCeO₂), magnetite (nFe₃O₄), aluminum oxide (nAl₂O₃), zinc oxide (nZnO) and copper oxide (nCuO)-was assessed on two agriculturally significant crop plants (maize and rice). The results showed that seed germination was not affected by any of the seven metal oxide NPs. However, at the concentration of 2000 mg·L(-1), the root elongation was significantly inhibited by nCuO (95.73% for maize and 97.28% for rice), nZnO (50.45% for maize and 66.75% for rice). On the contrary, minor phytotoxicity of nAl₂O₃ was only observed in maize, and no obvious toxic effects were found in the other four metal oxide NPs. By further study we found that the phytotoxic effects of nZnO, nAl₂O₃ and nCuO (25 to 2000 mg·L(-)¹) were concentration dependent, and were not caused by the corresponding Cu(2+), Zn(2+) and Al(3+) ions (0.11 mg·L(-)¹, 1.27 mg·L(-)¹ and 0.74 mg·L(-)¹, respectively). Furthermore, ZnO NPs (<50 nm) showed greater toxicity than ZnO microparticles(MPs)(<5 μm) to root elongation of both maize and rice. Overall, this study provided valuable information for the application of engineered NPs in agriculture and the assessment of the potential environmental risks.


[Irreversible electroporation - a new kid on the block?].
Minimally invasive tumor therapies are well established options in multi-modal oncological therapy regimes. So far the methods applied have been of a thermal nature and thus there are inherent limitations, most of all the so-called heat-sink effect. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and laser-induced thermotherapy (LITT) are well-established techniques. Irreversible electroporation (IRE) could potentially become a novel therapy option with an enlarged spectrum of treatable lesions, i.e. close to blood vessels and potentially a lower rate of complications. The IRE technique is currently the subject of early prospective trials and clinical studies have not yet shown any serious side effects. However, complete tumor ablation was not achieved in all cases (46 out of 69). Preclinical as well as clinical studies seem to show a promising efficiency in tumor ablation as well as a favorable complication profile especially with tumors in thermally critical locations. Clinical long-term studies are currently under way assessing safety as well as efficiency. The data published so far look promising and considerably enlarge the spectrum of ablation techniques.


Coexistence of s-wave superconductivity and antiferromagnetism.
We study the phase diagram of a new model that exhibits a first order transition between s-wave superconducting and antiferromagnetic phases. The model, a generalized Hubbard model augmented with competing spin-spin and pair-pair interactions, was investigated using the projector quantum Monte Carlo method. Upon varying the Hubbard U from attractive to repulsive, we find a first order phase transition between superconducting and antiferromagnetic states.


Blockade of the antinociceptive activity of centrally administered ketorolac by nor-binaltorphimine.
Antinociceptive activity of intracerebroventricularly administered ketorolac tromethamine was evaluated in mice by measuring inhibition of abdominal stretching induced by p-phenylquinone. Ketorolac tromethamine produced dose-dependent antinociception with an ED50 of 7.34 micrograms/mouse (4.97-10.82) and a maximal effect at 30 micrograms. Selective antagonists of opioid receptors were used to determine ketorolac's mechanism of action. The ketorolac tromethamine-induced antinociception was not blocked by the mu- and delta-opioid receptor antagonists, naloxone and ICI-174,864 (N,N-diallyl-Tyr-Aib-Aib-Phe-Leu), respectively; however, the kappa-opioid receptor antagonist nor-binaltorphimine dihydrochloride significantly blocked this effect. These findings suggest that activation of kappa-opioid receptors appears to play a role in the mechanism of the antinociceptive effect of ketorolac tromethamine. Ketorolac tromethamine may induce the release of endogenous kappa-opioids to produce central nervous system antinociception.


Increased effective vascular compliance and venous pooling of intravascular volume during sustained venodilation in conscious dogs.
The hemodynamic effects of the long-acting antianginal drug molsidomine were studied in 8 chronically instrumented conscious dogs by measuring the partition of the intravascular volume and the effective compliance of the total vascular bed. The blood volume of the resting dogs was varied by +/- 4 ml/kg in a cycle of blood infusion, withdrawal and reinfusion within 12 minutes. Relating the observed alterations in mean right atrial pressure to the induced changes in intravascular volume, an effective compliance of 2.9 +/- 0.4 ml. mm Hg-1 . kg -1 (mean +/- SD) was found. Heart rate, total peripheral vascular resistance and the local capacity of the distal femoral vein did not change significantly during the cycle of volume alterations. Following 0.1 mg/kg molsidomine i.v., mean right atrial pressure was lowered by 1.6 mm Hg and mean left atrial pressure by 3.4 mm Hg; the effective compliance was elevated to 4.7 +/- 0.6 ml . mm Hg-1. kg -1 (p less than 0.001), and the central blood volume was lowered from 17.8 +/- 3.1 to 14.8 +/0 3.3 ml/kg (p less than 0.01), while the total blood volume remained constant. The decline in stroke volume and the reflexly induced increase in heart rate correlated with the control heart rate. Mean arterial pressure declined from 101 +/- 7 to 91 +/- 14 mm Hg (p less than 0.05) and total peripheral vascular resistance remained unaffected. It is concluded that molsidomine exerts exerts its hypotensive effect by dilation within the vascular low-pressure system and that this dilation can be described quantitatively in conscious animals by the analysis of the total effective vascular compliance.


Complicated retinal migraine.
Retinal migraine is not uncommon, but permanent sequelae are rare. We describe the case of a 23-year-old woman who had suffered from retinal migraine for five years. After a typical migraine attack a left nasal quadranopsia persisted. Fluorescein angiography showed a branch retinal arterial occlusion. Other causes were ruled out by appropriate laboratory techniques. Her visual field defect has persisted for eleven months.


IL-2 contributes to cirrhosis-associated immune dysfunction by impairing follicular T helper cells in advanced cirrhosis.
Patients with decompensated cirrhosis suffer from recurrent infections and inadequate responses to prophylactic vaccinations. However, many patients present with hypergammaglobulinemia (HGG), indicating a sustained ability to generate antibody responses. As follicular T helper (Tfh) cells are central facilitators of humoral immunity, we hypothesized that Tfh cell responses may be altered in advanced liver disease and we aimed to identify the mechanisms underlying any such alterations. Tfh, regulatory T (Treg) cells, B cells, circulating cytokines and immunoglobulins were analyzed in cohorts of patients with compensated (n = 37) and decompensated cirrhosis (n = 82) and in non-cirrhotic controls (n = 45). Intrahepatic T cells were analyzed in 8 decompensated patients. The influence of IL-2 on Tfh cell function was evaluated in vitro, including Tfh cell cloning and T cell-B cell co-cultures with clones and primary tonsil-derived Tfh cells. Tfh cell frequencies were reduced in patients with decompensated cirrhosis, with phenotypic signatures indicative of increased IL-2 signaling. Soluble IL-2 receptor (sCD25) was elevated in these patients and CD4 T cells were more responsive to IL-2 signaling, as characterized by STAT5 phosphorylation. IL-2 exposure in vitro diminished the Tfh phenotype and resulted in impaired Tfh helper function in co-culture experiments with naïve B cells. Tfh cells were barely detectable in cirrhotic livers. IL-2 signatures on Tfh cells in decompensated patients correlated with immunoglobulin levels, which were found to be associated with improved survival. Tfh cell impairment represents a previously underestimated feature of cirrhosis-associated immune dysfunction that is driven by IL-2. The presence of HGG in decompensated patients predicts an intact Tfh cell compartment and is associated with a favorable outcome. Patients with advanced cirrhosis often fail to generate protective immunity after prophylactic vaccinations and suffer from recurring infections that are associated with high mortality. Follicular T helper (Tfh) cells are specialized CD4 T cells that enable the emergence of antibody responses against microbial pathogens. This report demonstrates that Tfh cells are impaired in patients with advanced cirrhosis due to interleukin-2 signaling, a cytokine that is known to impair the generation of Tfh cells.


Shifting online during COVID-19: A systematic review of teaching and learning strategies and their outcomes.
This systematic literature review of 36 peer-reviewed empirical articles outlines eight strategies used by higher education lecturers and students to maintain educational continuity during the COVID-19 pandemic since January 2020. The findings show that students' online access and positive coping strategies could not eradicate their infrastructure and home environment challenges. Lecturers' learning access equity strategies made learning resources available asynchronously, but having access did not imply that students could effectively self-direct learning. Lecturers designed classroom replication, online practical skills training, online assessment integrity, and student engagement strategies to boost online learning quality, but students who used ineffective online participation strategies had poor engagement. These findings indicate that lecturers and students need to develop more dexterity for adapting and manoeuvring their online strategies across different online teaching and learning modalities. How these online competencies could be developed in higher education are discussed.


Comparison of the efficacy of four cholinesterase inhibitors in combination with memantine for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
Combined use of memantine and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) has shown improved outcomes in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, it is not clear which AChEI is the optimal for the combined treatment with memantine. A total of 110 AD patients were randomized to receive memantine and one of the following add-on drugs: placebo, donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine, and huperzine A for 24 weeks (n=22). At baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks, the patients were evaluated using mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and Alzheimer Disease Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living (ADCS-ADL) scales. Adverse events were recorded to analyze the safety profile. The MMSE scores were significantly increased and the ADL scores were significantly decreased at 12 weeks and 24 weeks in all five groups compared with baseline (all P<0.01). At 24 weeks, patients treated with memantine+huperzine A showed better MMSE and ADL scores than those treated with memantine+placebo. Huperzine A may be an optimal choice for the combined therapy with memantine in treating AD.


Calyciphyllines A and B, two novel hexacyclic alkaloids from Daphniphyllum calycinum.
[structure: see text] Two types of Daphniphyllum alkaloids with unprecedented fused-hexacyclic ring systems, calyciphyllines A (1) and B (2), have been isolated from the leaves of Daphniphyllum calycinum (Daphniphyllaceae), and the structures and relative stereochemistry were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data.


miR-301a-PTEN-AKT Signaling Induces Cardiomyocyte Proliferation and Promotes Cardiac Repair Post-MI.
Adult hearts are hard to recover after cardiac injury due to the limited proliferative ability of cardiomyocytes. Emerging evidence indicates the induction of cell cycle reentry of cardiomyocytes by special treatment or stimulation, which offers adult heart regenerative potential. Herein, a microRNA (miRNA) screening in cardiomyocytes identified miR-301a enriched specially in the neonatal cardiomyocytes from rats and mice. Overexpression of miR-301a in primary neonatal cardiomyocytes and H9C2 cells induced G1/S transition of the cell cycle, promoted cellular proliferation, and protected cardiomyocytes against hypoxia-induced apoptosis. Adeno-associated virus (AAV)9-mediated cardiac delivery of miR-301a to the mice model with myocardial infarction (MI) dramatically promoted cardiac repair post-MI in vivo. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling pathway was confirmed to mediate miR-301a-induced cell proliferation in cardiomyocytes. Loss of function of PTEN mimicked the miR-301a-induced phenotype, while gain of function of PTEN attenuated the miR-301a-induced cell proliferation in cardiomyocytes. Application of RG7440, a small molecule inhibitor of AKT, blocked the function of miR-301a in cardiomyocytes. The current study revealed a miRNA signaling in inducing the cell cycle reentry of cardiomyocytes in the injured heart, and it demonstrated the miR-301a/PTEN/AKT signaling as a potential therapeutic target to reconstitute lost cardiomyocytes in mammals.


The intermediate dispersal principle in spatially explicit metapopulations.
Aim of this paper is to assess the fate of metapopulations described by spatially explicit models. To this end, we first present an interacting particle system (IPS) where individuals of a single species compete logistically at the local scale and can move among patches according to various dispersal kernels. As the IPS is a complex stochastic system, it is impossible to determine the persistence-extinction boundaries in any relevant parameter space with analytical methods or numerical continuation techniques. We thus resort to a heuristic method that lets us determine the boundaries as space-time percolation thresholds with a relatively modest computational effort. Such boundaries are qualitatively consistent with those we obtained with spatial implicit modelling. In particular, we find that the intermediate dispersal principle, namely that globally persistent metapopulations correspond to dispersal rates that are neither too low nor too high, turns out to be very robust even in this explicit context. However, the quantification of the boundaries strongly depends upon the number of patches, the dispersal kernels and the border conditions. Finally, we show that there exists a scaling law that relates the number of species lost in a fragmented landscape to the number of patches. Thus, the law allows a rough estimation of the cost of destroying a patch.


Intrathecal opioids for the management of post-operative pain.
Intrathecal opioids are highly effective in the management of post-operative pain. The technique is simple with a very low risk of technical failure or complications, and it does not require additional training or expensive equipment such as ultrasound machines and, therefore, is widely practised around the world. The high-quality pain relief is not associated with sensory, motor or autonomic deficits. This study focuses on intrathecal morphine (ITM) which is the only US Food and Drug Administration-approved opioid for intrathecal administration and remains the most commonly used as well as extensively studied. The use of ITM is associated with prolonged analgesia lasting 20-48 h after a variety of surgical procedures. ITM has a well-established role in thoracic, abdominal, spinal, urological and orthopaedic surgeries. It is considered the 'gold standard' analgesia technique for caesarean delivery which is generally performed under spinal anaesthesia. As the role of epidural technique in post-operative pain management continues to decrease, ITM has emerged as the neuraxial technique of choice for pain management after a major surgery as a component of multimodal analgesia in Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols. ITM is recommended by many scientific groups and societies such as ERAS, PROSPECT, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the Society of Obstetric Anesthesiology and Perinatology. The doses of ITM have decreased successively; today they are a fraction of those used in the early 1980s. With these dose reductions, the risks have decreased; current evidence shows that the risk of the much-feared respiratory depression with low-dose ITM (up to 150 mcg) is no greater than that with systemic opioids used in routine clinical practice. Patients receiving low-dose ITM can be nursed in regular surgical wards. The monitoring recommendations from societies such as the European Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Therapy (ESRA), the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine and the American Society of Anesthesiologists need to be updated so that the requirements for extended or continuous monitoring at postoperative care units (PACUs), step-down units, high-dependency units, and intensive care units can be eliminated, thereby reducing additional costs and inconvenience and making this simple, versatile and highly effective analgesia technique available to a wider patient population in resource-limited settings.


A distinct functional distribution of α and γ motoneurons in the rat trigeminal motor nucleus.
Gamma-motoneurons (γMNs) play a crucial role in regulating isometric muscle contraction. The slow jaw-closing during mastication is one of the most functional isometric contractions, which is developed by the rank-order recruitment of alpha-motoneurons (αMNs) in a manner that reflects the size distribution of αMNs. In a mouse spinal motor nucleus, there are two populations of small and large MNs; the former was identified as a population of γMNs based on the positive expression of the transcription factor estrogen-related receptor 3 (Err3) and negative expression of the neuronal DNA-binding protein NeuN, and the latter as that of αMNs based on the opposite pattern of immunoreactivity. However, the differential identification of αMNs and γMNs in the trigeminal motor nucleus (TMN) remains an assumption based on the size of cell bodies that were retrogradely stained with HRP. We here examined the size distributions of αMNs and γMNs in the dorsolateral TMN (dl-TMN) by performing immunohistochemistry using anti-Err3 and anti-NeuN antibodies. The dl-TMN was identified by immunopositivity for vesicular glutamate transporter-1. Immunostaining for choline acetyltransferase and Err3/NeuN revealed that the dl-TMN is composed of 65% αMNs and 35% γMNs. The size distribution of αMNs was bimodal, while that of γMNs was almost the same as that of the population of small αMNs, suggesting the presence of αMNs as small as γMNs. Consistent with the size concept of motor units, the presence of smaller jaw-closing αMNs was coherent with the inclusion of jaw-closing muscle fibers with smaller diameters compared to limb muscle fibers.


Decompression of Large Cyst Invading the Mandibular Canal Leading to Reduced Cyst Volume and Increased Mandibular Canal Length.
The mandibular canal is damaged by the growth of cysts, and remodeling of the mandibular canal is observed as the size of the cyst decreases after decompression procedures. This study aimed to estimate changes in cyst volume and mandibular canal length using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) before and after decompression surgery. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in patients with a diagnosis of mandibular cyst invading the mandibular canal between 2012 and 2018. All patients underwent CBCT at the initial visit and after decompression. The predictor variable was the period before decompression and before enucleation surgery. The outcome variables were changes in cyst volume and mandibular canal length, which were evaluated 3-dimensionally. The initial volume of the cyst, initial length of the mandibular canal, and patient's age were set as variables of interest that affected the outcome. Decompression was performed in 20 patients (18 male and 2 female patients), and the mean decompression duration was 8.81 ± 2.94 months. The average volume reduction rate after decompression was 60.23%, with an average volume reduction speed of 0.72 mL/month. The average length increase rate after decompression was 50.88%, and the average speed of length increase was 2.68 mm/month. The initial volume of the cyst and initial length of the mandibular canal were the important variables affecting the results. Complete separation of the mandibular canal from the cyst was observed in 11 cases, and incomplete separation was found in 9. Separation from the cyst and regeneration of the mandibular canal using decompression were observed using 3-dimensional CBCT analysis. The results of this study suggest that decompression is effective in separating and preserving important anatomic structures invaded by the cyst.


Phase behaviour and structural properties of SOPC model lipid system in a sucrose solution.
Lipid membranes are an important component of the biological cell. The profound understanding of their structure and functionality, as well as, the influence of various biologically relevant admixtures on their main characteristics is of great importance for research and development in medicine and pharmacology. The effect of sugars on the behaviour of the membrane cell enjoys an ever-increasing interest as they are biologically significant substances. We have studied the influence of the disaccharide sucrose on the physicochemical properties of SOPC (1-stearoyl-2-oleoyl-sn- glycero-3-phosphocholine) lipid system aiming to gain better understanding of the mechanisms of the interaction between both substances. For that purpose, we have used differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Our results show that adding sugar up to 300 mM concentration substantially alters the thermodynamic and structural properties of SOPC. The DSC thermograms at heating reveal a general lowering of the SOPC transition temperature Tm from gel to liquid crystalline phase (main phase transition, ordered-disordered phase transition) in the presence of sugar. The corresponding peaks are smeared and harder to trace. In agreement with this, a gradual decrease of the enthalpy values up to 300 mM was measured. The IR spectroscopy study provided spectral evidence for two states of hydration of the phosphate groups in the sugar-SOPC model systems suggesting a mechanism of interaction where only part of the phospholipid headgroups are hydrogen bonded to the sugar molecules. The obtained results are in good agreement with various earlier data including results about the bending elasticity moduli, as well as, some theoretical simulations on the sugar-lipid interactions. The current results also reinforce the potential of sucrose to be used as a cell protector against drought at, both, high and low temperatures.


Morphometrical studies on the symmetry of the human knee joint: femoral condyles.
The curvature of the tibial part of the femoral condyles in the sagittal plane can be described by mathematical spirals: involutes of a circle. Archimedean and logarithmic spirals. In the order of the accuracy of measurement (+/- 0.2 mm) the curvature can be described by all three spirals.


A novel monolithic column for capillary electrochromatographic separation of oligopeptides.
A monolithic column was prepared using l-phenylalanine as template and a covalent approach through the formation of Schiff base with o-phthalaldehyde (OPA). OPA, allylmercaptan, l-phenylalanine, and triethylamine were stirred at first, then methacrylic acid, 2-vinylpyridine, ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate, alpha,alpha-azobisisobutyronitrile, and 1-propanol were added to the reaction mixture. The resulting material was introduced into a capillary column. Following thermal polymerization, the template was then extracted with a mixture of HCl and methanol. The column was employed for the capillary electrochromatographic separation of oligopeptides. A capillary column of 75 (50) cm x 75 microm ID with a mobile phase of phosphate buffer (pH 7.0, 40 mM)/methanol (5%, v/v), an applied voltage of +15 kV, and detection at 214 nm, could baseline separate angiotensin I, angiotensin II, [Sar1, Thr8] angiotensin, oxytocin, vasopressin, tocinoic acid, beta-casomorphin bovine, beta-casomorphin human, and FMRF amide within 20 min. The separation behavior of the templated polymer was also compared with that of the non-templated polymer. As a result, it can be concluded that the electrochromatographic separation of this set of peptides was mediated by a combination of electrophoretic migration and chromatographic retention involving hydrophobic, hydrogen bonding, electrostatic as well as the Schiff base formation with OPA in the cavity of the templated polymer.


Radial-torsional vibration conversion ultrasonic transducer based on radial chute disc.
Using the stress wave generated by radial excitation, an ultrasonic transducer with pure torsional output based on a radial chute is developed. Based on the reflection principle of the stress wave from the radial chute, the mechanical model of the radial wave entering the chute disc then synthesizing the circumferential wave is established, and the stress state of the stress wave after the radial wave acts on the chute is deduced. On this basis, the influence of the chute angle on the circumferential wave is obtained. Theoretical analysis shows that there is an optimal chute angle for the synthesis of the circumferential wave. Then, the optimal inclined chute disc and ultrasonic transducer are selected for modal analysis. In the simulation, the radial wave generated by the excitation is evenly distributed at the disc and effectively converted into a circumferential wave. The converted circumferential wave is transmitted to the output end through the amplitude transformer of pure torsional mode, and the ultrasonic transducer realizes pure in-plane torsional output. When measured, the circumferential amplitude of the output rod is 5.22 times of the radial amplitude of the chute disc.


The effects of an abrasive agent on normal skin and on photoaged skin in comparison with topical tretinoin.
Two studies were designed to assess the effect of abrasive preparations on the skin and to test the specificity of the effect of topical tretinoin in the management of chronic photodamage to the skin. In the first study two abrasive preparations (Brasivol fine and Brasivol medium) were compared with white soft paraffin and no treatment in eight volunteer subjects for their effects on the epidermis. The study was conducted over 3 days and measurements were taken of the effects on dansyl chloride-induced fluorescence to assess desquamation, epidermal thickness, and the tritiated thymidine autoradiographic labelling index. The abrasives were found to increase the desquamation rate significantly and to increase epidermal thickness and the epidermal labelling index compared to white soft paraffin and no treatment. In the second study the effect of one of the abrasive preparations (Brasivol medium) was compared with 0.05% tretinoin cream (Retin A) on the photodamaged skin of the dorsal aspects of the forearms of 12 subjects over an 8-week period. Cutaneous blood flow measured by the laser-Doppler flowmeter was found to be significantly increased in the abrasive-treated sites, but there was only a non-significant trend to increased blood flow in the tretinoin-treated sites. Measurements of skin thickness using pulsed A-scan ultrasound demonstrated that both treatments produced significant increases in thickness over the 8-week period but the increase was greater for the abrasive treated site. Measurements of the skin extensibility at the treated sites were made using a uniaxial extensometer. Forces needed for 30% skin extension were increased in the abrasive-treated sites only. Measurements of epidermal thickness and of [3H]-thymidine autoradiographic labelling indices showed greater increases in the abrasive-treated sites than in tretinoin-treated sites compared to untreated sites, but these increases were not statistically significant. No significant inflammation and no changes in the degree of elastosis or the presence of a 'repair zone' were found in any of the post-treatment biopsies. The results indicate that some of the changes produced in the skin by topical tretinoin that are taken to indicate a specific antiphotoageing effect may not in fact be specific and can be achieved by an abrasive preparation.


Enhanced production of chitin deacetylase by Penicillium oxalicum SAEM-51 through response surface optimization of fermentation conditions.
Optimization of the fermentation conditions for chitin deacetylase (CDA) production by Penicillium oxalicum SAEM-51 was undertaken in the present study using central composite design (CCD) under submerged condition. CDA is widely employed for bio-catalytic conversion of chitin to chitosan. Chitosan is a biopolymer with immense commercial potential in diverse industrial sectors, viz. pharmaceutics, food, agriculture, water treatment, etc. CDA production was significantly affected by all the variables studied, viz. pH, temperature, inoculum age and size. The optimal conditions that stimulating maximal CDA production were found to be: pH, 7.9; temperature, 28 °C; inoculum age, 90 h, and 11 % inoculum size. Under these optimized conditions, the actual maximal CDA production was 623.57 ± 8.2 Ul-1, which was in good agreement with the values predicted by the quadratic model (648.24 Ul-1), confirming the validity of the model. Optimization of fermentation conditions through CCD had resulted into 1.4-fold enhancement in CDA productivity (Qp = 4.3264 Ul-1 h-1). Results of these experiments indicated that response surface methodology was proved to be a promising method for optimization of CDA production.


Hemifield or hemispace: what accounts for the ipsilateral advantages in visually guided aiming?
Aiming movements to targets presented on the same side as the reaching limb are faster and more accurate than movements made across the body. These advantages are typically attributed to within-hemisphere sensorimotor control. However, contrary to the within- versus between-hemisphere model, we have shown that some of these advantages tend to go with the side of the movement, rather than the side of the target (Carey et al. Exp Brain Res 112:496-504, 1996; Carey and Otto-de Haart Neuropsychologia 39:894, 2001). Barthélémy and Boulinghez (Exp Brain Res 147:305-312, 2002) acknowledge that our biomechanical account fits data for post-onset movement parameters such as peak velocity and duration, yet they report evidence for some within- versus between-hemisphere contributions to reaction time (RT) advantages. To examine a possible difference between early and late movement kinematics fitting these alternative models, we have dissociated field and space in a different way, which required arm movements with differential inertial consequences, as well as unpredictability of target location in terms of visual field. The data suggest that visual field may contribute some of the variance to hemispatial effects, but only for the right hand. In a second experiment, we used an antipointing task to examine hemispatial versus visual field effects on RTs and to revisit the possible hand difference identified in experiment 1. We found that hemispace accounted for all of the ipsilateral advantages, including RT, for both right and left hands. Results are discussed in terms of the computational requirements of eye-hand coordination in relative unconstrained conditions.


Differential effect of potassium on the action of digoxin and digoxigenin in guinea-pig heart.
The effect of potassium on the binding of digoxin or digoxigenin to isolated Na+, K+-ATPase was compared with that of potassium on the positive inotropic action of the agents in guinea-pig hearts. The binding of digoxigenin to the enzyme in vitro was reduced to a greater extent by potassium than was the binding of digotoxin. The digoxigenin-induced increase in the force of contraction of left atrial preparations estimated at steady state was reduced at higher potassium concentrations. Potassium had a lesser effect when digoxin was used as the inotropic agent. In contrast, potassium concentrations. Potassium had a lesser effect when digoxin was used as the ininotropic agent. In contrast, potassium reduced the rate of development and also the rate of loss of the positive inotropic action of digoxin observed with left atrial and Langendorff preparations, respectively, to a greater extent than those of digoxigenin. The loss of the positive inotropic effect was more rapid with digoxigenin than with digoxin at each KCl concentration. These data support the contention that the extent of the interaction of digitalis with Na+,K+-ATPase determines the degree of the positive inotropic effect.


The association between socioeconomic status and the 90-day risk of cardiovascular events after total hip arthroplasty - registry-based study of 103,286 patients.
Patients receiving a total hip arthroplasty (THA) are subsequently at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Further, socioeconomic status (SES) has an effect on CVD. We evaluated whether low SES is associated with a higher risk of readmission due to CVD after THA within 90 days in a setting with universal tax-supported healthcare. We performed a nationwide population-based cohort study using Danish health registries from 1995 to 2017. Individual-based information on SES markers (cohabitation, education, income, and liquid assets) was obtained for all participants. The outcome was any hospital-treated CVD. The data was transformed using the pseudo-observation method to enable an estimation of the adjusted risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for each marker using generalized linear regression. Among 103,286 THA patients, 452 were hospitalized with CVD within 90 days after surgery. Low SES seemed to be associated with a small increased risk of CVD, as the RRs for any CVD were 1.1 (95% CI 0.7-1.7) for patients living alone vs. cohabiting, 1.3 (CI 0.7- .3) for low education vs. high, 1.4 (CI 0.8-2.6) for low income vs. high, and 1.3 (CI 0.8-2.1) for low liquid assets vs. high. Living alone, low education, low income, and low liquid assets seem to be associated with a small increased risk of readmission due to CVD 90 days after THA. Wide confidence intervals in risk should be considered when interpreting the study results.


Microbial metabolite as icebreaker for immunotherapy.
Immunotherapy has limited success in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). In this issue of Cell Metabolism, Wang et al. found that microbial metabolite TMAO boosts CD8+ T cell-mediated antitumor immunity by inducing pyroptosis in tumor cells, enhancing the efficacy of immunotherapy in TNBC (Wang et al., 2022).


The incidence of subclinical infection in patients undergoing revision shoulder stabilization surgery: a retrospective chart review.
Shoulder instability continues to be a common problem that is difficult to treat. Part of this difficulty can be attributed to the numerous postoperative complications that can impact the clinical course. Our study aims to primarily identify the incidence of subclinical infection in patients undergoing revision shoulder stabilization surgery and secondarily identify any risk factors for developing a subclinical infection. From January 2012 to December 2022, 94 charts of patients who underwent revision surgery by the senior author after a previous arthroscopic or open stabilization surgery for shoulder instability were reviewed. All patients of any age who underwent either bony or soft tissue revision surgery, regardless of the number of previous surgeries or corticosteroid injections, were included. Patients were excluded if they had a previous infection in the shoulder, if there was no record of the procedures performed in the previous surgery, or if cultures were not available for review. For each patient, demographic information (age, sex, race, smoking status, previous corticosteroid injections, malnutrition, renal failure, liver failure, diabetes mellitus, immunocompromised status, and intravenous drug use), surgical information (procedures performed, type of surgery, and date of surgery), and culture results were recorded. Overall, 107 patients were included in our study. Twenty-nine patients (27.1%) had positive cultures (60 cultures in total). Twenty-six patients had positive Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) cultures. On average, C. acnes cultures took 10.65 days to turn positive, whereas 24 of 27 patients had cultures that were positive within 14 days of the culture being obtained. There was no difference in infection incidence rates between soft tissue and bony stabilization procedures (P = .86) or arthroscopic and open procedures (P = .59). Males were more than 5 times more likely than females to be culture positive in our cohort (93.1% vs. 73.1%, relative risk [RR] = 1.27, P = .03). Finally, 10 control cultures were taken from the operating room air environment (8 distinct surgeries had 1 control culture taken, whereas 1 surgery had 2), 2 of which were positive for C. acnes (both taken from the same patient operation). This patient had their shoulder cultures positive for C. acnes as well. More than a quarter of patients requiring revision surgery after shoulder stabilization procedures have a subclinical shoulder infection, with males being at a higher risk of developing an infection than females. Surgeons should always consider infection as a reason for the lack of clinical improvement and possibly needing revision surgery after shoulder stabilization. The prompt diagnosis and treatment of these infections could be vital in improving results after these surgeries.


Validation of eating and dieting expectancy measures in two adolescent samples.
To demonstrate the validity of two measures of eating and dieting expectancies (The Eating Expectancy Inventory [EEI] and the Thinness and Restricting Expectancy Inventory, [TREI]) for use with adolescents. Seventh (N = 392) and tenth graders (N = 300) completed the Bulimia Test-Revised (BULIT-R), the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI-II), and two factors of the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ). Findings replicated for the two adolescent samples. The expectancy that thinness leads to overgeneralized life improvement correlated with measures of "successful" dieting, dieting plus disinhibition, and bulimic symptomatology. Expectancies for negative reinforcement from eating (e.g., eating helps manage negative affect and alleviate boredom) correlated with dieting plus disinhibition and bulimic symptoms, but not with successful dieting. Negative reinforcement from eating and reinforcement from thinness expectancies accounted for different bulimic symptom variance than that accounted for by the personality factors of perfectionism, interpersonal distrust, and ineffectiveness. Results were consistent with prior work on college and clinical samples, thus supporting use of the expectancy measures with adolescents.


Transsternal transpericardial closure of a postlobectomy bronchopleural fistula.
We report a case of chronic empyema and bronchopleural fistula after lobectomy for tuberculosis. The patient had undergone four different surgical procedures to correct his bronchopleural fistula during an interval of seven years. Finally, he had a successful closure of the fistula using the transsternal transpericardial approach.


Genetic cloning and functional expression in Escherichia coli of an archaerhodopsin gene from Halorubrum xinjiangense.
Pairs of PCR primers that targeted the archae/bacteriorhodopsin gene were used to clone the archaerhodopsin (aR) gene of Halorubrum xinjiangense strain BD-1(T), and this gene was sequenced and functionally expressed in Escherichia coli. Recombinant E. coli cells harboring the plasmid carrying this gene became slightly purple or blue depending on whether they were supplemented with all- trans retinal or 3,4-dihydroretinal, respectively, during induction with IPTG. The purple and blue membranes from the recombinant E. coli showed maximal absorption at 555 and 588 nm, respectively, which are different from maximal absorption at 568 nm of the wild-type purple membrane. Purple membranes from the recombinant E. coli and from strain BD-1(T) were investigated in parallel. The E. coli purple membrane was fabricated into films and photoelectric responses were observed that depended on the light-on and light-off stimuli.


Behavior change communication model enhancing parental practices for improved early childhood growth and development outcomes in rural Armenia - A quasi-experimental study.
The latest evidence demonstrates the importance of nurturing care from conception to lay a strong foundation for children's cognitive, socio-emotional and physical well-being. The interventions enhancing parental practices in children's health and growth, protection from neglect, abuse, and injury have lifelong impact on health, learning, economic productiveness outcomes. Existing maternal and child health delivery platforms might potentially be utilized to integrate Early Childhood Development interventions. However, there is a dearth of studies demonstrating the feasibility and effectiveness of an integrated MCH and ECD model. ECD component was integrated into MCH program activities, implemented and tested in Armenia. For 14 months, all mothers of children aged 0 to 23 months (1300) living in 43 communities in Gegharkunik province (Armenia) participated in the study. Twenty-three intervention communities (680 children) received added ECD package to MCH intervention, and 20 control communities (630 children) received only MCH intervention. We used a quasi-experimental intervention-control design, with pre-and post-data collected. Variables measured and compared were related to child development, nutrition status, parental child care (stimulation, discipline) and nutrition practices. Intervention sites showed 83% higher odd of total ECD composite score (cognitive, language, motor) compared to children in the control sites. Child caregivers had better child care, nutrition practices and early learning support than controls. No change was found in discipline practices and stunting rates. MCH-ECD integrated model is an effective delivery platform for improving parenting behavior, child growth, and development.


Evolution of lean meat tenderness stimulated by coordinated variation of water status, protein structure and tissue histology during cooking of braised pork.
Tenderness of lean meat in braised pork is of great importance to the consumer palatability and acceptance. The influence of water status, protein structure and histological changes on lean meat tenderness during cooking was investigated. Results indicated that lean meat began to tenderize mainly after 20 min-cooking. In the early period of cooking, the decrease of total sulfhydryl content caused the protein oxidative cross-linking, leading to the gradual unfolding of the protein structure, thus resulting in a decrease of T22 and an increase of centrifugal loss, which decreased the tenderness of lean meat. However, after cooking for 20 min, the β-sheet decreased and random coil increased, thus generating conversion between P21 and P22. The rupture of perimysium structure was observed. Changes in protein structure, water status, and tissue histology could facilitate the initiation and development of lean meat tenderness.


NMR as a tool to investigate the structure, dynamics and function of membrane proteins.
Membrane-protein NMR occupies a unique niche for determining structures, assessing dynamics, examining folding, and studying the binding of lipids, ligands and drugs to membrane proteins. However, NMR analyses of membrane proteins also face special challenges that are not encountered with soluble proteins, including sample preparation, size limitation, spectral crowding and sparse data accumulation. This Perspective provides a snapshot of current achievements, future opportunities and possible limitations in this rapidly developing field.


Postnatal growth of intrauterine growth retarded infants.
205 single, term newborns were followed up to their first birthdays. Each was classified as intrauterine growth retarded (IUGR) (59), or adequate birth weight (ABW) (146), and further subdivided by their individual ponderal index at birth (PI). By the end of their first year the IUGR infants had not reached the weight and length of their normal counterparts. Those with low PI obtained adequate PI values by the third month; IUGR infants with adequate PI at birth remained shorter and lighter but with adequate PI throughout the first year of life. The catch-up process in the IUGR infants with low PI can be explained by a higher growth velocity in weight, triceps and subscapular skinfolds apparent during the first trimester of postnatal life. The limitations of using PI as a tool to monitor the growth patterns of a heterogenous group of IUGR infants are discussed.


Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cmr1 protein preferentially binds to UV-damaged DNA in vitro.
DNA metabolic processes such as DNA replication, recombination, and repair are fundamentally important for the maintenance of genome integrity and cell viability. Although a large number of proteins involved in these pathways have been extensively studied, many proteins still remain to be identified. In this study, we isolated DNA-binding proteins from Saccharomyces cerevisiae using DNA-cellulose columns. By analyzing the proteins using mass spectrometry, an uncharacterized protein, Cmr1/YDL156W, was identified. Cmr1 showed sequence homology to human Damaged-DNA binding protein 2 in its C-terminal WD40 repeats. Consistent with this finding, the purified recombinant Cmr1 protein was found to be intrinsically associated with DNA-binding activity and exhibited higher affinity to UV-damaged DNA substrates. Chromatin isolation experiments revealed that Cmr1 localized in both the chromatin and supernatant fractions, and the level of Cmr1 in the chromatin fraction increased when yeast cells were irradiated with UV. These results suggest that Cmr1 may be involved in DNA-damage responses in yeast.


"Annuloplasty" of the proximal coronary bypass anastomosis.
A technique is described to reduce the size of the aortotomy after constructing the proximal coronary bypass anastomosis. It is used to avoid suture line hemorrhage and distortion of the proximal vein graft.


Efficacy of XeCl 308-nm excimer laser in reducing dye penetration through coronal dentinal tubules.
The efficacy of XeCl excimer laser irradiation in reducing dye penetration through human coronal dentinal tubules was studied. The roots of 20 freshly extracted human molars were resected, and the apical aspect of the crowns was ground until the pulp chamber was completely exposed. Following total removal of the pulp chamber and further grinding of the occlusal and apical surfaces up to the intact dentin, the teeth were randomly divided into experimental and control groups of 10 each. The teeth in the experimental group were completely coated with nail polish and then irradiated with XeCl 308-nm excimer laser at a fluence of 0.7 J/cm2 to form an elliptical lased area. The teeth in the control group were also coated with nail polish, but with a similar elliptical spot of exposed dentin corresponding to the irradiated spot created in the lased teeth left uncoated. All specimens were placed in 0.5% methylene blue dye for 48 h, rinsed, and air-dried. The specimens were then ground to reach the experimental area in order and photographed. The total area of penetrated dye was determined by three independent evaluators and then measured with a computerized planimeter. The mean total areas (mm2) measured in the lased specimens were significantly smaller than those in the controls (p = 0.012).


Chronic spontaneous urticaria in clinical practice: a pilot survey about attitudes and perceptions on assessment, diagnostic work-up and dietary management.
Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a heterogeneous condition whose management can be complex and challenging. The aim of this study is to evaluate physicians' attitudes regarding practical aspects of CSU management, including adherence to international guidelines, criteria and instruments for CSU assessment, prescription of laboratory investigations and role of dietary measures. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a study-specific questionnaire. It was administered to a group of physicians with a specialist interest in CSU from different areas of Italy definable as "CSU experts" (group A; N.=21) and subsequently to other physicians who managed CSU only occasionally in their clinical activity (group B; N.=25). The EAACI/GA2LEN/EDF/WAO guidelines were considered very or moderately useful by the majority of participants. Significantly more physicians in group A reported that such guidelines were always followed in clinical practice (P=0.0008). Instruments for the assessment of CSU severity/activity and quality of life were used in clinical practice significantly more often by CSU experts as compared to group B. Dietary measures were frequently suggested for CSU patients by nearly three quarters of group B members and by only 5% of CSU experts (P<0.00001). When physicians were asked to indicate the type of laboratory examinations that were commonly performed in patients with longstanding and/or uncontrolled CSU, regardless of history, the investigations most frequently reported were full blood count and thyroid autoantibodies, followed by erythrocyte sedimentation rate and/or C-reactive protein and thyroid function tests. The results of the present pilot survey seem to suggest the heterogeneity of the approaches used for CSU management in clinical practice.


Use of glycosaminoglycans to increase efficiency of long-term continuous peritoneal dialysis.
Long-term continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) frequently induces progressive structural changes in the peritoneal membrane, leading to dialysis failure. Because heparin and glycosaminoglycans favourably remodel anatomical barriers exposed to injury, we studied the effect of intraperitoneal administration of glycosaminoglycans on peritoneal dialysis efficiency. 16 CAPD patients received glycosaminoglycans for 30 days followed by a 30-day wash-out. Glycosaminoglycans in urea and creatinine dialysate-to-plasma ratios significantly increased (means 0.86 and 0.78 at baseline, 0.92 and 0.82 at 30 days, respectively). Peritoneal protein loss was reduced, and serum albumin concentration increased. We now need to assess whether glycosaminoglycans can postpone dialysis failure in the long term.


[Preparation of H-2Db tetramer and its application in enumerating the CD8+ T cells specific for lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus].
Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) tetramer technology offers a powerful means to study specific T cell populations of interest. To investigate the immune response of H-2Db-restricted CD8+ T cells in immunotherapy, we prepared the H-2Db tetramer and verified its effectiveness in enumerating the CD8+ T cells specific for the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). First, the cDNA encoding H-2Db heavy chain was cloned by RT-PCR from the spleen of a C57BL/6 mouse. The expression vector for H-2Db-BSP, i.e. the ectodomain of H-2Db fused to a BirA substrate peptide (BSP), was constructed and overexpressed in E. coli BL21(DE3). Then, the denatured H-2Db-BSP was refolded in the presence of human beta2-microglobulin as well as the GP33-41 peptide (KAVYNFATC, KAV) of LCMV. The biotinylated H-2Db/KAV molecules were purified, then bound to streptavidin-PE and tetramerized. Finally, the prepared H-2Db KAV tetramer reagent was verified by detecting the CD8+ T cells specific for HCMV in KAV peptide vaccinated C57BL/6 mouse, with a mouse receiving subcutaneous injection of only adjuvant as negative control. The results showed that the tetramer positive rates were 0.27%, 0.11%, and 0.24% within the CD8+ T cell populations in the peripheral blood, draining lymph nodes, and spleen of vaccinated mouse, respectively. There was only very low background staining (< or = 0.01%) of those samples from the control mouse. Beside, the best results were achieved in the staining of the peripheral blood sample. In conclusion, the established procedure of preparing H-2Db tetramer will facilitate the study of the immune responses of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells in the experimental immunotherapy on the mice with H-2Db allele background.


Results of argon laser treatment of port-wine stains: a method of assessment.
In this review of over 100 cases of argon laser treated port-wine stains, four parameters, including lesion colour, skin texture, make-up habits and scarring, are assessed and changes allocated appropriate numbers. The sum of these numbers is used to classify results as Excellent, Good, Fair or Poor, and these were found to correlate well with the level of patient satisfaction.


Anesthesia for Advanced Bronchoscopic Procedures: State-of-the-Art Review.
The bronchoscopic procedures have seen a remarkable increase in both numbers and complexity. Although many anesthesia providers have kept pace with the challenge, the practice is varied and frequently suboptimal. Shared airway during bronchoscopy poses unique challenges. The available reviews have tried to address this lacuna; however, these have frequently dealt with the technical aspects of bronchoscopy than anesthetic challenges. The present review provides evidence-based management insights into anesthesia for bronchoscopy-both flexible and rigid. A systematic approach toward pre-procedural evaluation and risk stratification is presented. The possible anatomical and physiological factors that can influence the outcomes are discussed. Pharmacological principles guiding sedation levels and appropriate selection of sedatives form the crux of safe anesthetic management. The newer and safer drugs that can have potential role in anesthesia for bronchoscopy in the near future are discussed. Ventilatory strategies during bronchoscopy for prevention of hypoxia and hypercarbia are emphasized.


Total dietary fat and fatty acid content modifies plasma phospholipid fatty acids, desaturase activity indices, and urinary prostaglandin E in women.
Compared with diets high in fat, low-fat diets are associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. We hypothesized that a low-fat (LF) (20% fat) and an LF high-omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid diet (LFn3) (23% fat with 3% as α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) would enhance n-3 composition of plasma phospholipid fatty acid and reduce urinary prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) relative to a high-fat diet (HF) (40% fat) and that these changes would be associated with alterations in δ5 desaturase (D5D) and δ6 desaturase (D6D) activity. Phospholipid fatty acids and urinary PGE(2) were measured, and D5D and D6D activity indices calculated in a crossover trial in 17 postmenopausal women fed each of 3 test diets (HF, LF, and LFn3) for 8-week feeding periods. Desaturase activity indices were calculated as D5D, 20:4n-6/20:3n-6, and D6D, 20:3n-6/18:2n-6. Plasma phospholipid fatty acid, α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), DHA, and total n-3 fatty acids increased, whereas linoleic acid and arachidonic acid decreased with consumption of LFn3. The LF resulted in enhanced arachidonic acid and DHA. High fat reduced D6D, whereas both HF and LF increased D5D. Urinary PGE(2) was reduced in response to both the LF and LFn3 diets. Low-fat diets, with or without long-chain n-3 fatty acids, promote positive health effects due in part to favorable alteration of plasma phospholipid fatty acid profiles and modification in desaturase activity indices, suggesting that the type and amount of fat consumed are modifiable risk factors for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.


Inaccuracies in Parental Reporting of Treated Epileptic Spasms: Both Under- and Over-Reporting.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of parental reporting of epileptic spasms (ES) after 14 days of appropriate medical therapy for new-onset ES by comparison with extended video electroencephalography (vEEG) monitoring results. Fifty-eight patients were identified from August 2019 to February 2021 with new-onset ES, confirmed on vEEG. Patients were initiated on appropriate treatment (high-dose steroids or vigabatrin). After two weeks of therapy, patients underwent overnight (18 to 24 hours) vEEG monitoring in the epilepsy monitoring unit. Parental reporting of presence or absence of ES on admission was compared with results of vEEG monitoring. The 58 patients ranged in age from three to 20 months (average 7.8 months). An underlying etiology was identified in 78%, whereas 22% patients had unknown etiology. The overall accuracy of parental reporting was 74% (43 of 58) when compared with results of vEEG within 14 to 18 days of starting therapy. Of these, 65% (28 of 43) reported ES resolution and 35% (15 of 43) reported continued ES. Of the 26% (15 of 58) families who were incorrect at two-week follow-up, 67% (10 of 15) reported resolution of ES. However, a minority of families, 33% (five of 15), who continued to report spasms clinically, were inaccurate. Although a majority of inaccurate parental reports at two weeks of treatment were due to unrecognized ES (a widely known phenomenon), a minority were conversely inaccurate due to persistent over-reporting of ES. This fact highlights the importance of correlating parental history with objective vEEG monitoring, to prevent inappropriate escalation of medication therapy.


Mapping the antigenic regions of streptokinase in humans before and after streptokinase therapy.
Streptokinase saves lives in patients suffering a myocardial infarction. However, because nearly all humans tested show antibodies against streptokinase, allergic reactions to streptokinase are common and may be severe. In this report we have analysed antibodies purified from normal blood donors and patients, before and after streptokinase therapy, to identify antigenic regions of the streptokinase molecule. Antibody to streptokinase was seen in all subjects, but there were 20-30-fold differences between individuals in the antibody titer. These individual differences in titer persisted after SK treatment, though the titer for all patients rose an average of 7-fold 1 week after streptokinase therapy. To identify the regions of streptokinase to which the antibody bound, we employed a panel of well-characterized murine monoclonal antibodies and recombinant streptokinase truncated fragments. Antibodies to three discrete regions of streptokinase could be detected in all patients. Antibodies to two other regions, at the amino terminal and carboxyl terminus of the molecule, were found in many but not in all patients. However, antibodies to a sixth region of streptokinase were uncommon and of very low titer. Interestingly, individuals receiving streptokinase tended to show the same pattern of immunoreactivity after treatment as they had prior to streptokinase. We conclude that although individual differences exist in the titers of streptokinase antibody, certain regions of streptokinase appear to be more antigenic or immunodominant.


The transcription factor ATF7 mediates in vitro fertilization-induced gene expression changes in mouse liver.
Assisted reproductive technologies, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), are now frequently used, and increasing evidence indicates that IVF causes gene expression changes in children and adolescents that increase the risk of metabolic diseases. Although such gene expression changes are thought to be due to IVF-induced epigenetic changes, the mechanism remains elusive. We tested whether the transcription factor ATF7-which mediates stress-induced changes in histone H3K9 tri- and dimethylation, typical marks of epigenetic silencing-is involved in the IVF-induced gene expression changes. IVF up- and downregulated the expression of 688 and 204 genes, respectively, in the liver of 3-week-old wild-type (WT) mice, whereas 87% and 68% of these were not changed, respectively, by IVF in ATF7-deficient (Atf7-/- ) mice. The genes, which are involved in metabolism, such as pyrimidine and purine metabolism, were upregulated in WT mice, but not in Atf7-/- mice. Of the genes whose expression was upregulated by IVF in WT mice, 37% were also upregulated by a loss of ATF7. These results indicate that ATF7 is a key factor in establishing the memory of IVF effects on metabolic pathways.