Comparative study of multiple machine learning algorithms for risk level prediction in goaf.
With the acceleration of the mining process, the goaf has become one of the main sources of danger in underground mines, seriously threatening the safe production of mines. To make an accurate prediction of the risk level of the goaf quickly, this paper optimizes the features of the goaf by correlation analysis and feature importance and constructs a combination of feature parameters for the risk level prediction of the goaf to solve the problem of redundancy of evaluation indexes. Multiple machine learning algorithms are applied to 121 sets of goaf data respectively, and the optimal algorithm and the best combination of feature parameters are obtained by evaluating the mining area with multiple indicators such as accuracy and kappa coefficient. The best combination of features parameters are ground-water, goaf layout, volume of goaf, goaf volume, span-height ratio, and mining disturbance, and the optimal algorithm is Extra Tree (ET), which needles the goaf risk level prediction problem with the accuracy of 94%. This model can be used to solve the problem of how to quickly and accurately predict the risk level of the goaf.


Intrapartum heart rate ambiguity: a comparison of cardiotocogram and abdominal fetal electrocardiogram with maternal electrocardiogram.
To investigate the presence of signal ambiguity of intrapartum fetal heart rate (FHR) monitoring during delivery by comparing simultaneous cardiotocogram (CTG), abdominal fetal electrocardiogram (ECG) with continuous maternal ECG. A total of 144 simultaneous CTG (Corometrics 250 series), abdominal fetal ECG (Monica -AN24™) and maternal ECG (Monica AN24™) recordings were evaluated. When the FHR is within 5 bpm of the maternal heart rate (MHR) acquired from the ECG, it is classified as 'MHR/FHR ambiguity'. Statistical analyses were performed with Fisher's exact test and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Comparison of abdominal fetal ECG against CTG demonstrates significantly less 'MHR/FHR ambiguity' in both the first stage (mean 0.70 vs. 1.22%, p < 0.001) and second stage of labour (mean 3.30 vs. 6.20%, p < 0.001). Intrapartum FHR monitoring in daily practice via the CTG modality provides significantly more 'MHR/FHR ambiguity' than abdominal fetal ECG, which also provides additional information on the MHR.


Effect of different growth factors on cell cycle traverse and protein growth of human cells in culture.
Human epithelioid cells (NHIK 3025) are able to traverse at least one cell cycle, if the serum concentration in the medium is reduced to only 0.3% when the cells are in mitosis. The cell cycle and protein doubling times were prolonged considerably under such conditions. The protein doubling time was, however, prolonged much more than the cell cycle. The addition of purified growth factors (insulin, MSA, EGF, FGF or PDGF) did not shorten G1 or the cell cycle, although insulin, EGF and PDGF increased the rate of protein synthesis. When the growth factors were added to the medium two and two in combination, it was found that four combinations (out of ten possible) increased the rate of progress through G1, whereas three combinations increased the rate of progress through the total cell cycle. Only two combinations increased the rate of protein accumulation to such an extent that the protein content doubled during the cell cycle. Both of these combinations also shortened the cell cycle. Since different combinations of growth factors were found to regulate the various events related to growth of NHIK 3025 cells, it is suggested that these events are under separate control.


The use of the long gamma nail in proximal femoral fractures.
The results of 100 'Long Gamma Nails' (LGN) inserted in 97 patients, for the treatment of complex proximal femoral fractures and pathological lesions, are reported. The mean patient age was 74 (16-98). Seven significant complications occurred; four lag screws cut out, one broken nail, one infected non-union and one peri-prosthetic fracture. Five patients underwent revision either to total hip arthroplasty or exchange nailing. Seventy patients had follow-up of greater than 2 months (mean 10.8 months). Success was defined as stability of the fracture until union or death; this was achieved in 85% of cases. The mortality was 10% at 30 days and 25% at 1 year. The complication rate fell with increasing experience. Complex proximal femoral fractures are difficult to treat with all implants demonstrating high complication rates. The long gamma nail allowed early weight bearing and was effective in 85% of cases. Malpositioning of the implant should be avoided, as this was the leading cause of failure. Surgeon experience is an important factor but training of surgeons does not adversely affect outcome.


How reliable is the visual appraisal of a surgeon for diagnosing orbital fractures?
The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of intra-operative visualisation, endoscopic assistance, and CT measurements for estimating the orbital fracture size and complexity. Ten human cadaver heads were subjected to thin-slice computed tomography (CT). Standardised fractures were created using piezoelectric surgery in accordance with the Jaquiéry classification system. Four surgeons and one anatomist used six different observation methods to visualise and describe the orbital defects. The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for the fracture length measurements were relatively low for all observation methods (range, 0.666-0.883). CT measurements of width showed high consistency (ICC, 0.910). The surface area of the defect was highly overestimated by all methods (range, 121-184%). None of the observers was able to accurately estimate the length or width of 95% of the defects within an error range of ±0.75 cm. CT measurements are the most consistent and accurate tool for estimating the critical size of orbital factures. In daily practice, a measurement tool in a DICOM viewer could be used, although software packages that allow manual adjustments are advisable. Direct intraoperative visualisation and surgeon experience are of limited value in the estimation of fracture size and complexity, and endoscopy provides no additional advantages.


Flow microfluorometric monitoring of the interaction of lipid vesicles with cells.
Flow microfluorometric techniques have been applied to experiments concerned with the penetration of cells by lipid vesicles. The high sensitivity of laser flow systems enables to measure the weak fluorescence emitted by individiual liposomes tagged with perylene, inserted into their multilamellar layer. The total fluorescence of cells which habe incorporated such perylene-loaded liposomes could be measured and well separated from that unbound liposomes. Significant differences in the incorporation rates of cationic and anionic liposomes were shown by means of time-course analyses of cellular fluorescence spectra. The advantages of the rapid data analysis by flow fluorescence techniques is discussed in comparison with conventional radio-isotopic methods.


Functional genomics dissects pathomechanisms in tauopathies: mitosis failure and unfolded protein response.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by beta-amyloid (Abeta) peptide-containing plaques and tau-containing neurofibrillary tangles. By intracerebral injection of Abeta(42), both pathologies have been combined in P301L tau mutant mice. Furthermore, in cell culture, Abeta(42) induces tau aggregation. While both Abeta(42) and mutant tau cause neuronal dysfunction, their modes of action are only vaguely understood. To determine which processes are disrupted by Abeta(42) and/or P301L mutant tau, we used transcriptomic and proteomic techniques followed by functional validation and analysis of human AD tissue. Our transcriptomic study in the SH-SY5Y cell culture system revealed that Abeta(42) and P301L tau expression independently affect genes controlling the cell cycle and cell proliferation. Proteomics applied to Abeta(42)-treated P301L tau-expressing SH-SY5Y cells and the amygdala of Abeta(42)-injected P301L transgenic mice revealed that a significant fraction of proteins altered in both systems belonged to the same functional categories, i.e. stress response and metabolism. Among the proteins identified was valosin-containing protein (VCP), a component of the quality control system during endoplasmic reticulum stress. Mutations in VCP have recently been linked to frontotemporal dementia. Our data support the mitosis failure hypothesis that claims that aberrant cell cycle reentry of postmitotic neurons induces apoptosis. Furthermore, our data underline a role of Abeta(42) in the stress response associated with protein folding.


[CHANGES IN MAC ANTIBODY LEVELS BEFORE AND AFTER SURGERY AND AT THE TIME OF RELAPSE/RECURRENCE IN MAC LUNG DISEASE--Can MAC Antibodies Be an Indicator of Postoperative Relapse/Recurrence?].
Patients receiving surgical treatment for Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), lung disease should be followed up with careful attention paid to relapse/recurrence, but there is some debate regarding the findings based on which relapse/recurrence should be diagnosed. We hypothesized that we might be able to use anti-GPL core IgA antibodies (MAC antibodies), which have been attracting attention as a factor that may support diagnosis of MAC lung disease, to diagnose postoperative relapse/recurrence. Therefore, we compared the levels of these antibodies before and at the time of relapse/recurrence, and also compared antibody titers before and after surgery. MAC antibody titers were elevated by an average of about 50% at the time of relapse/recurrence compared to those before relapse/recurrence for 6 patients. In contrast, MAC antibody titers were about 30% lower after surgery compared to those before surgery for 37 patients. It may be possible to use MAC antibodies as an indicator of postoperative relapse/recurrence for MAC lung disease.


Rationing for Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Using the New Zealand Orthopaedic Association Score: Effectiveness and Comparison With Patient-Reported Scores.
There is increasing interest in scoring systems to prioritize patients for hip and knee arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the New Zealand Orthopaedic Association (NZOA) score and compare it with patient-reported scores of patients listed for hip and knee arthroplasty. Over a 1-year period, all patients listed for primary hip and knee arthroplasty were scored by a prioritization nurse. The NZOA score, outcome, preoperative Oxford hip or knee score (OHKS) and reduced Western Ontario McMaster osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) score (RWS) were collected. Overall, 608 patients were listed for hip (319) or knee (289) arthroplasty. The mean scores for knees were all better than hips (P < .001). On initial scoring, 324 patients (53%) were given certainty (mean NZOA, 80.5; OHKS, 10.0; RWS, 35.1), 90 (15%) given clinical over-ride (NZOA, 69.6; OHKS, 12.0; RWS, 33.2), and 194 (32%) returned to general practitioner (NZOA, 64; OHKS, 14.2; RWS, 30.8). Knees (38%) were more likely to be returned than hips (26%; P = .002). Fifty (26%) were re-referred during the study period (mean, 5 months) and given certainty or over-ride. The difference at final outcome between patients with certainty and clinical over-ride was NZOA, 10.3 points; Oxford, 1.6 points; and RWS, 1.4 points. The difference between clinical over-ride and returned to general practitioner was NZOA, 7.2; Oxford, 4.4; RWS, 5.3. The NZOA score is an effective tool for rationing for joint arthroplasty. Patients around the threshold score of 70 may not have a clinically important difference compared with those above threshold.


[Depolymerization of high-molecular-weight chitosan by the enzyme preparation Celloviridine G20x].
A low-molecular-weight water-soluble chitosan was obtained from high-molecular-weight crab chitosan using the enzyme preparation Celloviridine G20x. Optimum conditions for the enzymatic hydrolysis were designed. The reaction should be performed for 4 h in a sodium-acetate buffer (pH 5.2) at 55 degrees C and the enzyme to substrate ratio of 1:400. Fractional extraction of chitosan hydrolysate by aqueous ethanol (ethanol: distilled water) yielded fractions with molecular weights in the range 3.2-26.4 kDa.


Stability of a highly concentrated solution of epirubicin for conventional transcatheter arterial chemoembolization.
Epirubicin is widely used for conventional transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (cTACE) in patients with hepatocellular-carcinoma. However, there is no data about its stability in solution at concentration higher than 2 mg/L, yet needed when mixing it with a standard volume of Lipiodol(®) to produce an efficient water-in-oil emulsion. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the stability of a highly concentrated solution of epirubicin for cTACE and verify whether epirubicin solution could be prepared in advance. Fifty milligrams of epirubicin were dissolved in 6 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride and conditioned in brown polypropylene syringe. Physical and chemical stability assays including particles and HPLC-DAD analysis were performed in triplicate, using series of 5 syringes stored over 72 h at 4±2 °C followed by 4h at 22±4°C. Neither weight loss nor pH or spectrum change occurred. No haze or turbidity was observed and the number of subvisible particles was below the recommended limits. Epirubicin concentration remained above 95% of the initial value over the 72 h of storage at +4 °C followed by 4h at 22±4 °C and no degradation was observed. Epirubicin at 50mg/6 mL in 0.9% NaCl conditioned in brown propylene syringe is stable for at least 72 h at 4±2 °C with additional 4h at 22±4 °C allowing its preparation in advance for programmed cTACE and the standardization of its use in clinical practice.


Helminthic infection and the risk of neurologic disease progression in HTLV-1.
Infection with the human T-cell lymphotropic virus, type 1 (HTLV-1) has been associated with an increased Th1 response. Interestingly, a higher prevalence of helminthic coinfection has been observed among infected individuals, and subsequent modulation of the immune response typically associated with helminths may influence clinical outcomes among HTLV-1 coinfected individuals. This study was conducted to elucidate the association between helminthic coinfection and the development of clinically characterized neurologic disease that occurs in HTLV-1 infection. In a cohort analysis, incidence of HTLV-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) was recorded. Incidence of clinical outcomes and disease-free survival of several neurologic outcomes associated with HTLV-1 were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank tests. The relationships between helminthic infection and risk of HTLV-1 neurologic outcomes were assessed by Cox proportional hazard modeling. Seventy-four coinfected and 79 non-coinfected patients were followed, with 92 helminthic infections observed in the coinfected group. One patient per group developed HAM/TSP and the risk of progression to neurologic disease outcomes did not differ among those with and without helminthic coinfection (p>0.45). A significant difference was noted in the prevalence of neurologic disease outcomes among all patients at the conclusion of the study (p<0.01). These data suggest that treated helminthic infection does not affect risk of development of neurologic disease in HTLV-1 infection, and reinforce that treatment of helminths does not adversely affect patients with HTLV-1. Importantly, among all patients, an overall progression of neurologic disease was observed.


SRPK1 is a poor prognostic indicator and a novel potential therapeutic target for human colorectal cancer.
Serine/arginine protein kinase 1 (SRPK1) is a protein kinase that belongs to the serine/arginine-rich domain family of splicing factors which are essential for splice-site selection, especially the modulation for RNA metabolism, localization, and translation. High expression of SRPK1 has been found in numerous human cancers, but its mechanism in colorectal cancer (CRC) is still rarely reported. To investigate the expression of SRPK1 in CRC tissues and cells and determine its functions and mechanism in CRC. The expression of SRPK1 was explored in human CRC patients and cells by immunohistochemistry, real-time quantitative PCR, and Western blot; Cell Counting Kit-8, Transwell, flow cytometry, and tube formation assay were used to investigate the CRC cell viability, migration, apoptosis, and angiogenesis, respectively. SRPK1 was overexpressed in CRC tumor tissues and cells, and correlated with tumor node metastasis stage; inhibition of SRPK1 by siRNA resulted in decreased cell growth and migration, significantly increased apoptosis, and suppressed angiogenesis. SRPK1 can be a prognostic indicator of CRC and may be a therapeutic target for CRC.


[Split line patterns in the mandible after transposition of the insertion of the masseter muscle in the adult rabbit].
With the aim of studying in the fibrous structure of the compact bone, as revealed by the split-line technique, unilateral surgical transposition of the masseter muscle from the masseteric fossa to the central area of the mandibular body below the molar teeth was performed in seven adult rabbits. Six months later the animals were killed, their mandibles were removed, cleaned and then decalcified. Split-lines were made on the lateral surface of both the control and the operated side of the mandible. Myotransposition induced alterations in the split-line patterns; they showed to be entangled and disorganized, which mean structural changes in the bone itself.


Heterogeneous electron-transfer kinetics for PQQ covalently attached to aminoalkanethiol monolayers on gold.
Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) was covalently attached to a gold electrode surface via the self-assembled monolayers of aminoalkanethiols (NH2)(CH2)nSH) with different alkyl chain lengths (n=2, 6, 8, and 11). The voltammetric behaviors of PQQ-SAMs both at full and at partial monolayers were examined. It was found that the redox response of PQQ became more reversible with increasing dilution by alkanethiols owing to the less lateral interaction between PQQ heads. Voltammograms were transformed from quasi-reversibility to irreversibility as the alkyl chain spacer became longer. The electron tunneling barrier constant (beta) and distance dependence of the long range electron-transfer parameters have been studied in acidic solution using cyclic voltammetry. A logarithmic dependence of the heterogeneous electron-transfer rate constant on the alkyl chain length was found for full and partial PQQ monolayers. The beta value was close to 1.0 per CH2 unit regardless of dilution effect.


Mutants of Aspergillus nidulans with increased resistance to the alkylating agent, N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine.
The isolation and characterisation of mutants of Aspergillus nidulans showing resistance to MNNG is described. Such isolates were stable through prolonged subculture in the absence of the selective agent, and resistance segregated as an allele of a single gene in meiotic and mitotic analysis. MNNG-resistant strains showed an increase in resistance to EMS and UV irradiation but no cross-resistance to MMS was detected. Possible mechanisms of resistance to alkylating agents are discussed.


Using genomics to understand intestinal biology.
The use of microarrays to evaluate the transcriptome has transformed our view of biology. In addition to the focused, hypothesis-testing studies that we have traditionally conducted in cell biology, we are now able to see global changes within the entire system of the cell in response to a treatment. By examining a biological question under multiple complementary perturbations model systems (e.g. yeast, C. Elegans) have revealed new complexity that would have been impossible to see on a gene-by-gene approach. Unfortunately, beyond the use of transcript profiles to define the molecular signature of diseases (e.g. cancer), transcriptomics has not been extensively used to study intestinal biology. This review will provide a roadmap for effective use of gene expression profiling for biological research and will review some of the microarray work that has been done to better understand the nature of intestinal development and enterocyte differentiation.


Expression of cDNAs for two isoforms of the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase.
We have previously reported the cloning of cDNAs coding for two isoforms (termed C alpha and C beta) of the catalytic (C) subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (Uhler, M., Chrivia, J., and McKnight, G. S. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 15360-15363). We have constructed cDNA expression vectors for the C alpha and C beta proteins using the mouse metallothionein promoter so that mRNA transcripts from the expression vectors are inducible with Zn. In stable transformants of NIH 3T3 and AtT-20 cells, the induction of both C alpha and C beta mRNA with Zn increases the cAMP-dependent as well as the cAMP-independent kinase activity. The C alpha and C beta proteins synthesized from these expression vectors can be detected by Western blot analysis and have slightly different molecular weights as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Interestingly, the levels of RI protein are also shown to increase in cells expressing high levels of the C alpha or C beta subunits although there is no change in RI mRNA. In contrast, the levels of RII protein are not significantly affected by increasing either C alpha or C beta expression in these cell lines. We conclude that cells can compensate for the increased levels of either C alpha or C beta subunits with a corresponding elevation of RI protein implying that both isoforms of C can interact with RI to form a holoenzyme. The relevance of these experimental results to the coordinate regulation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase subunits is discussed.


Psychometric properties of the disease-specific health-related quality of life instrument VascuQoL in a Swedish setting.
Traditional outcome measures in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) provide insufficient information regarding patient benefit. It has therefore been suggested to add patient-reported outcome measures. The main aim of this study was to validate the Swedish Vascular Quality of Life questionnaire (VascuQoL) version, a patient-reported PAD-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instrument. Two-hundred PAD patients were consecutively recruited from two university hospitals. Out of the 200 subjects, 129 had intermittent claudication and 71 had critical limb ischemia. Mean age was 70 ± 9 y and 57% of the participants were male. All patients completed SF-36 and VascuQoL at the vascular outpatient clinic, when evaluated for invasive treatment. Risk factors and physiological parameters were registered. Construct validity was tested by correlation analysis versus SF-36 and was also assessed with multitrait/multi-item scaling analysis (MTMI). Sensitivity analysis regarding disease severity identification was performed. Reliability was assessed with Cronbach's alpha and responsiveness by standardized response mean (SRM) calculations. Significant correlations were demonstrated between relevant subscales of VascuQoL and SF-36. MTMI showed acceptable construct validity, but some scaling-errors. VascuQoL significantly (p < 0.001) discriminated claudicants from critical limb ischemia patients. Cronbach's alpha was 0.94 and SRM 1.02 (sum score). The Swedish version of VascuQoL is valid and quantifies central aspects of HRQoL in PAD patients. Sensitivity analysis showed high ability to differentiate between disease severity and SRM illustrated excellent responsiveness. The relative abundance of items however makes use in the everyday clinical setting somewhat difficult.


Heterozygosity and homozygosity regions affect reproductive success and the loss of reproduction: A case study with litter traits in pigs.
Runs of heterozygosity (ROHet) and homozygosity (ROH) harbor useful information related to traits of interest. There is a lack of investigating the effect of ROHet and ROH on reproductive success and the loss of reproduction in mammals. Here, we detected and characterized the ROHet and ROH patterns in the genomes of Chinese indigenous pigs (i.e., Jinhua, Chun'an, Longyou Black, and Shengxian Spotted pigs), revealing the similar genetic characteristics of indigenous pigs. Later, we highlighted the underlying litter traits-related ROHet and ROH using association analysis with linear model in these four indigenous pig breeds. To pinpoint the promising candidate genes associated with litter traits, we further in-depth explore the selection patterns of other five pig breeds (i.e., Erhualian, Meishan, Minzhu, Rongchang, and Diqing pigs) with different levels of reproduction performance at the underlying litter traits-related ROHet and ROH using F ST and genetic diversity ratio. Then, we identified a set of known and novel candidate genes associated with reproductive performance in pigs. For the novel candidate genes (i.e., CCDC91, SASH1, SAMD5, MACF1, MFSD2A, EPC2, and MBD5), we obtained public available datasets and performed multi-omics analyses integrating transcriptome-wide association studies and comparative single-cell RNA-seq analyses to uncover the roles of them in mammalian reproductive performance. The genes have not been widely reported to be fertility-related genes and can be complementally considered as prior biological information to modify genomic selections models that benefits pig genetic improvement of litter traits. Besides, our findings provide new insights into the function of ROHet and ROH in mammals.


Knockdown of USF2 inhibits pyroptosis of podocytes and attenuates kidney injury in lupus nephritis.
As an essential factor in the prognosis of Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), lupus nephritis (LN) can accelerate the rate at which patients with SLE can transition to chronic kidney disease or even end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Proteinuria due to decreased glomerular filtration rate following podocyte injury is LN's most common clinical manifestation. Podocyte pyroptosis and related inflammatory factors in its process can promote lupus to involve kidney cells and worsen the occurrence and progression of LN, but its regulatory mechanism remains unknown. Accumulating evidence has shown that upstream stimulatory factor 2 (USF2) plays a vital role in the pathophysiology of kidney diseases. In this research, multiple experiments were performed to investigate the role of USF2 in the process of LN. USF2 was abnormally highly expressed in MRL/lpr mice kidney tissues. Renal function impairment and USF2 mRNA levels were positively correlated. Silencing of USF2 in MRL/lpr serum-stimulated cells significantly reduced serum-induced podocyte pyroptosis. USF2 enhanced NLRP3 expression at the transcriptional level. Silencing of USF2 in vivo attenuated kidney injury in MRL/lpr mice, which suggests that USF2 is important for LN development and occurrence.


In vivo, genome-wide profiling of endogenously tagged chromatin-binding proteins with spatial and temporal resolution using NanoDam in Drosophila.
NanoDam is a technique for genome-wide profiling of the binding targets of any endogenously tagged chromatin-binding protein in vivo, without the need for antibodies, crosslinking, or immunoprecipitation. Here, we explain the procedure for NanoDam experiments in Drosophila, starting from a genetic cross, to the generation of sequencing libraries and, finally, bioinformatic analysis. This protocol can be readily adapted for use in other model systems after simple modifications. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Tang et al. (2022).


Concurrent validity of the ZeroWire® footswitch system for the measurement of temporal gait parameters.
In contrast to wearable tools (like in-shoe) sensors, lab-based gait assessment (using pressure-sensitive mats or cameras) only acquire data over short distances in non-ecological environments. To examine the concurrent validity of a wearable ZeroWire® footswitch system (Aurion Srl, Milan, Italy) vs. the GAITRite® walkway (CIR systems Inc., NJ, USA) for recording temporal gait parameters. We included 40 healthy participants in a prospective, single-center study. Temporal gait parameters were recorded simultaneously with the ZeroWire® and GAITRite® systems while each participant walked at three different speeds (slow (60steps/min), comfortable and maximum). To measure the validity, we calculated the interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the coefficient of variation (CV) for each parameter (gait cadence, stride time, step time, stance time, and single-support and double-support times). We also performed a graphical analysis using the Bland and Altman method. The footswitch system showed moderate-to-excellent concurrent validity vs. the GAITRite mat. The degree of agreement between the two assessments was greatest at the maximum gait velocity showed, with very good validity (ICC > 0.91) seen for most parameters, whereas agreement ranged from moderate to very good for the other speeds. Independently of the gait speed, the highest levels of agreement were recorded for gait velocity, cadence, stride time, step time, and stance time. According to the CVs, both systems showed the same accuracy and double-support time was the more variable parameter. The ZeroWire® footswitch system appears to be valid for assessing temporal gait parameters (and particularly gait cadence and stride, step and stance times in healthy participants). It is likely to be well suited to the assessment of gait parameters under ecological conditions and in dual-task gait paradigms.


A systematic review and meta-analysis on the antibiotic resistance of Neisseria meningitidis in the last 20 years in the world.
Neisseria meningitidis is one of the most important causes of meningitis and pathogens-associated deaths in developing and developed countries. Effective anti-microbial agents are pivotal to treat and control N. meningitidis infections. The aim of the present study was to systematically review published studies on the antibiotic resistance of N. meningitidis in the last 20 years (2000-2020) in the world. Published researches were identified through a literature search using reputable databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Finally, 24 studies were included for a random-effects model meta-analysis. The overall resistance to most commonly used antibiotics such as ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, ciprofloxacin and rifampin was low, ranging from 1 to 3.4%. However, non-sensitivity to penicillin, as the first-line antibiotic against N. meningitidis, was higher (27.2%). Altogether, the resistance to the first-line antibiotics (except penicillin) is still low indicating these drugs are effective against meningococcal meningitis. We also found a significant gap between MIC and disk diffusion for evaluating resistance to antibiotics in which disk diffusion overestimate the resistance rate. To properly management and prevent the spread of N. miningitidis isolates resistant antibiotics, it is necessary to monitor the pattern of antibiotic susceptibility regionally and globally using the MIC methods.


Association between serum ferritin and bone mineral density in US adults.
The association between serum ferritin and bone mineral density (BMD) is still controversial. This study aims to investigate the association of serum ferritin level with BMD in US adults. We conducted a cross-sectional study consisting of 8445 participants from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Serum ferritin and lumbar spine BMD were used as independent variables and dependent variables, respectively. We evaluated the association between serum ferritin and lumbar spine BMD through a weighted multivariable linear regression model. Subgroup and interaction analysis was also performed in this study. After adjusting for other confounding factors, serum ferritin was negatively correlated with lumbar spine BMD [β = - 0.090, 95% CI (- 0.135, - 0.045)]. Further subgroup analysis found that the strongest negative association mainly exists in females aged over 45 years [β = - 0.169, 95% CI (- 0.259, - 0.079)], and this association is not significant in other groups. The results found that the association between serum ferritin and lumber spine BMD differed by gender and age. Increased level of serum ferritin may indicate a higher risk of osteoporosis or osteopenia in females aged over 45 years.


Anorectic drugs which stimulate thermogenesis.
Two anorectic drugs commonly prescribed as adjuncts in weight control and a third experimental drug were studied in rats for their anorectic and possible thermogenic activities. Diethylpropion, a congener of amphetamine, mazindol, which is chemically unrelated to amphetamine, and ciclazindol, an experimental drug structurally similar to mazindol, were given in graded doses to determine their effect on food and oxygen consumption (VO2). Anorectic effects exhibited by diethylpropion and mazindol were similar and more potent than ciclazindol. Both resting and anesthetized VO2 measurements were done to assess the thermogenic activity of the drugs. Anesthetized VO2 was performed in an attempt to separate peripheral from centrally-mediated actions of the drugs. Amphetamine was also tested at 1.0 mg/kg in order to correlate relative potencies. Mazindol, but not diethylpropion or ciclazindol, produced a dose response increase in resting VO2. At the 1.0 mg/kg dose, amphetamine produced a greater increase in resting VO2 than mazindol. At this dose, both drugs elicited centrally-induced alertness, although amphetamine elicited greater activity than mazindol. Mazindol and diethylpropion, but not ciclazindol, caused a dose-related increase in anesthetized VO2. The anesthetized VO2 response to amphetamine at 1 mg/kg was greater than the responses of mazindol and diethylpropion at 3.0 mg/kg. These findings confirm the previously recognized anorectic effects of mazindol and diethylpropion and also demonstrate that mazindol and diethylpropion but not ciclazindol (at the doses used) produced dose-related increases in VO2 (energy expenditure) by stimulating directly peripheral mechanisms and in the case of mazindol central mechanisms as well.


Atheroemboli to superior mesenteric artery following cardiopulmonary bypass.
Intestinal ischemia after open heart surgery is an uncommon but often fatal complication. The ischemia is generally seen in the context of a low-flow state, and less frequently is associated with an occlusion in the mesenteric circulation. We report a case of intestinal ischemia caused by an atheroemboli in a patient who had an intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) placed during a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG).


Diurnal cycle of refraction after radial keratotomy.
A single patient was refracted 1000 times at all hours of the day in the year after bilateral radial keratotomy (RK). Preoperatively, there was practically no diurnal variation of refraction. Postoperatively, the refraction showed a myopic shift of several diopters from early morning to late evening. Transient hyperopia was superimposed on this diurnal cycle of refraction, peaking two weeks postoperatively, and a smaller long-term hyperopic shift was evident 1 year postoperatively.


Asynchronous Distributed Multielectrode Microstimulation Reduces Seizures in the Dorsal Tetanus Toxin Model of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.
Electrical brain stimulation has shown promise for reducing seizures in drug-resistant epilepsy, but the electrical stimulation parameter space remains largely unexplored. New stimulation parameters, electrode types, and stimulation targets may be more effective in controlling seizures compared to currently available options. We hypothesized that a novel electrical stimulation approach involving distributed multielectrode microstimulation at the epileptic focus would reduce seizure frequency in the tetanus toxin model of temporal lobe epilepsy. We explored a distributed multielectrode microstimulation (DMM) approach in which electrical stimulation was delivered through 15 33-µm-diameter electrodes implanted at the epileptic focus (dorsal hippocampus) in the rat tetanus toxin model of temporal lobe epilepsy. We show that hippocampal theta (6-12 Hz brain oscillations) is decreased in this animal model during awake behaving conditions compared to control animals (p < 10(-4)). DMM with biphasic, theta-range (6-12 Hz/electrode) pulses delivered asynchronously on the 15 microelectrodes was effective in reducing seizures by 46% (p < 0.05). When theta pulses or sinusoidal stimulation was delivered synchronously and continuously on the 15 microelectrodes, or through a single macroelectrode, no effects on seizure frequency were observed. High frequency stimulation (>16.66 Hz/per electrode), in contrast, had a tendency to increase seizure frequency. These results indicate that DMM could be a new effective approach to therapeutic brain stimulation for reducing seizures in epilepsy.


The role of nuclear medicine bone scans in evaluating pain in athletic injuries.
The utilization of nuclear medicine bone scanning examinations early in the diagnostic process allows physicians to render prompt and correct treatment in urgent or difficult athletic cases. Bone scanning should be performed for athletic injuries whenever (1) x-rays are normal but bone or joint pain persists; (2) x-rays are positive but it cannot be determined if the findings are acute or chronic; (3) soft-tissue injuries present and x-rays are not useful; and (4) bone pain or joint impairment present without a history of trauma.


Motor Imagery Hand Movement Direction Decoding Using Brain Computer Interface to Aid Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation.
Motor Imagery (MI)-based Brain Computer Interface (BCI) system is a potential technology for active neurorehabilitation of stroke patients by complementing the conventional passive rehabilitation methods. Research to date mainly focused on classifying left vs. right hand/foot MI of stroke patients. Though a very few studies have reported decoding imagined hand movement directions using electroencephalogram (EEG)-based BCI, the experiments were conducted on healthy subjects. Our work analyzes MI-based brain cortical activity from EEG signals and decodes the imagined hand movement directions in stroke patients. The decoded direction (left vs. right) of hand movement imagination is used to provide control commands to a motorized arm support on which patient's affected (paralyzed) arm is placed. This enables the patient to move his/her stroke-affected hand towards the intended (imagined) direction that aids neuroplasticity in the brain. The synchronization measure called Phase Locking Value (PLV), extracted from EEG, is the neuronal signature used to decode the directional movement of the MI task. Event-related desynchronization/synchronization (ERD/ERS) analysis on Mu and Beta frequency bands of EEG is done to select the time bin corresponding to the MI task. The dissimilarities between the two directions of MI tasks are identified by selecting the most significant channel pairs that provided maximum difference in PLV features. The training protocol has an initial calibration session followed by a feedback session with 50 trials of MI task in each session. The feedback session extracts PLV features corresponding to most significant channel pairs which are identified in the calibration session and is used to predict the direction of MI task in left/right direction. An average MI direction classification accuracy of 74.44% is obtained in performing the training protocol and 68.63% from the prediction protocol during feedback session on 16 stroke patients.


Predictive and prognostic value of admission neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with CHD.
The aim of this study was to examine the association between the admission neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (N/L ratio) with coronary heart disease (CHD), separately from acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and stable angina (SA). A further aim was to investigate the clinical value of the N/L ratio in predicting in-hospital CHD events and the long-term prognosis of patients with CHD. In all, 942 patients were enrolled and classified into a CHD group (comprising an ACS group and an SA group) and a normal group. Laboratory data including regular blood test results were obtained at baseline. The relationship between the N/L ratio and CHD, ACS, Gensini score, and multivessel lesions was analyzed by logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis was used to identify the value of the N/L ratio in the diagnosis of CHD, ACS, and the severity of CHD. We divided the patients into four groups according to the N/L ratio quartiles and compared the differences in major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) that occurred in hospital and in the 4.26 ± 0.57-year follow-up out of hospital. Patients with an elevated N/L ratio had a significantly increased risk of CHD [odds ratio (OR) = 1.697, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 1.483-1.942], and an elevated N/L ratio was closely related to a higher risk of ACS (OR = 1.652, 95 % CI = 1.434-1.902). The admission N/L ratio (0.664; 95 % CI = 1.942-1.616) showed a greater ROC area than the WBC and LDL-C values. Patients with a higher N/L ratio in both the SA group and the ACS group had a higher incidence of in-hospital and out-of-hospital MACEs, including long-term mortality and occurrence of new-onset heart failure or re-occurrence of heart failure. An elevated N/L ratio on admission was also found to be a significant indicator of 4.26-year MACEs. The admission N/L ratio was significantly associated with CHD and may become a risk predictor in the prognosis of patients with CHD.


Propionate primes the DC pump in neonates.
The protective benefits of breastmilk are well-appreciated, yet lack mechanistic detail. In this issue of Immunity, Sikder et al. reveal how breastmilk-microbiota-derived propionate induces Flt3L expression, dendritic cell maturation, regulatory T cell recruitment, and antiviral immunity in the lung.


Inhibition of target cell mitochondrial electron transfer by tumor necrosis factor.
Using digitonin permeabilization to assay mitochondrial electron transfer, we have found that respiratory activity (succinoxidase and cytochrome oxidase) in three mouse fibroblast lines is completely eliminated by incubation with human recombinant tumor necrosis factor-alpha (hrTNF). As with cytotoxicity, hrTNF-induced mitochondrial dysfunction occurs in resistant cells upon inhibition of protein synthesis, whereas sensitive cells exhibit spontaneous respiratory inhibition. In C3HA cells, inhibition is detectable 1.5-2 h after hrTNF addition, preceding cell lysis by at least 5 h (as measured by dye exclusion), and is approximately coincidental with morphological changes we have previously reported for this cell line. LM cells also exhibit inhibition of electron transfer, coincidental with morphological changes. These results suggest that bioenergetic dysfunction may be involved in the cytotoxic mechanism of TNF.


Long-term outcome of bosentan treatment in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension and pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with the scleroderma spectrum of diseases.
Bosentan improves clinical outcomes in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), particularly in the idiopathic (IPAH) subset. Scant data are available regarding PAH associated with the scleroderma spectrum of diseases (APAH-SSD). Here we review our experience with bosentan in these 2 groups. Included were all patients at our center with either IPAH or APAH-SSD in whom bosentan was the first-line, single-agent therapy with at least 6 months of follow-up. Changes in the World Health Organization (WHO) functional class from baseline to the most recent follow-up on monotherapy were compared between the 2 groups, as well as overall survival and time to a composite end point of hepatotoxicity requiring discontinuation, use of additional therapy, or death. Nineteen IPAH and 17 APAH-SSD subjects with similar baseline clinical characteristics and a median follow-up 9 months (range, 6-44) were analyzed. In IPAH subjects, WHO class improved from 3.1 +/- 0.5 at baseline to 2.4 +/- 0.8 (p = 0.005). No change occurred in the APAH-SSD group: 2.9 +/- 0.3 vs. 2.8 +/- 0.8; p = 0.5. Hepatotoxicity requiring discontinuation developed in 6 patients (17%). Seven (37%) IPAH and 8 SSD patients (47%) reached the composite end point (p = NS). Overall survival at 1 and 2 years was 100% and 100% vs 87% and 79% for IPAH and APAH-SSD patients, respectively (p = 0.075). First-line bosentan monotherapy is associated with long-term improvement in functional class and good overall survival in patients with WHO class III IPAH. Most APAH-SSD patients experienced stability or decline in functional class and tended to have a higher mortality.


Effect of exogenous insulin administration on ovarian function, embryo/fetal development during pregnancy in goats.
The effect of insulin was investigated on ovarian follicle population, ovulation rate, hormonal profiles and embryo/fetal development during pregnancy using transrectal ultrasonography in goats. Twelve goats synchronized in estrus were selected for the experiment. They were divided into two groups, viz. (untreated control, n=6) and (insulin treated, n=6). In treated group long acting bovine insulin was administered @ 0.2IU/kg body weight subcutaneously for three consecutive days, i.e. days 7-9 of estrous cycle. Thereafter, weekly single injection of insulin was continued for rest of the experiment. However, in control group only normal saline was injected as placebo. Breeding was allowed by natural service in both the groups. The does were subjected to B-mode transrectal ultrasound scanning of ovary and uterus weekly up to 120 and 98 days of gestation, respectively. Blood samples were collected weekly up to 135 days of gestation for the estimation of estradiol 17beta and progesterone (P4). The result revealed no difference in mean number of total follicles between the control and insulin treated groups. The diameter of medium follicle did not differ where as diameter of large follicle was comparatively higher in treated than control goats. The average number of corpus luteum (CL) was higher in insulin treated group as compared to control (1.66 vs. 1.16). However, the number as well as mean diameter of CL did not differ significantly between treated and control group. Serum concentrations of estradiol 17beta and progesterone were significantly (P<0.01) higher in treated than control goats. Embryonic vesicle was detected by day 21 in both the groups, however, its diameter did not differ significantly (0.73 and 0.72cm) between the groups. The twinning percentage was higher (50 vs. 16%) in insulin treated than the control goats. Placentome diameter was also higher (P>0.05) in treated animals. The results demonstrated beneficial effect of exogenous administration of insulin on ovarian function and twinning percentage in goats.


Trunk anthropometry of Hong Kong Chinese infants.
Disturbed growth of the trunk may result in abnormal sternocostal relationship and a variety of pectus deformities. The purposes of this study were to establish norms of trunk anthropometry for dysmorphology identification in the newborns and to evaluate chest circumference as a predictor for low birth weight for outborn infants where weighing scales were unavailable. A total of 10,339 Chinese infants (5478 males, 4861 females) with gestation 24-42 weeks from 12 hospitals were included. The anthropometric measurements analyzed included chest circumference, inter-nipple distance, sternal length and abdominal circumference. The LMS method using maximum penalized likelihood was used to perform model fitting of the anthropometric centiles for these physical parameters. References tables of the four physical parameters for newborns were constructed. Chest circumference showed the highest correlation with birth weight (male: r = 0.866, female: r = 0.883). The cut-off points for chest circumference of 295 (male) and 299 mm (female) were the best predictor for low birth weight. There were also racial differences in these parameters. When compared with French infants, Chinese newborns had smaller chest circumference. These physical parameters provide useful references and aid dysmorphology diagnosis in newborns of ethnic Chinese origin.


Dataset of EEG power integral, spontaneous recurrent seizure and behavioral responses following combination drug therapy in soman-exposed rats.
This article investigated the efficacy of the combination of antiepileptic drug therapy in protecting against soman-induced seizure severity, epileptogenesis and performance deficits. Adult male rats with implanted telemetry transmitters for continuous recording of electroencephalographic (EEG) activity were exposed to soman and treated with atropine sulfate and the oxime HI-6 one minute after soman exposure and with midazolam, ketamine and/or valproic acid 40 min after seizure onset. Rats exposed to soman and treated with medical countermeasures were evaluated for survival, seizure severity, the development of spontaneous recurrent seizure and performance deficits; combination anti-epileptic drug therapy was compared with midazolam monotherapy. Telemetry transmitters were used to record EEG activity, and a customized MATLAB algorithm was used to analyze the telemetry data. Survival data, EEG power integral data, spontaneous recurrent seizure data and behavioral data are illustrated in figures and included as raw data. In addition, edf files of one month telemetry recordings from soman-exposed rats treated with delayed midazolam are provided as supplementary materials. Data presented in this article are related to research articles "Rational Polytherapy in the Treatment of Cholinergic Seizures" [1] and "Early polytherapy for benzodiazepine-refractory status epilepticus [4].


Seasonal variations of decay rate measurement data and their interpretation.
Measurement data of long-lived radionuclides, for example, (85)Kr, (90)Sr, (108m)Ag, (133)Ba, (152)Eu, (154)Eu and (226)Ra, and particularly the relative residuals of fitted raw data from current measurements of ionization chambers for half-life determination show small periodic seasonal variations with amplitudes of about 0.15%. The interpretation of these fluctuations is a matter of controversy whether the observed effect is produced by some interaction with the radionuclides themselves or is an artifact of the measuring chain. At the origin of such a discussion there is the exponential decay law of radioactive substances used for data fitting, one of the fundamentals of nuclear physics. Some groups of physicists use statistical methods and analyze correlations with various parameters of the measurement data and, for example, the Earth-Sun distance, as a basis of interpretation. In this article, data measured at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt and published earlier are the subject of a correlation analysis using the corresponding time series of data with varying measurement conditions. An overview of these measurement conditions producing instrument instabilities is given and causality relations are discussed. The resulting correlation coefficients for various series of the same radionuclide using similar measurement conditions are in the order of 0.7, which indicates a high correlation, and for series of the same radionuclide using different measurement conditions and changes of the measuring chain of the order of -0.2 or even lower, which indicates an anti-correlation. These results provide strong arguments that the observed seasonal variations are caused by the measuring chain and, in particular, by the type of measuring electronics used.


Structure-function relationships of hammerhead ribozymes: from understanding to applications.
The hammerhead ribozyme is the smallest member of the naturally occurring family of RNA molecules that are capable of catalysing the site-specific cleavage of RNA. Functional-group modifications have led to an identification of groups that are important for catalysis, and have helped in the understanding of the role of Mg2+, which is required for catalysis. Recent studies on the three-dimensional structure of the hammerhead ribozyme, including X-ray analysis, have contributed significantly towards an understanding of its mode of action. In addition to contributing to our understanding of RNA catalysis, these studies have also stimulated investigations into the possibility of using ribozymes in gene therapy to cleave specific mRNAs.


Improving targets for the prevention of drug use disorders: sociodemographic predictors of transitions across drug use stages in the national comorbidity survey replication.
Models of drug use etiology and prevention require precise information concerning the expression of population-based risk factors across the continuum of drug use. However, the majority of previous epidemiologic research on this topic has not addressed transitions between specific drug stages. The present investigation examined the sociodemographic predictors of progression across six stages of drug use in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R), a nationally representative household survey of the U.S. population conducted between February, 2001 and April, 2003. Lifetime history of opportunity to use illicit substances, initial drug use, and DSM-IV drug use disorders were collected using in-person structured diagnostic interviews. The median age of first opportunity to use drugs as well as drug use, abuse and dependence each occurred prior to age 20, while the median remission from abuse and dependence occurred at 26 and 30 years, respectively. Most sociodemographic variables, in particular sex and ethnicity, demonstrated highly differential associations with transitions depending on the stage examined. The findings may partially explain the effectiveness of strategies designed to reduce drug use, abuse and dependence, and indicate that increased correspondence is needed between available epidemiologic data and existing models of etiology or prevention.


Sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibition increases epidermal growth factor expression and improves outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Underlying molecular mechanisms of the kidney protective effects of sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are not fully elucidated. Therefore, we studied the association between urinary epidermal growth factor (uEGF), a mitogenic factor involved in kidney repair, and kidney outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The underlying molecular mechanisms of the SGLT2 inhibitor canagliflozin on EGF using single-cell RNA sequencing from kidney tissue were examined. Urinary EGF-to-creatinine ratio (uEGF/Cr) was measured in 3521 CANagliflozin cardioVascular Assessment Study (CANVAS) participants at baseline and week 52. Associations of uEGF/Cr with kidney outcome were assessed using multivariable-adjusted Cox regression models. Single-cell RNA sequencing was performed using protocol kidney biopsy tissue from ten young patients with T2D on SGLT2i, six patients with T2D on standard care only, and six healthy controls (HCs). In CANVAS, each doubling in baseline uEGF/Cr was associated with a 12% (95% confidence interval 1-22) decreased risk of kidney outcome. uEGF/Cr decreased after 52 weeks with placebo and remained stable with canagliflozin (between-group difference +7.3% (2.0-12.8). In young persons with T2D, EGF mRNA was primarily expressed in the thick ascending loop of Henle. Expression in biopsies from T2D without SGLT2i was significantly lower compared to HCs, whereas treatment with SGLT2i increased EGF levels closer to the healthy state. In young persons with T2D without SGLT2i, endothelin-1 emerged as a key regulator of the EGF co-expression network. SGLT2i treatment was associated with a shift towards normal EGF expression. Thus, decreased uEGF represents increased risk of kidney disease progression in patients with T2D. Canagliflozin increased kidney tissue expression of EGF and was associated with a downstream signaling cascade linked to tubular repair and reversal of tubular injury.


Characterization of functional receptors for somatostatin in rat pituitary cells in culture.
GH4C1 cells are a clonal strain of rat pituitary tumor cells which synthesize and secrete prolactin and growth hormone. Somatostatin, a hypothalamic tetradecapeptide, inhibits the release of growth hormone and, under certain circumstances, also prolactin from normal pituitary cells. We have prepared [125I-Tyr1]somatostatin (approximately 2200 C1/mmol) and have shown that this ligand binds to a limited number of high affinity sites on GH4C1 cells. Half-maximal binding of somatostatin occurred at a concentration of 6 x 10(-10) M. A maximum of 0.11 pmol of [125I-Tyr1]somatostatin was bound per mg of cell protein, equivalent to 13,000 receptor sites per cell. The rate constant for binding (kon) was 8 x 10(7) M(-1) min(-1). The rate constant for dissociation (koff) was determined by direct measurement to be 0.02 min(-1) both in the presence and absence of excess nonradioactive somatostatin. Binding of [125I-Tyr1]somatostatin was not inhibited by 10(-7) M thyrotropin-releasing hormones. Substance P, neurotensin, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone, calcitonin, adrenocorticotropin, or insulin. Of seven nonpituitary cell lines tested, none had specific receptors for somatostatin. Somatostatin was shown to inhibit prolactin and growth hormone production by CH4C1 cells. The dose-response characteristics for binding and the biological actions of somatostatin were essentially coincident. Furthermore, among several clonal pituitary cell strains tested, only those which had receptors for somatostatin showed a biological response to the hormone. We conclude that the characterized somatostatin receptor is necessary for the biological actions of somatostatin on GH4C1 cells.


Do trans fatty acids from industrially produced sources and from natural sources have the same effect on cardiovascular disease risk factors in healthy subjects? Results of the trans Fatty Acids Collaboration (TRANSFACT) study.
The consumption of monounsaturated trans fatty acids (TFAs) increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Putative differences between the effects of TFAs from industrially produced and natural sources on CVD risk markers were not previously investigated in healthy subjects. We aimed to compare the effects of TFAs from industrially produced and natural sources on HDL and LDL cholesterol, lipoprotein particle size and distribution, apolipoproteins, and other lipids in healthy subjects. In a randomized, double-blind, controlled, crossover design, 46 healthy subjects (22 men and 24 women) consumed food items containing TFAs (11-12 g/d, representing approximately 5% of daily energy) from the 2 sources. Forty subjects (19 men and 21 women) completed the study. Compared with TFAs from industrially produced sources, TFAs from natural sources significantly (P = 0.012) increased HDL cholesterol in women but not in men. Significant (P = 0.001) increases in LDL-cholesterol concentrations were observed in women, but not in men, after the consumption of TFAs from natural sources. Apolipoprotein (apo)B and apoA1 concentrations confirmed the changes observed in LDL and HDL cholesterol. Analysis of lipoprotein subclass showed that only large HDL and LDL concentrations were modified by TFAs from natural sources but not by those from industrially produced sources. This study shows that TFAs from industrially produced and from natural sources have different effects on CVD risk factors in women. The HDL cholesterol-lowering property of TFAs seems to be specific to industrial sources. However, it is difficult in the present study to draw a conclusion about the effect of TFAs from either source on absolute CVD risk in these normolipidemic subjects. The mechanism underlying the observed sex- and isomer-specific effects warrants further investigation.


The Chromatin Extrusion Phenomenon in Amoeba proteus Cell Cycle.
Amoeba proteus is possibly the best known of all unicellular eukaryotes. At the same time, several quintessential issues of its biology, including some aspects of the cell cycle, remain unsolved. Here, we show that this obligate agamic amoebae and related species have a special type of cyclic polyploidy. Their nucleus has an euploid status only for a small fraction of the cell cycle, during metaphase and telophase. The rest of the time it has an aneuploid status, which is a consequence of polyploidization. Extrusion of "excess" chromatin from the nucleus in late interphase and during prophase results in depolyploidization. Such a strategy of life cycle in unicellular eukaryotes is thought to be the main mechanism of "resetting" the Muller's ratchet and is a satisfactory alternative to the meiotic recombination for agamic protists.


The safety and feasibility of continuous intravenous magnesium sulfate for prevention of cerebral vasospasm in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Cerebral vasospasm in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is associated with poor outcome. The safety and feasibility of continuous high-dose intravenous magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) for the prevention of cerebral vasospasm and ischemic cerebral injury has not been well studied. Patients presenting to our center within 72 hours of aneurysmalSAH (confirmed by computed tomography [CT] scanning and cerebral angiography) between June 2001 and October 2002 were enrolled in a prospective pilot study in which they received MgSO4 as an adjunct to standard SAH management. Study patients received an intravenous infusion of 12 g of MgSO4 in a 500-mL solution of 0.9% NaCl administered at a rate of 4.06 mM (or 0.5 g) every hour over a 24-hour period for 10 days to achieve a target predetermined serum Mg range of more than 1.5 to less than 4.0 mM/L. The effect of MgSO4 on clinical examination, heart rate, and blood pressure was measured every 2 hours; serum glucose and phenytoin levels were monitored daily. Outcome measures included evidence of vasospasm on clinical examination, transcranial Doppler study ((TCD); velocity >or=100 cm/s), or repeat cerebral angiogram obtained within 10 days of SAH; and Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score assessment and CT scan evidence of ischemic infarction at 30 days. Nineteen patients (mean age: 55 years; range: 39-84 years; 11 males, 8 females) were enrolled in the study. Presenting Hunt Hess grade was II or higher; mean Fisher grade was 3. Vasospasm was observed in nine patients (by clinical examination in two, TCD in five, and angiogram in nine). The mean serum Mg level was 2.7 mM/L (standard deviation: +/- 0.37) and was maintained during the infusion period. No clinical adverse effects, hemodynamic changes, or fluctuations in serum glucose or phenytoin levels were observed. None of the patients died; no CT evidence of ischemic infarction was present; and most had good outcomes (GOS 5 in 10 patients; GOS 4 in 8 patients). Our study confirmed the safety and feasibility of a continuous infusion of high-dose intravenous MgSO4 in patients with aneurysmal SAH. Randomized controlled trials are required to confirm the promising results.


The subgenus Euphlebotomus (Diptera: Psychodidae) in China, with description of a new species, Phlebotomus yunshengensis.
In 1982 many phlebotomine sandflies were collected in the mountainous area of southern Sichuan along the Sichuan and Yunnan frontier. In three places in this area specimens were found of a new species belonging to the subgenus Euphlebotomus Theodor, 1948, which includes Phlebotomus argentipes, the important vector of Kala-azar in India.


Amitriptyline action on sympathetic neuronal function in depressed women.
1. Noradrenaline plasma levels and cardiovascular function modifications with orthostatic challenge during therapy were studied in 59 female depressed inpatients treated with 100 mg amitriptyline daily by intramuscular route for 4 weeks. 2. Therapy induced an increase in pulse rate in supine and upright positions, a decrease of noradrenaline levels and modified standing systolic and (partially) diastolic blood pressure, particularly in elderly subjects. 3. No correlation between neurotransmitter or functional changes and drug plasma levels was noted. 4. The supposed lower noradrenergic output together with blood pressure drop in both positions suggests a reduced sympathetic tone.


[Psychometric assessment and development of a shorter version of a new anxiety scale in a hospital sample from Lima, Peru].
To assess psychometric properties and to develop a shorter version of a new anxiety scale. The 130-item new anxiety scale (NAS-130) was administered to 254 psychiatric outpatients of a general hospital in Lima, Peru. A categorical principal component analysis (CATPCA) was performed with the 130 items and based on these results and the relation of each item with a Clinical Global Impressions Severity Scale for anxiety (CGI-S) the scale was simplified. In addition, the CGI-S was used to assess the concurrent validity of the scale. The NAS-130 had a Cronbach's alpha of 0.97 and a Spearman correlation coefficient (Rho) with CGI-S of 0.44 (p<0.01). After item selection, a 72-item scale was obtained (NAS-72) which had a Cronbach's alpha of 0.96 and a Rho with CGI-S of 0.47 (p<0.01). All items of NAS-72 had saturation coefficients greater than 0.4 in one dimension according to the CATPCA. NAS-130 and NAS-72 scores were significantly higher in women than in men (p<0.01). The NAS-72 has psychometric characteristics that suggest that it could be useful to measure anxiety in our population; however, the scores should be interpreted differently in men and women.


Di-2,7-pyrenidecaphyrin(18.104.22.168.0.1.1.0.0.0) and Its Bis-Organopalladium Complexes: Synthesis and Chiroptical Properties.
A non-aromatic expanded carbaporphyrinoid, incorporating two built-in 2,7-pyrenylene moieties was synthesized. The intrinsically labile structure was demonstrated by proton-triggered conformational changes between the figure-of-eight and quasi-Möbius conformers. Upon treatment with Pd(OAc)2 , the reaction produces two bis-PdII complexes with distinct coordination modes. Metal coordination serves to fix the macrocyclic frameworks with the net result that both bis-PdII complexes could be resolved by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on a chiral stationary phase. The isolated enantiomers showed persistent chiroptical properties as evidenced by the intense response in the circular dichroism (CD) spectra and the record high absorption dissymmetry factors (gabs of up to 0.038) seen in the near-infrared spectral region. Moreover, the mutual interconversion of these two PdII complexes was found to be stereospecific and to favor the more stable isomers under weakly acidic conditions.


Effect of galantamine on attention in patients with Alzheimer's disease combined with cerebrovascular disease.
Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) show greater attentional deficits compared with AD patients without CVD. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of galantamine on attention in AD patients with CVD. In this open trial, 1512 patients with AD and CVD were recruited from 71 nationwide hospitals. The patients were given galantamine for 16 weeks. The primary outcome measure was the score on the Attention Questionnaire Scale (AQS), which measures the patients' attention in their daily lives. The secondary outcome measures were the scores on the Korean Mini-Mental State Examination, the Clinical Dementia Rating scale and the Global Deterioration Scale. Efficacy measures were calculated both at baseline and at the end of the treatment (week 16). The responders rate on the AQS (change of the AQS from baseline >0) was 60.6% in AD patients with CVD. At the end of the treatment, both the AQS (15.0 ± 5.7 vs 16.3 ± 5.8, P < 0.001) and the Korean Mini-Mental State Examination scores (17.8 ± 4.8 vs 18.1 ± 5.1, P < 0.001) showed a significant improvement relative to the baseline performance. The Clinical Dementia Rating (1.25 ± 0.59 vs 1.22 ± 0.63 P = 0.025) and Global Deterioration Scale (3.82 ± 0.94 vs 3.76 ± 0.96, P = 0.002) scores also showed a significant decrease at the end of the treatment. Galantamine is effective in improving attention in the daily lives of AD patients with CVD. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 1661-1668.


Surgical management of spinal disease in renal recipients.
The survival of renal recipients improved dramatically and long-term survival of renal graft patients is common, which in turn increases the chance of these patients requiring spinal surgery. However, there are few appropriate reports about the results of spine surgery on renal recipients. This study was undertaken to analyze the authors' experience of spine surgery after renal transplantation. Thirty-two renal recipients who underwent spine surgery with regular follow-up of more than 24 months were included in this study. The patients' medical records and the radiological reports were reviewed retrospectively and their postoperative conditions were evaluated during their regular visits or by telephone. The mean duration from the renal transplantation to spinal surgery was 6 +/- 1.2 yr. Among spinal diseases of renal recipients, there were 23 cases of degenerative spinal diseases, seven cases of vertebral compression fracture, and two spinal cord tumors. The operation methods were conventional spine surgery with or without bone fusion (27 cases), percutaneous vertebroplasty (three cases) and tumor resection (two cases). The mean values of the Prolo scale in the preoperative (4.5 +/- 0.3) and postoperative (7.4 +/- 0.4) period showed significant clinical improvement after the operation. Postoperative renal function was not deteriorated in any patients and there were no major complications. Spine surgery can be performed with acceptable clinical results and without major complications in renal recipients. Spine surgery has no aggravating effect on the patients' renal function. Surgery is a valuable, safe option for the treatment of spinal disease in this rare distinct group of patients.


Incidence and clinical characteristics of paediatric keratitis.
To report the incidence and clinical characteristics of paediatric keratitis diagnosed over a 10-year period in a well-defined population. Retrospective, population-based study. Setting: multicentre. patients (<19 years) diagnosed with keratitis as residents of Olmsted County from 1 January 2000, through 31 December 2009. calculated annual age-specific and gender-specific incidence rates, demographic information and initial and final visual acuity. A total of 294 diagnoses of keratitis occurred in 285 children during the 10-year period, yielding an incidence of 78.0 per 100 000 younger than 19 years (95% CI 69.0 to 87.1) or approximately 1 in 1282 children. The incidence increased throughout the 10-year study period (p<0.001). The mean age at diagnosis was 15.3 years (range, 0.2-18.9) and 172 (60.4%) were women. The observed forms included keratitis due to contact lens wear in 134 (45.6%), infectious keratitis in 72 (24.5%), keratitis not otherwise specified in 65 (22.1%) and keratitis sicca in 23 (7.8%). The visual acuity was reduced to ≤20/40 in 61 (21.4) of the 285 patients at the initial examination and in 24 (8.4%) at the final examination. Children with infectious keratitis had the poorest presenting vision and the best final vision, whereas the reverse was true for those with keratitis sicca. Keratitis, regardless of aetiology, was observed in approximately 1 in 1300 children by 19 years of age in this population-based cohort. Nearly half were related to contact lens wear and a decrease in vision to ≤ 20/40 occurred in 1 in 12 patients.


From the vascular microenvironment to neurogenesis.
In response to injury, the function of the adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS) is repaired by angiogenesis and neurogenesis. The proliferation, differentiation and migration of the neural progenitor cells (NPCs) are regulated by several components of the vascular microenvironment within the neural stem cell niche. Vascular endothelial cells (VECs), which make up blood vessels, as well as extracellular components, affect neurogenesis directly via contacting with NPCs. Additionally, soluble factors from the vascular system that are released into the CNS enhance neurogenesis in the form of paracrine signaling. The purpose of this mini-review is to highlight the roles of the vascular microenvironment as a mediator in promoting neurogenesis.


Combination of tucatinib and neural stem cells secreting anti-HER2 antibody prolongs survival of mice with metastatic brain cancer.
Brain metastases are a leading cause of death in patients with breast cancer. The lack of clinical trials and the presence of the blood-brain barrier limit therapeutic options. Furthermore, overexpression of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) increases the incidence of breast cancer brain metastases (BCBM). HER2-targeting agents, such as the monoclonal antibodies trastuzumab and pertuzumab, improved outcomes in patients with breast cancer and extracranial metastases. However, continued BCBM progression in breast cancer patients highlighted the need for novel and effective targeted therapies against intracranial metastases. In this study, we engineered the highly migratory and brain tumor tropic human neural stem cells (NSCs) LM008 to continuously secrete high amounts of functional, stable, full-length antibodies against HER2 (anti-HER2Ab) without compromising the stemness of LM008 cells. The secreted anti-HER2Ab impaired tumor cell proliferation in vitro in HER2+ BCBM cells by inhibiting the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and resulted in a significant benefit when injected in intracranial xenograft models. In addition, dual HER2 blockade using anti-HER2Ab LM008 NSCs and the tyrosine kinase inhibitor tucatinib significantly improved the survival of mice in a clinically relevant model of multiple HER2+ BCBM. These findings provide compelling evidence for the use of HER2Ab-secreting LM008 NSCs in combination with tucatinib as a promising therapeutic regimen for patients with HER2+ BCBM.


Photocurrent-generating properties of organometallic fullerene molecules on an electrode.
Compact, rigid, five-legged fullerene derivatives C60R5Me and M(C60R5)Cp (M = Fe and Ru; R = C6H4COOH, C6H4C6H4COOH, and CH2COOH) were synthesized and arrayed on an indium-tin oxide (ITO) surface. These devices exhibit a respectable quantum yield with photocurrent generation up to 18%, and, more importantly, the direction of the photocurrent can be changed not only by the molecular structure itself but also by changing the geometric configuration of the photoactive acceptor (fullerene) and donor (metal atom) on the ITO surface.


Treatment satisfaction in Chinese medicine outpatient care: a comparison of patients' and doctors' views.
Both doctors' and patients' opinions are important in the process of treatment and healthcare of Chinese medicine. This study is to compare patients' and doctors' treatment satisfaction over the course of two visits in a Chinese medicine outpatient setting, and to explain their respective views. Patients' chief complaints were collected prior to the outpatient encounter. The doctor was then asked (through a questionnaire) to state what complaints he or she was prioritizing during the process of diagnosing disease and making a prescription for herbal medicine or acupuncture treatment. On the next visit, both the patient and the doctor completed a questionnaire assessing satisfaction with the treatment of Chinese medicine prescribed in the first visit and administered by the patient at home. A 5-point Likert scales was used to assess the patients' and doctors' satisfaction with treatment. The timing of the follow-up appointment was determined by the doctor. One chief specialist, one associate chief specialist and one attending practitioner in Chinese medicine, and 60 patients having a follow-up appointment with one of the doctors, participated in the study. For 11 patients, their most urgent complaint was different from what the doctor's choose to focus on in his or her treatment. And only one patient refused to comply due to his or her dissatisfaction with the treatment focus of the doctor. Overall, 59 patients completed the satisfaction assessment, and 53 patients visited their doctors for a follow-up appointment. Patients' total satisfaction was higher than their doctors' (mean 3.55 vs. 3.45), and correlation of patients' and doctors' treatment satisfaction was moderate (r = 0.63, P < 0.01). Both of the patients' and doctors' satisfaction ratings were correlated with treatment adherence (P < 0.001). The predictors of their treatment satisfaction were different. Doctors' satisfaction with treatment was a significant factor in the process of making further clinical decisions. Patients and doctors form their opinion about the treatment effects in different ways. When evaluating treatment satisfaction, doctor's opinions are also an important indicator of positive or negative clinical effects and affect the subsequent decisions-making.


Characterising consumer engagement in virtual models of care: A systematic review and narrative synthesis.
Widespread adoption of digital tools and technologies now support the delivery of virtual healthcare. Although, consumer engagement is central to care processes in virtual care models, there is paucity of evidence regarding the nature and outcomes of consumer engagement. This study aimed to determine the nature of consumer engagement used in virtual models of care, and its impact on quality and safety of care. A systematic review was undertaken with a narrative synthesis, with a search strategy applied to five electronic databases (CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Web of Science) RESULTS: Fifty-eight studies were included in the review that utilised a variety of virtual models of care across care services. Consumer engagement, such as patients' active involvement in monitoring, capturing and reporting their health data, was a common feature of the identified virtual models. Increasing use of virtual models of care requires consideration of the role of patients and their support persons in the use of technology and in wider care processes that occur at a distance from health professionals. Ensuring consumers are equipped with necessary support to effectively engage in virtual care is important to ensure equity in access to, and outcomes of, virtual care models.


Population-level consequences of polymorphism, plasticity and randomized phenotype switching: a review of predictions.
The consequences of among-individual phenotypic variation for the performance and ecological success of populations and species has attracted growing interest in recent years. Earlier reviews of this field typically address the consequences for population processes of one specific source of variation (plasticity or polymorphism), or consider one specific aspect of population performance, such as rate of speciation. Here we take a broader approach and study earlier reviews in order to summarize and compare predictions regarding several population-level consequences of phenotypic variation stemming from genetic polymorphism, developmental plasticity or randomized phenotype switching. Unravelling cause-dependent consequences of variation may increase our ability to understand the ecological dynamics of natural populations and communities, develop more informed management plans for protection of biodiversity, suggest possible routes to increased productivity and yield in natural and managed biological systems, and resolve inconsistencies in patterns and results seen in studies of different model systems. We find an overall agreement regarding the effects of higher levels of phenotypic variation generated by different sources, but also some differences between fine-grained and coarse-grained environments, modular and unitary organisms, mobile and sessile organisms, and between flexible and fixed traits. We propose ways to test the predictions and identify issues where current knowledge is limited and future lines of investigation promise to provide important novel insights.


Heterogeneity of cancer-associated fibroblasts in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) consist of heterogeneous cellular populations that contribute critical roles in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). A series of computer-aided analyses were performed to determine various aspects of CAFs in HNSCC, including their cellular heterogeneity, prognostic value, relationship with immune suppression and immunotherapeutic response, intercellular communication, and metabolic activity. The prognostic significance of CKS2+ CAFs was verified using immunohistochemistry. Our findings revealed that fibroblasts group demonstrated prognostic significance, with the CKS2+ subset of inflammatory CAFs (iCAFs) exhibiting a significant correlation with unfavorable prognosis and being localized in close proximity to cancer cells. Patients with a high infiltration of CKS2+ CAFs had a poor overall survival rate. There is a negative correlation between CKS2+ iCAFs and cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and natural killer (NK) cells, while a positive correlation was found with exhausted CD8+ T cells. Additionally, patients in Cluster 3, characterized by a high proportion of CKS2+ iCAFs, and patients in Cluster 2, characterized by a high proportion of CKS2- iCAFs and CENPF-/MYLPF- myofibroblastic CAFs (myCAFs), did not exhibit significant immunotherapeutic responses. Moreover, close interactions was confirmed to exist between cancer cells and CKS2+ iCAFs/ CENPF+ myCAFs. Furthermore, CKS2+ iCAFs demonstrated the highest level of metabolic activity. In summary, our study enhances the understanding of the heterogeneity of CAFs and provided insights into improving the efficacy of immunotherapies and prognostic accuracy for HNSCC patients.


Combination of cyclodextrins and polymeric surfactants for chiral separations.
A cyclodextrin-modified micellar electrokinetic chromatography (CD-MEKC) method was applied to the enantioseparation of three binaphthyl derivatives using neutral CDs (i.e., beta- and gamma-CD) in combination with various chiral amino acid-based polymeric surfactants (PSs). Both the D- and L-configurations of poly(sodium N-undecanoyl alaninate), poly(sodium N-undecanoyl leucinate), and poly(sodium N-undecanoyl valinate) (poly(L-SUV)) were synthesized. The retention behavior of the three binaphthyl derivatives under optimum electrophoretic conditions using a single chiral additive (PS or CD) is discussed. In addition, the effect of CD cavity size and stereochemical configuration of polymeric surfactants on selectivity (alpha) and resolution (Rs) was investigated. The enantioseparation of (+/-)1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diamine gave a reversal of enantiomeric order when using beta-CD in combination with any of the three D-configuration PS. However, better enantioseparation is obtained when using the corresponding L-configuration PS with beta-CD. A reversal of migration order (RMO) for the enantiomers of (+/-)1,1'-bi-2-naphthol was observed upon the addition of 10 mM gamma-CD to poly(L-SUV). However, no RMO of (+/-)1,1'-bi-2-naphthol was seen when either beta-CD or gamma-CD was combined with D-PS. The enantiomers of (+/-)1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diyl hydrogen phosphate showed little enantioselective behavior toward the PS alone. However, combined D- or L-PS and beta-CD or gamma-CD systems gave increased Rs and alpha values. The chiral recognition of binaphthyl derivatives observed resulting from the various combinations of two chiral selectors is discussed.


The augmentation of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP), which was isolated from ovine hypothalamic extract, has been shown to have a physiological role in the regulation of insulin or islet functions. In streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats, we examined the content of PACAP immunoreactivity and gene expression of three specific receptors. Four weeks after administration of STZ (50 mg/kg), plasma glucose levels increased 3.3-fold, and plasma insulin levels decreased to one-tenth as compared with the control. The content of PACAP immunoreactivity in the pancreas potently increased by 30%, but the content of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) immunoreactivity was not changed. In the other tissues, the content of PACAP immunoreactivity did not significantly change except in the hypothalamus, which showed a 10% increment. In the expression level of PACAP/VIP receptors, semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that VIP1/PACAP receptor mRNA significantly increased as compared with the other two types of receptors in the pancreas of STZ-induced diabetic rats. These findings suggest that PACAP and VIP1/PACAP receptor might be involved in the pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus.


Isolated testicular polyarteritis nodosa mimicking testicular neoplasm-long-term follow-up.
Polyarteritis nodosa is a systemic vasculitis characterized by segmental necrotizing lesions of medium and small-size arteries. Rarely, the inflammatory process is isolated and involves a single organ without systemic manifestations. We describe a patient with isolated polyarteritis nodosa of the testis who presented with a testicular mass mimicking primary testicular tumor. The postoperative laboratory evaluation was negative. Long-term follow-up, without systemic treatment, showed no evidence of recurrence in the remainder of the testis or development of systemic vasculitis.


Configuration of the prepubertal hymen.
Anatomically descriptive terms are required when one is asked to comment on the hymen of the sexually abused prepubertal child. Action descriptive terms such as virginal or ruptured relay no objective information. Biologic hymenal configurations can be loosely categorized by the amount and distribution of hymenal tissue surrounding the vaginal introitus: The terms fimbriated, circumferential, and posterior rim are proposed. Descriptions of 124 prepubertal hymens are presented, with discussion focusing on biologic configurations and the impact of trauma and hormones.


Polymyositis as a manifestation of chronic graft-versus-host disease after allo-HSCT.
Patients who received allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) may develop T cell-mediated immunologic injury to muscles, recapitulating the characteristics of polymyositis clinically and pahtologically. Polymyositis is a rarely reported complication of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), which often responds well to corticosteroids and immunosuppressive treatment.


A proposal for the establishment of the National Center for Phytogenetic Resource Conservation in the Venezuelan Republic.
The conservation of biodiversity, a valuable natural resource, is considered essential. In the face of continued threats to this resource the establishment of a National Center for Phytogenetic Resource Conservation in Venezuela is proposed. The proposed center would have the following main objectives: inventory of resources, establishment of a plant gene bank, basic ecological research, promotion of cultivation of useful but endangered species, promotion of national and international information-exchange, and protection of natural habitats. The organizational structure of the proposed center is outlined.


Preprocedure Planning for Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: The Separation Is in the Preparation.
To perform chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention safely, efficiently, and successfully, adequate time must be dedicated to thorough preprocedural planning. This process should encompass a patient encounter, becoming fully familiarized with the patient's clinical traits, a detailed review of coronary anatomy, laying out an algorithmic procedural approach and making any relevant plans for actions that will enhance intraprocedural safety.


Enhancement of tissue delivery and receptor occupancy of methylprednisolone in rats by a liposomal formulation.
A liposomal formulation of methylprednisolone (L-MPL) was developed to improve localization of this immunosuppressant in lymphatic tissues. Liposomes containing MPL were formulated from a mixture of phosphatydylcholine and phosphatydylglycerol (molar ratio, 9:1) and sized by extrusion through a 0.1-micron membrane. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received a bolus dose of 2 mg/kg of L-MPL or free MPL in solution (control). Samples of blood, spleen, liver, thymus, and bone marrow were collected at intervals over a 66-hr period. Concentrations of MPL in plasma and organs and free cytosolic glucocorticoid receptors (GCR) in spleen and liver were determined. The plasma MPL profiles for free and L-MPL were bi- and triexponential. Although the alpha phase kinetics of both dosage forms were similar, L-MPL showed a substantially slower elimination phase than did free drug. Incorporation of MPL into liposomes caused the following increases: terminal half-life, from 0.48 (MPL) to 30.13 hr (L-MPL); MRT, from 0.42 to 11.95 hr, Vss, from 2.10 to 21.87 L/kg; and AUC, from 339 to 1093 ng x hr/mL. Uptake of liposomes enhanced significantly the delivery of drug to lymphatic tissues and liver; AUC tissue:plasma ratios for spleen increased 77-fold; for liver, 9-fold; and for thymus, 27-fold. The duration of GCR occupancy was extended 10-fold in spleen and 13-fold in liver by the liposomal formulation. Lymphatic tissue selectivity and extended receptor binding of liposome-delivered MPL offer promise for enhanced immunosuppression.


Adverse neonatal outcomes: examining the risks between preterm, late preterm, and term infants.
There is a relative paucity of data regarding neonatal outcomes in the late preterm cohort (34 to 36 6/7 weeks). This study sought to assess differences in adverse outcomes between infants delivering 32 to 33 6/7, 34 to 36 6/7 weeks, and 37 weeks or later. Data were collected as part of a retrospective cohort study of preterm labor patients (2002-2005). Patients delivering 32 weeks or later were included (n = 264). The incidence of adverse outcomes was assessed. Significant associations between outcomes and gestational age at delivery were determined using chi(2) analyses and Poisson regression modeled cumulative incidence and controlled for confounders. Late preterm infants have increased risk of adverse outcomes, compared with term infants. Controlling for confounders, there was a 23% decrease in adverse outcomes with each week of advancing gestational age between 32 and 39 completed weeks (relative risk 0.77, P < .001, 95% confidence interval, 0.71-0.84). Further investigation regarding obstetrical management and long-term outcomes for this cohort is warranted.


Surgical treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: Thulium enucleation versus single-port transvesical robotic simple prostatectomy.
The objective of this work is to compare our outcomes using thulium laser enucleation of prostate (ThuLEP) to the single-port robot-assisted simple prostatectomy (SP RASP) in the surgical management of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). A retrospective cohort study was conducted from January 2017 through December 2021 of men who underwent SP RASP and ThuLEP performed by a single surgeon with an enucleation experience of >300 cases and extensive robotic experience. The primary outcome was changed in International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) postoperatively. Secondary outcomes were operative time, length of stay (LOS), change in post-void residuals (PVR), de novo stress- or urge-urinary incontinence (SUI, UUI), and rate of complications. One hundred two patients underwent surgery during the study period: 33 RASP and 69 ThuLEP. There was no difference in preoperative characteristics, including age and body mass index, between both groups. Changes in IPSS scores postoperatively were not significant between SP RASP versus ThuLEP (-17 vs. -14, p = 0.2956). SP RASP had a longer operative time (180 vs. 90 min, p < 0.0001). There was no difference in LOS (0 vs. 0 days, p = 0.2904). There was no difference in change in PVR (-96 vs. -91 mL, p = 0.8504). SP RASP patients had significantly less postoperative SUI than ThuLEP (0 vs. 13 patients, p = 0.0083), while there was no difference in UUI between both groups (4 vs. 2 patients, p = 0.0843). There was no difference in 30-day complication rate (21.2% vs. 21.7%, p = 0.9517), although there were three ThuLEP patients with Clavien-Dindo Class III or higher complication. There was no difference in change in IPSS scores between the two groups. ThuLEP is associated with shorter postoperative catheter days and decreased operative times. Hospital LOS was equivalent. SP RASP demonstrates significantly improved continence rates. Though SP RASP is within the initial learning curve at our institution, early results demonstrate the role for this modality alongside ThuLEP in the treatment of large gland BPH.


Unusual cause of neonatal cyanosis.
We present a case of a full-term female neonate who presented at 6 h of age with severe cyanosis and was partially responsive to oxygen supplementation. An echocardiogram showed an isolated congenital severe tricuspid valve insufficiency due to rupture of the papillary muscle of the anterior tricuspid valve leaflet. Magnesium sulfate was infused to lower the pulmonary resistance and thus enhancing the antegrade pulmonary blood flow. Ductal patency was secured by prostaglandin infusion thus providing an additional pulmonary blood flow through the ductus arteriosus. The above measures were adequate to stabilize the patient with no further deterioration or the need for other supportive measures such as Nitric Oxide therapy or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Therefore, early diagnosis and adequate measures to improve the pulmonary blood flow are mandatory, important pre-operative measures in the management of these patients.


A Qualitative Exploration of Maternal Anxiety: Implications for Helping Professionals.
To gain insight into the nature of maternal anxiety among mothers from diverse cultures through exploring the components of maternal anxiety and ways mothers cope with it in order to assist helping professionals in providing psychoeducation and counseling to mothers who experience intense anxiety regarding their children. In this qualitative study, 17 mothers participated in cognitive interviews conducted as a part of the maternal anxiety scale development. Data from semi-structured interviews was explored using thematic analysis. Four themes related to mothers' experiences of anxiety emerged from the data: (1) maternal insecurities and social comparison, (2) coping with anxiety, (3) dependence versus autonomy, (4) cultural considerations. The results of this study can be used by helping professionals working with mothers by implementing emotion regulation skills for maternal anxiety that are described in the implications section of the paper.


The effects of speed enforcement with mobile radar on speed and accidents. An evaluation study on rural roads in the Dutch province Friesland.
In an evaluation study, the effects of targeted speed enforcement on speed and road accidents were assessed. Enforcement was predominantly carried out by means of mobile radar and focused on rural non-motorway roads. Information and publicity supported the enforcement activities. The evaluation covered a period of 5 years of enforcement. The speed data of these 5 years and the year preceding the enforcement project showed a significant decrease in mean speed and the percentage speed limit violators over time. The largest decrease was found in the first year of the enforcement project and in the fourth year of the project, when the enforcement effort was further intensified. There were similar decreases in speeding at both the enforced roads and at the nearby comparison roads that were not subjected to the targeted speed enforcement project, which may be explained by spillover effects. The best estimate for the safety effect of the enforcement project is a reduction of 21% in both the number of injury accidents and the number of serious casualties. This was based on comparison between the number of accidents/casualties during the enforcement project (5 years) and and the 8 preceding years on the enforced roads and at all other roads outside urban areas in the same region.


Modulation of intracellular Ca(2+) concentration by tedisamil, a class III antiarrhythmic agent, in isolated heart preparation.
New class III antiarrhythmic/defibrillating compound tedisamil was shown to facilitate termination of atrial and ventricular fibrillation in experimental as well as clinical conditions. However, class III-related inhibition of K(+) current associated with prolongation of repolarization can not solely explain its defibrillating ability. Following recent findings it was hypothesized that defibrillating effect of tedisamil is likely due to its sympathomimetic feature linked with modulation of intracellular calcium. Results of this study obtained in isolated heart preparation showed that elevated intracellular Ca(2+) free concentration was decreased by administration of tedisamil in concentration that did not induce Q-T interval prolongation. Due to species differences the effective concentration was in rat 10(-7) M, while in guinea pig 10(-5) M. On the contrary, further dramatic increase of elevated Ca(2+) was detected upon administration of tedisamil in concentration that markedly prolonged Q-T interval (10(-5) M in rat). It is concluded that defibrillating ability of tedisamil is most likely associated with attenuation of abnormal and harmful intracellular Ca(2+) elevation (that is highly arrhythmogenic) than with prolongation of APD or Q-T interval.