Distal radius fractures: a comparison of tension band wiring versus ulnar outrigger external fixation for the management of distal radioulnar instability.
To retrospectively compare the results of immobilization of the forearm in supination with the results of tension band fixation of the ulnar styloid in 35 patients with distal radius fractures, fracture of the base of the ulnar styloid, and distal radioulnar joint instability treated with external fixation. Thirty-five patients with fractures of the distal radius, fracture of the base of the ulnar styloid, and unstable distal radioulnar joint had external fixation with adjunctive percutaneous pins and allograft bone to reduce and stabilize the distal radius fracture anatomically. Only those patients with an associated ulnar styloid base fracture displaced over 2 mm with gross distal radioulnar joint instability relative to the contralateral wrist were included in this study. Group 1 consisted of patients in whom the ulnar styloid base fracture was treated with conventional tension band wiring techniques. Group 2 patients were treated with a supplemental outrigger from the external fixator to the ulna and locked in 60 degrees of forearm supination. Groups 1 and 2 had an average follow-up period of 40 and 36 months, respectively. Group 2 had significantly better supination than group 1. In terms of functional outcome it was found that there was no significant difference for the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand and the Gartland and Werley scores between the 2 treatment groups. There was a lower rate of complications and fewer secondary procedures were required in group 2. The incidence of distal ulna resection was 4 of the 35 patients (2 patients in each group). Our results indicate that patients in whom the ulnar styloid can be reduced and maintained in supination can be treated effectively with fixed supination outrigger external fixation. This method resulted in a statistically significant improvement in supination and a lower rate of distal radioulnar joint complications, and it required fewer secondary procedures.


A comparison of fiberoptic-compatible oral airways.
Fiberoptic-compatible oral airways (FCOAs) combine the simplicity and benefits that traditional oral airways provide, with the advantage of mechanically guiding fiberoptic intubation. This review examines and compares the salient properties of these devices. Of note, the clinician should pay particular attention to the location and depth of the channel. FCOAs, with an anterior channel, may be advantageous for use with difficult intubations arising from an excessively anterior-oriented glottis, whereas a channel with excessive depth may hinder the localization of a glottis which is off-midline. In certain circumstances, channel size will limit tracheal tube size. The intubating Laryngeal Mask Airway (iLMA) is also included in this comparison. Although this device may have an advantage in performing blind intubations, its use, even with a fiberscope, may be limited. This limitation applies to intubations in which mouth opening is restricted, the glottis is off-midline, airway tumors are present, or with the presence of prior cervical radiotherapy. Furthermore, because of its size, the iLMA can potentially cause airway trauma, which could subsequently limit the utility of a fiberscope. In addition, the FCOA can generate greater positive-pressure ventilation, when used with a tight-fitting face mask, than the iLMA. FCOAs offer clinicians the ability to visualize airway anatomy while allowing straightforward access for tracheal intubation.


The influence of cohabitation type on the psychological vulnerability of family caregivers of people with dementia: Results from a community health survey of 324,078 people in Korea.
The purpose of this study was to identify the mental health problems and quality of life of family caregivers of people with dementia, depending on whether they live with people with dementia. The sample was divided into three groups: those without a family member with dementia, those with a family member with dementia but not living with them, and those living with a family member with dementia. Descriptive statistics, ANCOVA, and post-hoc tests were performed on key variables. We included a total of 324,078 people with at least one family member older than 60 years, whose data were extracted from the Korean Community Health Survey. Dependent variables: depressive symptoms, stress recognition, subjective health, happiness, and quality of life. family member with dementia (yes/no), cohabitation type. Control variables: Sex, age, region (urban/rural), household income, and education level. Depressive symptoms and stress recognition were higher in people who live with a family member with dementia. Their subjective health, happiness, and quality of life were the lowest of the three groups. Overall, the indicators for people who lived with a family member with dementia were the most negative, followed by those who did not live with their family member with dementia, and then those who did not have such a family member. Family caregivers living with people with dementia must be prioritized in policies regarding dementia; a program that can provide emotional support and reduce the burden of care is needed.


Cancer survivors' views of work 3 years post diagnosis: a UK perspective.
The impact of cancer on people's working lives is an increasingly important concern but knowledge on this issue is very limited in the UK. Forty-one people of working age were purposively selected from the North Western Cancer Intelligence Service and interviewed by telephone to describe their experiences to returning to work following diagnosis and treatment. The data was subject to qualitative thematic analysis using NVIVO software. The results indicated the importance of returning to work from diagnosis and through treatment which was then followed by a re-assessment of work-life balance when people recovered from primary treatment and were back in employment. The principle motivations for returning to work were a quest for normality and financial pressures. One barrier to returning to work was the lack of medical advice from cancer specialists and general practitioners regarding the appropriate time to get back to work. A good relationship with their employer/manager was a major influence on returning to work and appeared to be related to duration of service rather than occupational status. These findings demonstrate the importance of paid work to people diagnosed with cancer and highlight the need to improve the support from medical professionals, especially oncology nurses.


Symbiotic Wolbachia bacteria in coccinellid parasitoids: genetic diversity, horizontal transfer, and recombination.
Parasitoids, which constitute about 25% of all insects and attack arthropods of virtually all taxa, are considered the most suitable vectors for horizontal transmission of the symbiotic bacterium Wolbachia among insects. The parasitoids studied in this article develop in the larvae and pupae of ladybirds. For the first time, Wolbachia was found in parasitic wasp species of the genus Homalotylus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and from the subfamily Tetrastichinae (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). To characterize the Wolbachia strains, six bacterial housekeeping genes were examined and compared with previously published Wolbachia gene sequences. The same bacterial strains were found in all individuals of each species of parasitic wasps collected in different places and at different times, which indicates the absence of contamination and testifies to the heritability of the symbionts in the studied chalcids. No evidence was found that the parasitic wasps were infected with Wolbachia, identical to the symbionts of their ladybirds hosts. We found one Wolbachia strain, wHom-2, which is a product of bacterial recombination from unrelated insects, including ladybirds. The lack of correspondence between the molecular phylogenies of Wolbachia strains and mitochondrial DNA of their hosts indicates horizontal transfers of Wolbachia among parasitic wasps of the genus Homalotylus and from the subfamily Tetrastichinae.


Transferrin-mediated cellular iron delivery.
Essential to iron homeostasis is the transport of iron by the bilobal protein human serum transferrin (hTF). Each lobe (N- and C-lobe) of hTF forms a deep cleft which binds a single Fe(3+). Iron-bearing hTF in the blood binds tightly to the specific transferrin receptor (TFR), a homodimeric transmembrane protein. After undergoing endocytosis, acidification of the endosome initiates the release of Fe(3+) from hTF in a TFR-mediated process. Iron-free hTF remains tightly bound to the TFR at acidic pH; following recycling back to the cell surface, it is released to sequester more iron. Efficient delivery of iron is critically dependent on hTF/TFR interactions. Therefore, identification of the pH-specific contacts between hTF and the TFR is crucial. Recombinant protein production has enabled deconvolution of this complex system. The studies reviewed herein support a model in which pH-induced interrelated events control receptor-stimulated iron release from each lobe of hTF.


Glucose "peak" and glucose "spike": Impact on endothelial function and oxidative stress.
Data suggest that 2h hyperglycaemia during an OGTT is less predictive for cardiovascular disease of the glucose "spike" (the difference between the baseline glucose level and the "peak" hyperglycaemia during the test). A euinsulinemic hyperglycaemic clamp at 10 and 15mmol/l glucose, with or without vitamin C, was given in increasing steps in diabetic and normal subjects. Moreover, a hyperglycaemic clamp, 10mmol/l, was performed in two groups of diabetic patients with different levels of fasting glycaemia. In both the experiments flow mediated dilation and nitrotyrosine were measured. Glucose at 10 and 15mmol/l resulted in a concentration-dependent induction of endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress. Vitamin C counterbalanced this effect. The increase of glycaemia to 10mmol/l induced a significant endothelial dysfunction and increased nitrotyrosine in both the groups of diabetics with different fasting glycaemia. However, when the delta (the difference between the basal value and the peak value) for endothelial function and nitrotyrosine was evaluated, patients with lower basal values showed a worse outcome. Our data suggest that at the same level of hyperglycaemia the grading of the endothelial dysfunction is almost super imposable, but clearly worse in terms of delta from fasting glycaemia.


DMSO enhances electrospray response, boosting sensitivity of proteomic experiments.
We report that low percentages of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) in liquid chromatography solvents lead to a strong enhancement of electrospray ionization of peptides, improving the sensitivity of protein identification in bottom-up proteomics by up to tenfold. The method can be easily implemented on any LC-MS/MS system without modification to hardware or software and at no additional cost.


Drawbacks of endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy.
Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) has come into widespread use for palmar hyperhidrosis and other complaints of the upper limb and of the head and neck, but there are concerns about its safety. This review highlights the operative complications and long-term side-effects that may occur. A Medline search was carried out using the terms 'thoracoscopic sympathectomy', 'endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy' and 'complications'. References from identified articles were handsearched for further relevant articles. The senior author's experience and personal communications were also taken into account. No death following ETS has ever been reported in the literature, but nine anecdotal fatalities are known, five resulting from major intrathoracic bleeding and three from anaesthetic mishap. Significant intrathoracic bleeding may occur in up to 5 per cent of patients but only a minority require thoracotomy; pneumothorax occurs in 2 per cent of patients and two instances of brain damage are known. In the longer term compensatory hyperhidrosis is extremely common and 1-2 per cent of patients regret having had surgery because of its severity. Horner's syndrome, on the other hand, is rare. Improvements in instrumentation, adequate training and careful patient selection may help reduce the drawbacks of ETS.


Elevation of activated neutrophils in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.
Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is well characterized by type 2 (T2) inflammation characterized by eosinophilia in Western countries. However, the presence and roles of neutrophils in T2 CRSwNP are poorly understood. We sought to clarify accumulation and inflammatory roles of neutrophils in CRSwNP in a Western population. Sinonasal tissues and nasal lavage fluids were obtained from control patients and patients with CRS, and neutrophil markers were determined by ELISA. The presence of neutrophils in tissue was determined by flow cytometry. The gene expression profiles in neutrophils were determined by RNA sequencing. A neutrophil marker elastase was selectively elevated in nasal polyp (NP) tissue, whereas eosinophilic cationic protein (an eosinophil marker) was elevated in both uncinate and NP tissues of CRSwNP patients. Nasal lavage fluid myeloperoxidase (another neutrophil marker) was also significantly elevated in CRSwNP compared to control patients. Neutrophil markers were more greatly elevated in CRSwNP patients with recurrent disease. Flow cytometric analysis confirmed that neutrophil numbers were significantly elevated in NPs compared to control tissues. RNA sequencing analysis found that 344 genes were >3-fold and significantly elevated in NP neutrophils compared to peripheral blood neutrophils. Gene Ontology analysis suggested that the elevated genes in NP neutrophils were significantly associated with activation. Results suggest that neutrophils are accumulated in T2 NP tissues and that accumulated neutrophils are highly activated and contribute to inflammation in NPs. Neutrophils may play a heretofore unrecognized meaningful role in the pathogenesis of CRSwNP in Western countries and may be a potentially important therapeutic target in T2 CRSwNP.


Tailored magnetic resonance fingerprinting of post-operative pediatric brain tumor patients.
Brain and spinal cord tumors are the second most common cancer in children and account for one out of four cancers diagnosed. However, the long acquisition times associated with acquiring both data types prohibit using quantitative MR (qMR) in pediatric imaging protocols. This study aims to demonstrate the tailored magnetic resonance fingerprinting's (TMRF) ability to simultaneously provide quantitative maps (T1, T2) and multi-contrast qualitative images (T1 weighted, T1 FLAIR, T2 weighted) rapidly in pediatric brain tumor patients. In this work, we imaged five pediatric patients with brain tumors (resected/residual) using TMRF at 3 T. We compared the TMRF-derived T2 weighted images with those from the vendor-supplied sequence (as the gold standard, GS) for healthy and pathological tissue signal intensities. The relaxometric maps from TMRF were subjected to a region of interest (ROI) analysis to differentiate between healthy and pathological tissues. We performed the Wilcoxon rank sum test to check for significant differences between the two tissue types. We found significant differences (p < 0.05) in both T1 and T2 ROI values between the two tissue types. A strong correlation was found between the TMRF-based T2 weighted and GS signal intensities for the healthy (correlation coefficient, r = 0.99) and pathological tissues (r = 0.88). The TMRF implementation provides the two relaxometric maps and can potentially save ~2 min if it replaces the T2-weighted imaging in the current protocol.


Human immune responses to oral microorganisms. II. Serum antibody responses to antigens from Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and the correlation with localized juvenile periodontitis.
Human serum antibody responses to antigens from a suspected oral pathogen, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (Aa), were studied. IgG and IgM isotype antibodies to four antigen preparations, sonicate antigen (SA), leukotoxin (LT), group carbohydrate (LG), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), were determined using an ELISA. An ELISA inhibition technique was developed to show that human serum antibodies reacting with the LT, LG, or LPS materials were binding to different antigenic moieties in each preparation. Cross-sectional studies of serum IgG antibodies showed that patients with localized juvenile periodontitis (LJP) had a greater frequency of occurrence and a higher level of antibodies to the SA (82%), LT (70%), and LG (62%) antigens compared to all other diseased (11-46%) or normal (4-13%) groups. Serum IgM antibodies to LPS were increased in LJP, generalized juvenile periodontitis, and adult periodontitis patients compared to all other groups. Therefore, while both IgG and IgM antibodies were found against various Aa antigens, the detection of IgG antibodies was most clearly associated with the specific disease classification of LJP. Blocking studies suggested that the human serum responses were specific for the Aa antigens and that the LT, LG, and LPS comprise major antigenic determinants on the organisms to which human serum antibody reacts.


Concomitant Total Shoulder Arthroplasty and Ipsilateral Carpal Tunnel Release: Is It Safe?
Symptomatic carpal tunnel syndrome in patients with advanced ipsilateral glenohumeral arthritis requiring total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) may be easily overlooked. Even when diagnosed beforehand, most upper extremity surgeons have historically chosen to perform TSA and carpal tunnel release (CTR) separately. We hypothesized that combined single-stage TSA and CTR is feasible and yields results comparable with those when the 2 procedures are performed separately, while avoiding 2 surgeries. This was a retrospective review of patients who underwent single-stage primary TSA and ipsilateral CTR between 2015 and 2019. The shoulder outcomes included pain, range of motion, and validated quality of life (QoL) questionnaires: Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12) and Penn Shoulder Score. The CTR outcomes included pain, grip, pinch, VR-12, shortened Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand Questionnaire (QuickDASH), and Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire. The time to the initiation of rehabilitation and complications were also analyzed. The comparison group consisted of patients who underwent independent TSA or CTR during the same period. Forty-one patients underwent concomitant TSA and CTR, 248 underwent isolated TSA, and 154 underwent isolated CTR. The shoulder outcomes of patients who underwent the combined procedure were similar to those of patients who underwent isolated TSA in terms of pain, range of motion, general QoL (VR-12), and shoulder-specific QoL (Penn Shoulder Score). The outcomes of patients who underwent the combined procedure were similar to those of patients who underwent isolated CTR in terms of pain, grip and pinch, general QoL (VR-12), QuickDASH, and Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire. The time to the initiation of rehabilitation was also comparable. Concomitant CTR and TSA are feasible. The functional outcomes and QoL of patients who underwent the concomitant treatment were comparable with those of patients who underwent the 2 procedures separately. Therapeutic IV.


Endoscopic ultrasound-guided celiac ganglia neurolysis vs. celiac plexus neurolysis: a randomized multicenter trial.
No prospective comparison of endoscopic ultrasonography-guided direct celiac ganglia neurolysis (EUS - CGN) vs. EUS-guided celiac plexus neurolysis (EUS - CPN) has been reported. The aim of the current study was to compare the effectiveness of EUS - CGN and EUS - CPN in providing pain relief from upper abdominal cancer pain in a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Patients with upper abdominal cancer pain were randomly assigned to treatment using either EUS - CGN or EUS - CPN. Evaluation was performed at Day 7 postoperatively using a pain scale of 0 to 10. Patients for whom pain decreased to ≤ 3 were considered to have a positive response, and those experiencing a decrease in pain to ≤ 1 were considered to be completely responsive. Comparison between the two groups was performed using intention-to-treat analysis. The primary endpoint was the difference in treatment response rates between EUS - CGN and EUS - CPN at postoperative Day 7. Secondary endpoints included differences in complete response rates, pain scores, duration of pain relief, and incidence of adverse effects. A total of 34 patients were assigned to each group. Visualization of ganglia was possible in 30 cases (88 %) in the EUS - CGN group. The positive response rate was significantly higher in the EUS - CGN group (73.5 %) than in the EUS - CPN group (45.5 %; P = 0.026). The complete response rate was also significantly higher in the EUS - CGN group (50.0 %) than in the EUS - CPN group (18.2 %; P = 0.010). There was no difference in adverse events or duration of pain relief between the two groups. EUS - CGN is significantly superior to conventional EUS - CPN in cancer pain relief. http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index.htm (ID: UMIN-000002536).


Inhibition of A9 and A10 dopamine cells by the cholecystokinin-B antagonist LY262691: mediation through feedback pathways from forebrain sites.
The diphenylpyrazolidinone cholecystokinin-B (CCK-B) antagonist LY262691 has been shown to decrease the number of spontaneously active dopamine (DA) cells in the ventral tegmental area (A10) and substantia nigra (A9) of the anesthetized rat. In the present study, we examined the localization of the receptors mediating these effects of LY262691 on A9 and A10 DA cells. In one group of anesthetized rats, the effects of systemic administration of LY262691 on the number of spontaneously active A9 or A10 DA cells was determined using extracellular, single-unit recordings after radio frequency lesions were placed in the nucleus accumbens, caudate-putamen, or medial prefrontal cortex. Lesions of the caudate-putamen blocked the effects of systemically administered LY262691 on the number of spontaneously active A9, but not A10, DA cells. Conversely, lesions of the n. accumbens blocked the effects of systemically administered LY262691 on A10, but not A9, DA cells. Lesions of the medial prefrontal cortex blocked the effects of systemically administered LY262691 on both A9 and A10 DA cells. In a separate group of anesthetized rats, the number of spontaneously active A9 or A10 DA cells was determined after LY262691 was microinjected into the n. accumbens, caudate-putamen, or medial prefrontal cortex. Microinjection of LY262691 into the caudate-putamen led to a significant decrease in the number of spontaneously active A9, but not A10, DA cells. Conversely, microinjection of LY262691 into the n. accumbens or medial prefrontal cortex led to a significant decrease in the number of spontaneously active A10, but not A9, DA cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Undifferentiated sex cord-stromal tumor in a young adult.
Undifferentiated sex cord-stromal tumor in post-puberty male is extremely rare. There were only three reported cases in the literature. We reported a 19-year-old patient presented with an asymptomatic right testicular nodule with normal level of serum marker for germ cell tumor. Excisional biopsy and subsequent orchidectomy was preformed and the final pathology supported the diagnosis of undifferentiated sex cord-stromal tumor. He was then put on regular surveillance with no adjuvant therapy given. He remained disease free 18 months after the operation. A summary of the literatures and discussion on the management of this rare tumor was provided.


La Théorie Critique De La Race, Un Outil De Lecture Des Relations Ambiguës Entre Les Communautés Francophones En Situation Minoritaire Et Leurs Immigrants Noirs Francophones.
In becoming host communities for Francophone immigrants in the early 2000s, Canada's Francophone minority communities (FMCs) are facing the test of moving away from a predominant ethnic nationalism to an inclusive civic nationalism. The reception and integration of Black and Francophone immigrants is therefore a relevant indicator of the success of this test. Drawing on critical race theory and bricolage methodology, we reconstruct the ambiguous relationship between FMCs and their Black francophone immigrants who are both invited into French society and discriminated against.


How Much Do Young Italians Know About COVID-19 and What Are Their Attitudes Toward SARS-CoV-2? Results of a Cross-Sectional Study.
At the end of 2019, an outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia, called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 1 (SARS-CoV-2), was first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. It subsequently spread throughout China and elsewhere, becoming a global health emergency. In February 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) designated the disease coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The objective of this study was to investigate the degree of knowledge of young Italians about COVID-19 and their current attitudes toward the SARS-CoV-2 and to determine if there were prejudices emerging toward Chinese. An online survey was conducted on February 3, 4, 5, 2020, with the collaboration of Italian website "Skuola.net". Young people had the opportunity to participate by answering an ad hoc questionnaire created to investigate knowledge and attitudes about the new coronavirus, using a link published on the homepage. A total of 5234 responses were received, of which 3262 were females and 1972 were males. Most of the participants showed generally moderate knowledge about COVID-19. Male students, middle school students, and those who do not attend school, should increase awareness of the disease; less than half of responders say that their attitudes toward the Chinese population has worsened in the last period. Global awareness of this emerging infection should be increased, due to its virulence, the significant risk of mortality, and the ability of the virus to spread very quickly within the community.


Mechanisms of improved glycaemic control after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) greatly improves glycaemic control in morbidly obese patients with type 2 diabetes, in many even before significant weight loss. Understanding the responsible mechanisms may contribute to our knowledge of the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes and help identify new drug targets or improve surgical techniques. This review summarises the present knowledge based on pathophysiological studies published during the last decade. Taken together, two main mechanisms seem to be responsible for the early improvement in glycaemic control after RYGB: (1) an increase in hepatic insulin sensitivity induced, at least in part, by energy restriction and (2) improved beta cell function associated with an exaggerated postprandial glucagon-like peptide 1 secretion owing to the altered transit of nutrients. Later a weight loss induced improvement in peripheral insulin sensitivity follows.


Chemodivergent Photocatalyzed Heterocyclization of Hydrazones and Isothiocyanates for the Selectivity Synthesis of 2-Amino-1,3,4-thiadiazoles and 1,2,4-Triazole-3-thiones.
A photocatalytic chemodivergent reaction for the selectivity formation of C-S and C-N bonds in a controlled manner was proposed. The reaction medium, either neutral or acidic, is critical to dictate the formation of 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazoles and 1,2,4-triazole-3-thiones from isothiocyanates and hydrazones. This is a practical protocol to achieve the chemoselectivity under mild and metal-free conditions.


Therapeutic efficacy of mesenchymal stromal cells and secretome in pulmonary arterial hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and secretome are promising therapies for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). This meta-analysis aimed to provide a precise estimate and compare the therapeutic efficacy of MSC and secretome in PAH. We searched six databases (CINAHL, Cochrane, Ovid Medline, PubMed, Science Direct and Scopus) until December 2018 using search terms related to MSCs, secretome and PAH. Twenty-three studies were included for the meta-analysis. The effect size of pulmonary hemodynamics and right ventricular hypertrophy markers was estimated using random effects model. MSCs and secretome significantly improved pulmonary hemodynamics and right ventricular hypertrophy compared to control. Comparison between MSCs and secretome indicate no significant difference in reducing right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) and medial wall thickening (MWT). However, treatment of PAH with secretome significantly improved mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) (p = 0.018) and right ventricular/left ventricular + septum (RV/LV+S) (p = 0.017) better than MSCs. Meta-regression shows that cell type (p = 0.034) is a predictor of MSCs to reduce RVSP in PAH. Similarly, the effect of secretome on MWT was significantly (p = 0.011) better at 4 weeks compared to 2 weeks of intervention. The overall risk of bias ranges from low to moderate; however, some of the essential elements required in reports of animal trials were not reported. There was evidence of publication bias for RV/LV+S and MWT, but not RVSP. This meta-analysis provides evidence of the therapeutic benefits of MSCs and secretome in PAH and the effect of secretome was similar or superior to MSCs.


Posttranslational modification of therapeutic proteins in plants.
Plants have emerged as an alternative to current systems for the production of therapeutic proteins. The advantages of plants for the low-cost and large-scale production of safe and biologically active mammalian proteins have been documented recently. A major advantage of transgenic plants over production systems that are based on yeast or Escherichia coli is their ability to perform most of the posttranslational modifications (PTMs) that are required for the bioactivity and pharmacokinetics of recombinant therapeutic proteins. Furthermore, recent advances in the control of PTMs in transgenic plants have made it possible for plants to perform, at least to some extent, human-like modifications of recombinant proteins. Hence, plants have become a suitable alternative to animal cell factories for the production of therapeutic proteins.


Defective apoptotic cell phagocytosis attenuates prostaglandin E2 and 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid in severe asthma alveolar macrophages.
Clearance of apoptotic cells is crucial to the resolution of inflammation and development of fibrosis, but the process is not well understood in normal or diseased human lungs. To determine phagocytosis of apoptotic cells by primary human alveolar macrophages and whether defects in uptake of apoptotic cells are associated with decreases in antiinflammatory/antifibrotic mediators. Human bronchoalveolar lavage macrophages (AMphis) from normal control subjects and subjects with mild-moderate or severe asthma were examined in vitro for phagocytosis of apoptotic human T-cell line Jurkats and secretion of inflammatory mediators. AMphis from normal subjects and patients with mild-moderate asthma were able to phagocytose apoptotic cells in response to LPS, resulting in an induction of the antifibrotic and/or antiinflammatory eicosanoids, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (HETE). In contrast, AMphis from patients with severe asthma had defective LPS-stimulated uptake of apoptotic cells, with associated failure to induce PGE2 and 15-HETE. In addition, LPS-stimulated basal levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor were reduced in all patients with asthma, whereas PGE2 and 15-HETE were reduced only in patients with severe asthma. Dexamethasone enhanced specific uptake of apoptotic cells in all subjects, while suppressing inflammatory mediator secretion. A decrease in AMphis LPS-responsiveness in severe asthma is manifested by defective apoptotic cell uptake and reduces secretion of inflammatory mediators. This may contribute to the chronicity of inflammation and remodeling in lungs of patients with asthma.


Phenotype and functions of B cells in patients with acute brain injuries.
Brain injuries (BI) induce a state of systemic immunosuppression, leading to a high risk of pneumonia. In this pilot study, we investigated the status of B cell compartment in BI patients. A prospective observational study was performed in 2 intensive care units in a university hospital. Blood samples were collected in 14 patients at day 1 and day 7 after acute BI. The phenotype and the ability of B cells to secrete IL-10 were compared to 11 healthy volunteers (HV). Among the circulating lymphocytes, the frequency of B cells was significantly higher in BI patients compared to HV (p<0.001). B cells from BI patients displayed an activated profil on day 7 after BI, reflected by a significantly higher proportion of CD27(+) memory (p=0.01) and CD27(+) IgD(-) switched memory B cells (p=0.02), as well as a significantly higher blood level of IgA (p=0.001) and IgM (p<0.001) as compared to day 1. The frequency of IL-10 secreting B cells (IL-10(+) B cells) on day 1 and day 7 was significantly lower in BI patients compared to HV (p<0.05). Interestingly, we observed that all BI patients with high frequency of IL-10(+) B cells on day 1 displayed an episode of pneumonia, and had a longer duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay compared to BI patients with low proportion of IL-10(+) B cells. This study provides an extensive description of the phenotype and function of B cells in BI patients. Our results suggest that IL-10(+) B cells could play a major role in immunosuppression after BI.


The association of familial liver disease, subepidermal immunoproteins, and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis.
Herein we report a new familial form of hepatic disease. Each of the four patients had splenomegaly, hypersplenism, a small liver, biochemical evidence of hepatic excretory dysfunction and hepatocellular damage, kidneys without demonstrable cysts, and normal blood pressue. An evaluation of serum immunoproteins, autoantibodies, histocompatibility antigens, and mixed lymphocyte reactivity further defined the immunologic features of this syndrome. Extrahepatic manifestations included a papulosquamous dermatitis with deposition of immunoglobulins and complement in both normal and abnormal skin, a membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis with subendothelial deposits, arthritis, and pericardial, pleural, and synovial effusions.


Bovine costimulator. II. Generation and maintenance of a bovine costimulator-dependent bovine lymphoblastoid cell line.
Bovine peripheral blood leukocytes, activated with concanavalin A, were cultured in bovine costimulator-containing conditioned medium prepared in a totally defined, serum-free medium. A population of leukocytes subsequently grew exponentially. These bovine cells had the morphology of lymphoblasts, were negative for chloroacetate esterase, slightly positive for conspecific esterases, and highly peanut agglutinin-positive. These data suggested that the bovine leukocytes were of the T-cell lineage and that the active factor in the costimulator-containing conditioned medium might be the bovine equivalent of interleukin 2. A quantitative microassay, subsequently developed, revealed that the lymphoblastoid cell line was costimulator-dependent and lectin-independent. Further utilization of the microassay supported this contention and strengthened the concept of a bovine interleukin 2-dependent bovine T-cell line: Phytohemagglutin-M, phytohemagglutinin-P, and concanavalin A induced active factor from peripheral blood leukocytes, while lipopolysaccharide, a potent inducer of Interleukin 1 in other systems, failed to induce activity; and both T-cells and macrophages were required for optimal factor activity. Finally, a means by which to optimize production of the active moiety, utilizing lymph node cells, as opposed to peripheral blood leukocytes, was examined.


Secondary Sclerosing Cholangitis After SARS-CoV2: ICU Ketamine Use or Virus-Specific Biliary Tropism and Injury in the Context of Biliary Ischemia in Critically Ill Patients?
From the beginning of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus-2 (SARS-CoV2) pandemic, different cases of a cholangiopathy with features of secondary sclerosing cholangitis in critically ill patients (SSC-CIP) have been reported. Patients developing it are generally recovering from severe Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) and required intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mechanical ventilation. Many of them have been administered with ketamine during their ICU stay. The pathogenesis of this novel disease is still debated, and, since prognosis is poor, efforts are needed in order to better understand it. In this review, we focused our attention on COVID-19 SSC clinical, imaging, and histology findings in order to clarify the different pathogenetic options, particularly in regard of the ischemic-direct viral damage and ketamine-related theories, beginning with a recapitulation of SSC-CIP and ketamine-induced cholangiopathy in abusers. The research has been conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Key-words were "Secondary Sclerosing Cholangiopathy", "SSC-CIP", "Secondary Sclerosing Cholangiopathy in critically ill patients", "Ketamine and cholangiopathy", "Ketamine abusers and liver disease", "Ketamine-related cholangiopathy", "SARS-CoV2 infection and liver disease", "post Covid-19 secondary sclerosing cholangitis", "Covid-19 cholangiopathy". Many authors, based on the clinical, histological, imaging, and prognostic features of the disease, have pointed out the similarities between post COVID-19 SSC and SSC-CIP; however, peculiar features in the former were not previously observed. Therefore, a direct viral cytopathic action and SARS-CoV2-related coagulopathy are considered the most likely causes. On the other hand, ketamine, with the available data, cannot be surely linked as the main determinant cause of cholangiopathy. Moreover, ketamine-induced cholangitis (KIC) presentation is different from post COVID-19 SSC. Its role as a cofactor precipitating the disease cannot be ruled out. Post COVID-19 SSC is a rare clinical entity following severe COVID-19 disease. The most accepted theory is that a sum of different insults determines the disease: biliary ischemia, direct viral damage, toxic bile, possibly worsened by ketamine and hyperinflammation due to the cytokine storm. Given the severe prognosis of the disease, with persistent cholangiopathy, organ failure, and orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), further study on this novel clinical entity is needed.


Discrimination and mental health in the minority sexual population: Cross-sectional analysis of the first peruvian virtual survey.
This study sought to evaluate the association between discrimination and having mental health problems in the past 12 months in the sexual minority population in Peru. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of a secondary database corresponding to the first LGBTI survey in Peru in 2017. We included adults who self-identified their sexual orientation as gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, or asexual/others. Both the exposure and dependent variables were self-reported by the participants. Multivariable Poisson regression was used to determine the association by calculating adjusted prevalence ratios (APR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Out of 9760 respondents, more than two-thirds of the participants reported having been discriminated against or having experienced violence at some time in their lives (70.3%) and one-fourth reported having mental health problems (23.8%). In the multivariable regression model, the prevalence of mental health problems in the last 12 months was 72% higher for the group of individuals who experienced discrimination when compared with the group that did not experience discrimination (APR = 1.72, 95% CI 1.57-1.88). The association was stronger among who self-identified lesbians (APR = 2.08, 95% CI 1.65-2.64). The prevalence of mental health problems and discrimination was high in this population. In addition, we found a statistically significant association between discrimination and the occurrence of mental health problems in the last 12 months.


Asymmetric processing of durational differences - electrophysiological investigations in Bengali.
Duration is used contrastively in many languages to distinguish word meaning (e.g. in Bengali, [pata] 'leaf' vs. [pat:a] 'whereabouts'). While there is a large body of research on other contrasts in speech perception (e.g. vowel contrasts and consonantal place features), little work has been done on how durational information is used in speech processing. In non-linguistic studies of low-level processing, such as visual and non-linguistic acoustic pop-out tasks, an asymmetry is found where additional information is more readily detected than missing information. In this study, event-related potentials were recorded during two cross-modal auditory-visual semantic priming studies, where nonword mispronunciations of spoken prime words were created by changing the duration of a medial consonant (real word [dana] 'seed'>nonword [dan:a]). N400 amplitudes showed an opposite asymmetric pattern of results, where increases in consonantal duration were tolerated and led to priming of the visual target, but decreases in consonantal duration were not accepted. This asymmetrical pattern of acceptability is attributed to the fact that a longer consonant includes all essential information for the recognition of the original word with a short medial consonant (a possible default category) and any additional information can be ignored. However, when a consonant is shortened, it lacks the required durational information to activate the word with the original long consonant.


A Ramsey apparatus for proton spins in flowing water.
We present an apparatus that applies Ramsey's method of separated oscillatory fields to proton spins in water molecules. The setup consists of a water circuit, a spin polarizer, a magnetically shielded interaction region with various radio frequency elements, and a nuclear magnetic resonance system to measure the spin polarization. We show that this apparatus can be used for Rabi resonance measurements and to investigate magnetic and pseudomagnetic field effects in Ramsey-type precision measurements with a sensitivity below 100 pT.


Intestinal blood flow assessment by indocyanine green fluorescence imaging in a patient with the incarcerated umbilical hernia: Report of a case.
After reduction of the incarceration during surgery for incarcerated hernia, intestinal blood flow (IBF) and the need for bowel resection must be evaluated. We report the case of a patient with incarcerated umbilical hernia in whom the bowel was preserved after evaluating IBF using indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence. A woman in her 40s with a chief complaint of abdominal pain visited our hospital, was diagnosed with incarcerated umbilical hernia and underwent surgery. Laparotomy was performed to reduce bowel incarceration. After reducing the incarceration, IBF was observed using ICG fluorescence detected using a brightfield full-color fluorescence camera. The small bowel that had been incarcerated showed deep-red discoloration on gross evaluation, but intravenous injection of ICG revealed uniform fluorescence of the mesentery and bowel wall. This indicated an absence of irreversible ischemic changes of the bowel, so no resection was performed. The patient showed a good postoperative course, including resumption of eating on day 4 and discharge on day 11. In surgery for incarcerated hernia, ICG fluorescence may offer a useful method to evaluate IBF after reducing the incarceration. This case implied that PINPOINT could be used in open conventional surgery.


Causes of death among early-onset colorectal cancer population in the United States: a large population-based study.
Early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC) has an alarmingly increasing trend and arouses increasing attention. Causes of death in EOCRC population remain unclear. Data of EOCRC patients (1975-2018) were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Distribution of death was calculated, and death risk of each cause was compared with the general population by calculating standard mortality ratios (SMRs) at different follow-up time. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were utilized to identify independent prognostic factors for overall survival (OS). The study included 36,013 patients, among whom 9,998 (27.7%) patients died of colorectal cancer (CRC) and 6,305 (17.5%) patients died of non-CRC causes. CRC death accounted for a high proportion of 74.8%-90.7% death cases within 10 years, while non-CRC death (especially cardiocerebrovascular disease death) was the major cause of death after 10 years. Non-cancer death had the highest SMR in EOCRC population within the first year after cancer diagnosis. Kidney disease [SMR = 2.10; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.65-2.64] and infection (SMR = 1.92; 95% CI, 1.48-2.46) were two high-risk causes of death. Age at diagnosis, race, sex, year of diagnosis, grade, SEER stage, and surgery were independent prognostic factors for OS. Most of EOCRC patients died of CRC within 10-year follow-up, while most of patients died of non-CRC causes after 10 years. Within the first year after cancer diagnosis, patients had high non-CRC death risk compared to the general population. Our findings help to guide risk monitoring and management for US EOCRC patients.


Targeting prostate cancer stem cells for cancer therapy.
Prostate cancer is the most common malignant neoplasm in men and the second most frequent cause of cancer death for males in the United States. Recently, emerging evidence suggests that prostate cancer stem cells (CSCs) may play a critical role in the development and progression of prostate cancer. Therefore, targeting prostate CSCs for the prevention of tumor progression and treatment of prostate cancer could become a novel strategy for better treatment of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer. In this review article, we will summarize the most recent advances in the prostate CSCs field, with particular emphasis on targeting prostate CSCs to treat prostate cancer.


Cardiac involvement in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (formerly Churg-Strauss syndrome): Prospective evaluation at a tertiary referral centre.
Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a rare systemic vasculitis. Cardiac specific involvement (CSI) is caused by coronary artery vasculitis, but also by myocardial eosinophilic infiltration. To date, the prevalence of CSI associated with EGPA is unresolved. Aim of this study was to systematically assess the prevalence and clinical impact of CSI in a consecutive outpatient EGPA population. Between October 2018 and July 2019, we prospectively enrolled 52 consecutive EGPA patients. All underwent comprehensive evaluation including a standardized questionnaire, physical examination, 12-lead-ECG, echocardiography. Cardiac magnetic resonance and 24 h-Holter were performed as deemed clinically appropriate. Cardiac abnormalities were defined as CSI based on the likelihood of their relation to EGPA vasculitis, after exclusion of alternative diagnoses. 52 enrolled patients, mean age 59±1 years. Thirteen of the 52 patients (25%) were classified as CSI+. CSI was characterized by myocarditis in four patients, non-scar-related regional wall motions abnormalities (RWMA) in three, apical thrombosis in two (one also had RWMA), pericarditis in three and non-atherosclerotic coronary disease (Prinzmetal angina and coronaritis) in 2. Five (38%) of the 13 CSI+ patients, presented an apical aneurysm. Peak eosinophil count at diagnosis was higher in CSI+: 8000 /μl vs CSI-: 3000 /μl, p = 0.017. Overall, 2 patients had severe LV dysfunction, 5 required urgent hospitalization and 8 required long-term cardioactive therapy. CSI was present in one-quarter of patients, often associated with high peak eosinophils. Myocarditis, RWMA and apical aneurysms were the most common manifestations. Although rarely severe and life-threatening, CSI often required long-term cardioactive treatment.


[Spinal subarachnoid hemorrhage in a case of stenosis of the aorta (author's transl)].
A case of aortic coarctation was reported. This vascular malformation caused a dilatation of the vessels of the thoracic segment of the spinal cord, subarachnoid hemorrhage and paraplegia. These pathological alterations are due to cystic arachnoidal modifications.


Observed kneeling ability after total, unicompartmental and patellofemoral knee arthroplasty: perception versus reality.
Kneeling is an important function of the knee, but little information is available on ability to kneel after different knee arthroplasty procedures. Previous work has asked patients about their kneeling ability; in this study it was objectively assessed. One hundred and twenty two patients - 38 having had total knee replacement (TKR), 53 unicompartmental knee replacement (UKR), 31 patello-femoral replacement (PFR) - were observed trying to kneel at 90 degrees on a chair, at 90 degrees on the floor, and at 120 degrees on the floor. Only 37% of patients thought they could kneel, whereas 81% were actually able to kneel ( p<0.001). Ability to kneel on the chair and on the floor at 90 degrees was significantly better than perceived ability for all prosthesis types ( p<0.001). Kneeling at 120 degrees showed no difference between perception and reality except for the PFR group ( p<0.05). In all positions, increased range of movement significantly improved kneeling ability ( p<0.001). Kneeling ability in men was significantly better than in women ( p<0.001). Patient-centred questionnaires do not accurately document kneeling ability after knee arthroplasty.


The cost of care of rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis patients in tertiary care rheumatology units in Turkey.
To determine the direct and indirect costs due to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients in Turkey. An expert panel was convened to estimate the direct and indirect costs of care of patients with RA and AS in Turkey. The panel was composed of 22 experts chosen from all national tertiary care rheumatology units (n=53). To calculate direct costs, the medical management of RA and AS patients was estimated using 'cost-of-illness' methodology. To measure indirect costs, the number of days of sick leave, the extent of disability, and the levels of early retirement and early death were also evaluated. Lost productivity costs were calculated using the 'human capital approach', based on the minimum wage. The total annual direct costs were 2,917.03 Euros per RA patient and 3,565.9 Euros for each AS patient. The direct costs were thus substantial, but the indirect costs were much higher because of extensive morbidity and mortality rates. The total annual indirect costs were 7,058.99 Euros per RA patient and 6,989.81 for each AS patient. Thus, the total cost for each RA patient was 9,976.01 Euros and that for an AS patient 10,555.72 Euros, in Turkey. From the societal perspective, both RA and AS have become burden in Turkey. The cost of lost productivity is higher than the medical cost. Another important conclusion is that indirect costs constitute 70% and 66% of total costs in patients with RA and AS, respectively.


Serum creatinine/cystatin C ratio as a case-finding tool for low handgrip strength in Chinese middle-aged and older adults.
Measuring handgrip strength is the initial step to diagnose sarcopenia. To investigate whether the serum creatinine (Cr)/cystatin C (CysC) ratio could serve as a case-finding tool for low handgrip strength, we conducted a diagnostic accuracy study. Adults (aged ≥ 40 years) with normal renal function were recruited. Trained nurses collected blood samples and conducted the anthropometric measurements and handgrip strength test. The serum concentrations of Cr, CysC, and other biomarkers were measured. We recruited 1098 men and 1241 women. The Cr/CysC ratio was significantly associated with AWGS-defined low handgrip strength among men and women. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves were 0.79 among men and 0.78 among women for using the Cr/CysC ratio to identify AWGS-defined low handgrip strength. We set the Cr/CysC ratio cut-off values at < 8.9 among men and < 8.0 among women. The corresponding sensitivity values were 64.9% among men and 63.1% among women, while the specificity values were 83.7% among men and 77.5% among women. In conclusion, the Cr/CysC ratio is positively and linearly associated with handgrip strength and may be helpful for screening low handgrip strength in Chinese middle-aged and older adults dwelling in communities.


Acute liver failure caused by Amanita verna: a case series and review of the literature.
Amanita verna is one of the most harmful wild fungi in China. Amanita verna poisoning occurs every year, and the mortality is as high as 50%. However, its clinical manifestations are complex and diverse. In March 2019, three patients took a large amount of Amanita, and one of them received liver transplantation in Zhongshan hospital, Sun Yat-sen University. All patients had vomiting and diarrhea 8-12 h after eating wild mushrooms (Amanita). The patients were initially diagnosed with Amanita poisoning. One case (case 3) was complicated and diagnosed as mushroom poisoning (fatal Amanita), toxic hepatitis, acute liver failure, toxic encephalopathy, hemorrhagic colitis, toxic myocarditis, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and pregnancy. The general clinical data of all patients were recorded, who received early treatment such as hemodialysis, artificial liver plasma exchange, hormone shock and anti-infection. One case (case 1) recovered smoothly after liver transplantation, and the indexes of liver, kidney, coagulation function and infection were improved. The other two cases died of intracerebral hemorrhage. Liver transplantation is an effective method for the treatment of acute liver failure caused by mushroom poisoning and can improve the survival rate of patients with toxic liver failure.


Effects on glucose homeostasis and insulin secretion of long term activation of the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor by N-AcGIP(LysPAL37) in normal mice.
Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) is a key hormone of the enteroinsular axis. The present study was designed to assess the metabolic effects in healthy mice of long term activation of the GIP receptor by N-AcGIP(LysPAL37), a potent long-acting GIP receptor agonist. Daily injection of N-AcGIP(LysPAL37) (25 nmol/kg body weight) for 14 days had no significant effect on food intake, body weight, glycated hemoglobin levels, non-fasting plasma glucose and insulin concentrations compared to saline treated controls. No significant differences in post-prandial plasma glucose and insulin concentrations were observed between the two groups following 15 min feeding. However, after 14 days, the glycemic response to intraperitoneal (i.p.) glucose was significantly improved in the N-AcGIP(LysPAL37) treated mice compared to controls (P < 0.01). In keeping with this, glucose-mediated insulin secretion was significantly enhanced in the N-AcGIP(LysPAL37) treated group (P < 0.05). No changes in insulin sensitivity or pancreatic insulin content of the N-AcGIP(LysPAL37) treated mice were detected. No adverse reactions were noted and the effects of N-AcGIP(LysPAL37) were reversed by 14 days cessation of treatment. These data indicate that long term activation of the GIP receptor by daily treatment with N-AcGIP(LysPAL37) improved glucose tolerance due to enhancement of pancreatic beta cell glucose responsiveness and insulin secretion.


Amyloid β peptide-induced inhibition of endothelial nitric oxide production involves oxidative stress-mediated constitutive eNOS/HSP90 interaction and disruption of agonist-mediated Akt activation.
Amyloid β (Aβ)-induced vascular dysfunction significantly contributes to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aβ is known to impair endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity, thus inhibiting endothelial nitric oxide production (NO). In this study, we investigated Aβ-effects on heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) interaction with eNOS and Akt in cultured vascular endothelial cells and also explored the role of oxidative stress in this process. Treatments of endothelial cells (EC) with Aβ promoted the constitutive association of HSP90 with eNOS but abrogated agonist (vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF))-mediated HSP90 interaction with Akt. This effect resulted in blockade of agonist-mediated phosphorylation of Akt and eNOS at serine 1179. Furthermore, Aβ stimulated the production of reactive oxygen species in endothelial cells and concomitant treatments of the cells with the antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) prevented Aβ effects in promoting HSP90/eNOS interaction and rescued agonist-mediated Akt and eNOS phosphorylation. The obtained data support the hypothesis that oxidative damage caused by Aβ results in altered interaction of HSP90 with Akt and eNOS, therefore promoting vascular dysfunction. This mechanism, by contributing to Aβ-mediated blockade of nitric oxide production, may significantly contribute to the cognitive impairment seen in AD patients.


Antifungal meroterpenes and dioxolanone derivatives from plant-associated endophytic fungus Phyllosticta sp. WGHL2.
Four new meroterpenes named as guignardones U-X (1-4), along with eleven known meroterpenes (5-15) and three known dioxolanone derivatives (16-18), were obtained from the endophytic fungus Phyllosticta sp. WGHL2. The structural elucidation was conducted by HRESIMS, NMR, single crystal X-ray diffraction, along with ECD calculations and comparison. In antifungal tests, compound 16 possessed broad-spectrum antifungal activities against Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium graminearum and Botrytis cinerea with inhibition ratio of 48.43%, 40.98%, and 49.53% at 50 μg/mL, respectively. Moreover, compound 16 showed moderate protective effect against B. cinerea in vivo at 200 μg/mL and exhibited effective inhibition on the spore germination of B. cinerea.


Left ventricular performance in unstable angina: assessment with radionuclide techniques.
In a clinical trial we studied left ventricular performance at rest in 50 patients with unstable angina by radionuclide techniques. Thallium-201 scintigraphy was performed on admission in 38 patients and repeated after 48 hr in 32 patients. Also dynamic blood pool scintigraphy was performed in 37 patients on admission and in 45 patients after 48 hr. Of the 50 patients, 27 (54%) had no recurrent episodes of myocardial ischemia, but 23 (46%) patients showed recurrent ischemic episodes of whom 11 (22%) patients developed a myocardial infarction. The thallium-201 images showed perfusion defects in 27 (71%) of the 38 patients studied on admission and in 20 (63%) of the 32 patients studied at 48 hr. No relation between clinical outcome and presence or absence of defects was observed. Left ventricular ejection fraction was abnormal (less than 50%) in 19 (51%) of the 37 patients on admission and in 29 (64%) of the 45 patients studied at 48 hr. As with thallium-201, no relation could be established between clinical outcome and left ventricular ejection fraction. It is concluded that radionuclide techniques are useful to provide insight into the pathophysiological mechanism of unstable angina, but they are not helpful for the short-time assessment of clinical outcome.


Adding decision models to systematic reviews: informing a framework for deciding when and how to do so.
Decision models are sometimes used alongside systematic reviews to synthesize evidence. Clarity, however, is lacking about when and how to conduct modeling studies in tandem with systematic reviews, as well as about how to evaluate and present model results. The objective of this study was to collect and analyze information from various sources to inform the development of a framework for deciding when and how a decision model should be added to a systematic review. We collected data through 1) review and analysis of evidence reports that used decision models; 2) review and synthesis of current best practices for the development of decision models; 3) interviews of Evidence-Based Practice Center directors and selected staff, United States Preventive Services Task Force members, and decision modelers who developed models used by the United States Preventive Services Task Force; and 4) a focus group of expert modelers. Models are well suited to address gaps in the literature, better suited for certain types of research questions, and essential for determining the value of information relating to future research. Opinions differ regarding whether model outputs constitute evidence, but interviewees expressed concern over the lack of standards and directions in grading and reporting such "evidence." Interviews of stakeholders and modelers revealed the importance of communication and presentation of model results as well as the importance of model literacy and involvement of stakeholders. The study demonstrates the need for a framework for deciding when and how to use models alongside systematic reviews and provides information to develop such a framework.


Populus euphratica WRKY1 binds the promoter of H+-ATPase gene to enhance gene expression and salt tolerance.
Plasma membrane proton pumps play a crucial role in maintaining ionic homeostasis in salt-resistant Populus euphratica under saline conditions. High levels of NaCl (200 mM) induced PeHA1 expression in P. euphratica roots and leaves. We isolated a 2022 bp promoter fragment upstream of the translational start of PeHA1 from P. euphratica. The promoter-reporter construct PeHA1-pro::GUS was transferred to tobacco plants, demonstrating that β-glucuronidase activities increased in root, leaf, and stem tissues under salt stress. DNA affinity purification sequencing revealed that PeWRKY1 protein targeted the PeHA1 gene. We assessed the salt-induced transcriptional response of PeWRKY1 and its interaction with PeHA1 in P. euphratica. PeWRKY1 binding to the PeHA1 W-box in the promoter region was verified by a yeast one-hybrid assay, EMSA, luciferase reporter assay, and virus-induced gene silencing. Transgenic tobacco plants overexpressing PeWRKY1 had improved expression of NtHA4, which has a cis-acting W-box in the regulatory region, and improved H+ pumping activity in both in vivo and in vitro assays. We conclude that salt stress up-regulated PeHA1 transcription due to the binding of PeWRKY1 to the W-box in the promoter region of PeHA1. Thus, we conclude that enhanced H+ pumping activity enabled salt-stressed plants to retain Na+ homeostasis.


Retracted: The Efficacy and Safety of Bisoprolol in the Treatment of Myocardial Infarction with Cardiac Insufficiency.
[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2022/3098726.].


Performance analysis of U-Net with hybrid loss for foreground detection.
With the latest developments in deep neural networks, the convolutional neural network (CNN) has made considerable progress in the area of foreground detection. However, the top-rank background subtraction algorithms for foreground detection still have many shortcomings. It is challenging to extract the true foreground against complex background. To tackle the bottleneck, we propose a hybrid loss-assisted U-Net framework for foreground detection. A proposed deep learning model integrates transfer learning and hybrid loss for better feature representation and faster model convergence. The core idea is to incorporate reference background image and change detection mask in the learning network. Furthermore, we empirically investigate the potential of hybrid loss over single loss function. The advantages of two significant loss functions are combined to tackle the class imbalance problem in foreground detection. The proposed technique demonstrates its effectiveness on standard datasets and performs better than the top-rank methods in challenging environment. Moreover, experiments on unseen videos also confirm the efficacy of proposed method.


Squash bees host high diversity and prevalence of parasites in the northeastern United States.
The squash bee Eucera (Peponapis) pruinosa is emerging as a model species to study how stressors impact solitary wild bees in North America. Here, we describe the prevalence of trypanosomes, microsporidians and mollicute bacteria in E. pruinosa and two other species, Bombus impatiens and Apis mellifera, that together comprise over 97% of the pollinator visitors of Cucurbita agroecosystems in Pennsylvania (United States). Our results indicate that all three parasite groups are commonly detected in these bee species, but E. pruinosa often exhibit higher prevalences. We further describe novel trypanosome parasites detected in E. pruinosa, however it is unknown how these parasites impact these bees. We suggest future work investigates parasite replication and infection outcomes.


Mode of delivery in the context of periviable birth: informed deference and shared decision-making.
To qualitatively evaluate women's perspectives on shared decision-making for periviable (22-25 weeks' gestational age) mode of delivery (MOD). Interviews were conducted at two Midwestern academic hospitals with 30 women hospitalized for threatened periviable delivery between September 2016 and January 2018. Prior to delivery (T1) and at 3-months postpartum (T2), MOD-related decision-making was explored using prompts. Interviews were coded and analyzed using NVivo 12. The majority of women perceived the MOD options as cesarean section or vaginal delivery. Most ultimately preferred "whatever's best for baby." Understanding of MOD risks was limited, and physicians recommended each option equally. Sixteen participants perceived themselves as decision-makers at T1, while at T2, only nine participants identified themselves as such. Informed deference is introduced as a novel concept in the setting of periviable MOD decision-making, whereby the mother defers decisional authority to the provider, the baby, a higher power, or the circumstance itself.


Differences in Electrophysiologic Values between Preoperative and Intraoperative Neurophysiologic Monitoring.
To compare preoperative and intraoperative electrophysiologic values in patients who underwent brain and spine surgeries. A retrospective medical record review was conducted on patients who underwent brain and spine surgery between January 2014 and July 2018. Patients underwent preoperative electrophysiologic monitoring within a week before the operation and intraoperative monitoring during the surgery. Monitoring parameters included the onset latency (msec) and amplitude (mV) of motor evoked potential (MEP), somatosensory evoked potential (SEP), electroneuronography, and brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP). The latency of the MEP and SEP were significantly prolonged while the amplitude was decreased during operation. Specifically, patients with abnormal findings in their preoperative assessments showed more prominent differences compared to those with normal findings. However, there was no significant difference between preoperative and intraoperative results based on which side of the hemisphere was affected or unaffected. Unlike the MEP and SEP parameters, there were no significant changes in the facial electroneuronography and BAEP parameters. There were differences in the preoperative and intraoperative monitoring parameters. Further studies are necessary to understand the underlying mechanisms behind these changes during surgery.


Bacterial breakdown of benomyl. I. Pure cultures.
With different soil and water samples as inoculum and the benzimidazole fungicides benomyl (either as Benlate or as the pure compound) and thiabendazole as selective agents, a large number of, mainly fluorescent, Pseudomonas strains were isolated which nearly all were able to grow in a mineral medium with benomyl as the sole source of carbon. However, no growth occurred with any of a series of other benzimidazole compounds, viz. benzimidazole, 2-aminobenzimidazole (2-AB), thiabendazole and fuberidazole. Although benomyl--or rather its non-enzymatic breakdown product methyl benzimidazol-2-yl carbamate (MBC)--was partially degraded to 2-AB, most probably n-butylamine, which arises after splitting off of the butylcarbamoyl side chain, was the actual carbon source for the Pseudomonas isolates. When incorporated in a lactate medium, 2-AB markedly inhibited the growth of Pseudomonas spp. at a concentration of 250 microgram/ml, with complete inhibition being attained at 500 microgram/ml. For Bacillus spp. grown in liquid peptone media benzimidazole compounds were inhibitory at concentrations of 500-1000 microgram/ml, with a toxicity increasing in the order: benzimidazole less than thiabendazole less than MBC less than 2-AB.


The prothrombin time/international normalized ratio predicts prognosis in cardiogenic shock.
The study investigates the prognostic impact of the prothrombin time/international normalized ratio (PT/INR) in patients with cardiogenic shock. Despite ongoing improvements regarding the treatment of cardiogenic shock patients, intensive care unit (ICU)-related mortality in cardiogenic shock patients remains unacceptably high. Limited data regarding the prognostic value of the PT/INR during the course of cardiogenic shock treatment is available. All consecutive patients with cardiogenic shock from 2019 to 2021 were included at one institution. Laboratory values were collected from the day of disease onset (day 1) and days 2, 3, 4 and 8. The prognostic impact of the PT/INR was tested for 30-day all-cause mortality, as well as the prognostic role of PT/INR changes during course of ICU hospitalization. Statistical analyses included univariable t -test, Spearman's correlation, Kaplan-Meier analyses, C-Statistics and Cox proportional regression analyses. Two hundred twenty-four cardiogenic shock patients were included with a rate of all-cause mortality at 30 days of 52%. The median PT/INR on day 1 was 1.17. The PT/INR on day 1 was able to discriminate 30-day all-cause mortality in cardiogenic shock patients [area under the curve 0.618; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.544-0.692; P = 0.002). Patients with PT/INR > 1.17 were associated with an increased risk of 30-day mortality [62% vs. 44%; hazard ratio (HR) = 1.692; 95% CI, 1.174-2.438; P = 0.005], which was still evident after multivariable adjustment (HR = 1.551; 95% CI, 1.043-2.305; P = 0.030). Furthermore, especially patients with an increment of the PT/INR by ≥10% from day 1 to day 2 were associated with an increased risk of 30-day all-cause mortality (64% vs. 42%; log-rank P = 0.014; HR = 1.833; 95% CI, 1.106-3.038; P = 0.019). Baseline PT/INR and an increase of the PT/INR during the course of ICU treatment were associated with the risk of 30-day all-cause mortality in cardiogenic shock patients.


Corrigendum: Case Report: Two Monochorionic Twins With a Critically Different Course of Progressive Osseous Heteroplasia.
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fped.2021.662669.].


The effect of Interaction Anxiousness Scale and Brief Social Phobia Scale for screening social anxiety disorder in college students: a study on discriminative validity.
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is one of the most prevalent mental health problems, but there is little research concerning the effective screening instruments in practice. This study was designed to examine the discriminative validity of Interaction Anxiousness Scale (IAS) and Brief Social Phobia Scale (BSPS) for the screening of SAD through the compared and combined analysis. Firstly, 421 Chinese undergraduates were screened by the IAS and BSPS. Secondly, in the follow-up stage, 248 students were interviewed by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used, and the related psychometric characters were checked. The results indicated that the ROC in these two scales demonstrated discrimination is in satisfactory level (range: 0.7-0.8). However, the highest agreement (92.17%) was identified when a cut-off point of 50 measured by the IAS and a cut-off point of 34 by the BSPS were combined, also with higher PPV, SENS, SPEC and OA than that reached when BSPS was used individually, as well as PPV, SPEC and OA in IAS. The findings indicate that the combination of these two scales is valid as the general screening instrument for SAD in maximizing the discriminative validity.


Differences in the predictive value of tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) in advanced ischemic and non-ischemic heart failure.
To assess the prognostic value of the pro-apoptotic, but also cell growth-inducing molecule soluble tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (sTWEAK) in heart failure (HF). We assayed sTWEAK levels in 351 patients with advanced HF (non-ischemic: 130, ischemic: 221). During a median follow-up of 4.9 years, 195 patients (56%) died. sTWEAK concentrations were associated with extended survival in patients with non-ischemic (P=0.022), but not with ischemic HF (P=0.82). The inverse association in non-ischemic HF remained significant in a multivariable Cox regression model (P=0.025) with a hazard ratio of 0.40 (95% confidence interval: 0.21-0.77) comparing the third to the first tertile (P=0.007). Low sTWEAK levels independently predict mortality in advanced non-ischemic HF. sTWEAK-induced proliferation of cardiomyocytes may explain its impact on suvival. The different prognostic value of sTWEAK in ischemic and non-ischemic HF may point towards distinct pathogenic pathways determining the course of disease.


DNA damage in human T-lymphoblastoid cell line Molt-3 induced by reactive oxygen species.
In the course of studying the effect of reactive oxygen species such as superoxide anion (O2-), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on oxidant-sensitive human T-lymphoblastoid cell line Molt-3, O2- has been generated by the interaction of xanthine with xanthine oxidase (XOD). To confirm that H2O2 is a key intermediate for inducing DNA single-strand breaks in Molt-3 cells, studies have been carried out with pure H2O2. In the presence of xanthine + XOD or H2O2 the amount of DNA single-strand breaks has been found to increase as a function of the O2- and H2O2 concentration. Data from studies with antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase and catalase supports a mechanism of DNA damage dependent on the presence of H2O2 in Molt-3 cells. Molt-3 cells are CD4+ and sensitive to reactive oxygen stress and therefore, could be an ideal cell line for determining the relationship between oxidative stress and various diseases such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).


Uncertainty analysis in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics: application to naratriptan.
The aim of the study was to predict pain relief of migraine in patients following naratriptan oral (tablet) administration by using uncertainty analysis. The analysis was based on phase I pharmacokinetic naratriptan data, sumatriptan pharmacodynamic data, and naratriptan preclinical (animal) potency information, together with general knowledge as to how migraine affects oral absorption. A previously developed pharmacokinetic (PK)/pharmacodynamic (PD) model for naratriptan disposition and effect was used. The uncertain parameters in the model, which were associated with absorption and scaling between first-in-class compound sumatriptan and naratriptan, were modeled using fuzzy sets theory. Global sensitivity analysis was then used to investigate the impact of each PK/PD parameter on the responses. Acknowledging parametric uncertainty did not improve prediction of the probability of pain relief. Global sensitivity analysis demonstrated that predictions were heavily influenced by interindividual variability in pharmacodynamics, as the dose response relationship was relatively insensitive to the pharmacokinetics. To predict the probability of pain relief following oral (tablet) administration of naratriptan, a simple dose response, instead of the PK/PD model, would have yielded very similar predictions. The naratriptan PK/PD model may be improved by either refining the PD model or better still by specifying the interindividual error by additional data collecting with an improved design.


On the accuracy and computational cost of spiking neuron implementation.
Since more than a decade ago, three statements about spiking neuron (SN) implementations have been widely accepted: 1) Hodgkin and Huxley (HH) model is computationally prohibitive, 2) Izhikevich (IZH) artificial neuron is as efficient as Leaky Integrate-and-Fire (LIF) model, and 3) IZH model is more efficient than HH model (Izhikevich, 2004). As suggested by Hodgkin and Huxley (1952), their model operates in two modes: by using the α's and β's rate functions directly (HH model) and by storing them into tables (HHT model) for computational cost reduction. Recently, it has been stated that: 1) HHT model (HH using tables) is not prohibitive, 2) IZH model is not efficient, and 3) both HHT and IZH models are comparable in computational cost (Skocik & Long, 2014). That controversy shows that there is no consensus concerning SN simulation capacities. Hence, in this work, we introduce a refined approach, based on the multiobjective optimization theory, describing the SN simulation capacities and ultimately choosing optimal simulation parameters. We have used normalized metrics to define the capacity levels of accuracy, computational cost, and efficiency. Normalized metrics allowed comparisons between SNs at the same level or scale. We conducted tests for balanced, lower, and upper boundary conditions under a regular spiking mode with constant and random current stimuli. We found optimal simulation parameters leading to a balance between computational cost and accuracy. Importantly, and, in general, we found that 1) HH model (without using tables) is the most accurate, computationally inexpensive, and efficient, 2) IZH model is the most expensive and inefficient, 3) both LIF and HHT models are the most inaccurate, 4) HHT model is more expensive and inaccurate than HH model due to α's and β's table discretization, and 5) HHT model is not comparable in computational cost to IZH model. These results refute the theory formulated over a decade ago (Izhikevich, 2004) and go more in-depth in the statements formulated by Skocik and Long (2014). Our statements imply that the number of dimensions or FLOPS in the SNs are theoretical but not practical indicators of the true computational cost. The metric we propose for the computational cost is more precise than FLOPS and was found to be invariant to computer architecture. Moreover, we found that the firing frequency used in previous works is a necessary but an insufficient metric to evaluate the simulation accuracy. We also show that our results are consistent with the theory of numerical methods and the theory of SN discontinuity. Discontinuous SNs, such LIF and IZH models, introduce a considerable error every time a spike is generated. In addition, compared to the constant input current, the random input current increases the computational cost and inaccuracy. Besides, we found that the search for optimal simulation parameters is problem-specific. That is important because most of the previous works have intended to find a general and unique optimal simulation. Here, we show that this solution could not exist because it is a multiobjective optimization problem that depends on several factors. This work sets up a renewed thesis concerning the SN simulation that is useful to several related research areas, including the emergent Deep Spiking Neural Networks.


Breast cancer mammographic diagnosis performance in a public health institution: a retrospective cohort study.
To evaluate the quality assurance of mammography results at a reference institution for the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in southern Brazil, based on the BIRADS (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System) 5th edition recommendations for auditing purposes. Retrospective cohort and cross-sectional study with 4502 patients (9668 mammographies)) who underwent at least one or both breast mammographies throughout 2013 at a regional public hospital, linked to a federal public university. The results were followed until 31 December 2014, including true positives (TPs), true negatives (TNs), false positives (FPs), false negatives (FNs), positive predictive values (PPVs), negative predictive value (NPV), sensitivity and specificity, with a confidence interval of 95%. The study showed high quality assurance, particularly regarding sensitivity (90.22%) and specificity (92.31%). The overall positive predictive value (PPV) was 65.35%, and the negative predictive value (NPV) was 98.32%. The abnormal interpretation rate (recall rate) was 12.26%. The results are appropriate when compared to the values proposed by the BIRADS 5th edition. Additionally, the study provided self-reflection considering our radiological practice, which is essential for improvements and collaboration regarding breast cancer detection. It may stimulate better radiological practice performance and continuing education, despite possible infrastructure and facility limitations. • Accurate quality performance rates are possible despite financial and governmental limitations. • Low-income institutions should develop standardised teamwork to improve radiological practice. • Regular mammography audits may help to increase the quality of public health systems.


A review: Application of allelochemicals in water ecological restoration--algal inhibition.
Problems caused by harmful algal blooms have attracted worldwide attention due to their severe harm to aquatic ecosystems, prompting researchers to study applicable measures to inhibit the growth of algae. Allelochemicals, as secondary metabolites secreted by plants, have excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, obvious algal inhibiting effect and little ecological harm, and have promising application prospect in the field of water ecological restoration. This review summarized the research progress of allelochemicals, including (i) definition, development, and classification, (ii) influencing factors and mechanism of algal inhibition, (iii) the preparation methods of algal inhibitors based on allelochemicals. The future research directions of allelochemicals sustained-released microspheres (SRMs) were also prospected. In the future, it is urgent to explore more efficient allelochemicals, to study the regulation mechanism of allelochemicals in natural water bodies, and to improve the preparation method of allelopathic algal suppressant. This paper proposed a feasible direction for the development of allelochemicals SRMs which exhibited certain guiding significance for their application in water ecological restoration.


Six interaction profiles for simple mixtures.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has a program for chemical mixtures that encompasses research on chemical mixtures toxicity, health risk assessment, and development of innovative computational methods. ATSDR prepared a guidance document that instructs users on how to conduct health risk assessment on chemical mixtures (Guidance Manual for the Assessment of Joint Toxic Action of Chemical Mixtures). ATSDR also developed six interaction profiles for chemical mixtures. Two profiles were developed for persistent environmental chemicals that are often found in contaminated fish and also can be detected in human breast milk. The mixture included chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, hexachlorobenzene, dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethane, methyl mercury, and polychlorinated biphenyls. Two profiles each were developed for mixtures of metals and mixtures of volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) that are frequently found at hazardous waste sites. The two metal profiles dealt with (a) lead, manganese, zinc, and copper; and (b) arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and lead; the two VOCs mixtures dealt with (a) 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethane, trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene; and (b) benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, and xylenes (BTEX). Weight-of-evidence methodology was used to assess the joint toxic action for most of the mixtures. Physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling was used for BTEX. In most cases, a target-organ toxicity dose modification of the hazard index approach is recommended for conducting exposure-based assessments of noncancer health hazards.


Exploring Consumer Emotions in Pre-Pandemic and Pandemic Times. A Sentiment Analysis of Perceptions in the Fine-Dining Restaurant Industry in Bucharest, Romania.
This research paper aims to analyse how consumer emotions have evolved during the pandemic period in comparison with the pre-pandemic period in relation to restaurant demand in the Romanian fine-dining industry and uses valuable information based on social-media sentiment analysis and content analysis. Focusing on theories of consumer behaviour, the study aims to emphasize how, under the influence of an epidemic crisis caused by an infectious disease, individual behaviour adapts to the "new normal", embracing a series of changes in the preferences, attitudes, and cognitive choice-making processes. The article takes into account a comparative analysis of the consumer emotions between the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period (2010-2019) and the pandemic period (2020-present), based on the online reviews provided by customers for five fine-dining restaurants from Bucharest, the capital city of Romania: The Artist, Relais & Chateaux Le Bistrot Francais, Casa di David, Kaiamo, and L'Atelier. The research was based on two mining analyses-content analysis and sentiment analysis-and explored the emotional intent of words, with the data being collected from TripAdvisor through web-scrapping. The empirical results defined the fine-dining experience during the pandemic as being associated with the quality of the dishes and also with the quality of the service. The overall consumer sentiment in the direction of the restaurants analyzed is positive. The sentiment research found that throughout the epidemic, the consumers' attitudes about restaurants deteriorated. In this sense, consumers seem to be less satisfied with the restaurants' services than before the pandemic. This is another thing that the restaurants had difficulties in when adapting their operations for the pandemic.


Phytostabilization mitigates antibiotic resistance gene enrichment in a copper mine tailings pond.
Mining-impacted environments are distributed globally and have become increasingly recognized as hotspots of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). However, there are currently no reports on treatment technologies to deal with such an important environmental problem. To narrow this knowledge gap, we implemented a phytostabilization project in an acidic copper mine tailings pond and employed metagenomics to explore ARG characteristics in the soil samples. Our results showed that phytostabilization decreased the total ARG abundance in 0-10 cm soil layer by 75 %, which was companied by a significant decrease in ARG mobility, and a significant increase in ARG diversity and microbial diversity. Phytostabilization was also found to drastically alter the ARG host composition and to significantly reduce the total abundance of virulence factor genes of ARG hosts. Soil nutrient status, heavy metal toxicity and SO42- concentration were important physicochemical factors to affect the total ARG abundance, while causal mediation analysis showed that their effects were largely mediated by the changes in ARG mobility and microbial diversity. The increase in ARG diversity associated with phytostabilization was mainly mediated by a small subgroup of ARG hosts, most of which could not be classified at the genus level and deserve further research in the future.


Vesicle trafficking via the Spitzenkörper during hyphal tip growth in Rhizoctonia solani.
Growing hyphae of Rhizoctonia solani were stained with the endocytic marker dye FM4-64 and imaged by confocal microscopy. Staining of the plasma membrane was followed by labeling of organelles in the cytoplasm (after ~1 min) and of the Spitzenkörper (Spk; after ~2 min). Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) of the stained Spk demonstrated the vectorial flow of secretory vesicles from the apical cytoplasm to the Spk. This flux was modelled in a two-compartment model. The turnover time of the vesicles of the Spk was estimated to be 1.3-2.5 min. These results are roughly consistent with the expected flux of vesicles through the Spk based on the number of secretory vesicles within the Spk and the number of secretory vesicles that would be necessary to fuse with the apical plasma membrane to maintain hyphal extension rates. These results suggest that membrane retrieval via endocytosis is not as significant as previously suggested.


Quantitative analysis of a posterior fossa teratomas with unusual CT and MR Characteristics--illustrative case.
Intracranial teratomas or other cystic lesions with atypical imaging manifestations can still be frequently seen clinically. The specific reasons for unusual imaging manifestations need to be further explored. A case of adult teratoma in the posterior fossa with unusual imaging manifestations was reported. The chemical composition of its cystic fluid was quantitatively detected, and in vitro imaging simulation experiments were performed on some fluid substances with similar cystic fluid properties to explore the reasons for special imaging manifestations. The content of inorganic substances and protein in the cystic fluid were both low, with no melanin detected. In vitro experiments revealed that MR T1 signals could increase with protein content rising and changes in MR T2 signals presented no obvious correlation with it. CT values increased gradually with protein concentration rising. The substances with similar viscosity had similar CT values, whereas substance viscosity showed no significant correlation with changes in MR signals. The abnormality of imaging manifestations cannot be confirmed as the result of "high protein content", nor can it be simply attributed to bleeding. Further research is required for the impact of the combination of paramagnetic particles and biofluid on imaging.


Attachment predicts cortisol response and closeness in dyadic social interaction.
The present study examined how the interplay of partners' attachment styles influences cortisol response, actual closeness, and desired closeness during friendship initiation. Participants provided salivary cortisol samples at four timepoints throughout either a high or low closeness task that facilitated high or low levels of self-disclosure with a potential friend (i.e., another same-sex participant). Levels of actual closeness and desired closeness following the task were measured via inclusion of other in the self. Results from multi-level modeling indicated that the interaction of both participants' attachment avoidance predicted cortisol response patterns, with participants showing the highest cortisol response when there was a mismatch between their own and their partners' attachment avoidance. Further, the interaction between both participants' attachment anxiety predicted actual closeness and desired closeness, with participants both feeling and wanting the most closeness with partners when both they and their partners were low in attachment anxiety.


Enhancement of acetoin production in Candida glabrata by in silico-aided metabolic engineering.
Acetoin is a promising chemical compound that can potentially serve as a high value-added platform for a broad range of applications. Many industrial biotechnological processes are moving towards the use of yeast as a platform. The multi-auxotrophic yeast, Candida glabrata, can accumulate a large amount of pyruvate, but produces only trace amounts of acetoin. Here, we attempted to engineer C. glabrata to redirect the carbon flux of pyruvate to increase acetoin production. Based on an in silico strategy, a synthetic, composite metabolic pathway involving two distinct enzymes, acetolactate synthase (ALS) and acetolactate decarboxylase (ALDC), was constructed, leading to the accumulation of acetoin in C. glabrata. Further genetic modifications were introduced to increase the carbon flux of the heterologous pathway, increasing the production of acetoin to 2.08 g/L. Additionally, nicotinic acid was employed to regulate the intracellular NADH level, and a higher production of acetoin (3.67 g/L) was obtained at the expense of 2,3-butanediol production under conditions of a lower NADH/NAD+ ratio. With the aid of in silico metabolic engineering and cofactor engineering, C. glabrata was designed and constructed to improve acetoin production.


Infection age as a predictor of epidemiological metrics for malaria.
Accurate estimation of the burden of Plasmodium falciparum is essential for strategic planning for control and elimination. Due in part to the extreme heterogeneity in malaria exposure, immunity, other causes of disease, direct measurements of fever and disease attributable to malaria can be difficult. This can make a comparison of epidemiological metrics both within and between populations hard to interpret. An essential part of untangling this is an understanding of the complex time-course of malaria infections. Historic data from malariatherapy infections, in which individuals were intentionally infected with malaria parasites, were reexamined in aggregate. In this analysis, the age of each infection was examined as a potential predictor describing aggregate patterns across all infections. A series of piecewise linear and generalized linear regressions were performed to highlight the infection age-dependent patterns in both parasitaemia and gametocytaemia, and from parasitaemia and gametocytaemia to fever and transmission probabilities, respectively. The observed duration of untreated patent infection was 130 days. As infections progressed, the fraction of infections subpatent by microscopy was seen to increase steadily. The time-averaged malaria infections had three distinct phases in parasitaemia: a growth phase for the first 6 days of patency, a rapid decline from day 6 to day 18, and a slowly declining chronic phase for the remaining duration of the infection. During the growth phase, parasite densities increased sharply to a peak. Densities sharply decline for a short period of time after the peak. During the chronic phase, infections declined steadily as infections age. gametocytaemia was strongly correlated with lagged asexual parasitaemia. Fever rates and transmission efficiency were strongly correlated with parasitaemia and gametocytaemia. The comparison between raw data and prediction from the age of infection has good qualitative agreement across all quantities of interest for predicting averaged effects. The age of infection was established as a potentially useful covariate for malaria epidemiology. Infection age can be estimated given a history of exposure, and accounting for exposure history may potentially provide a new way to estimate malaria-attributable fever rates, transmission efficiency, and patent fraction in immunologically naïve individuals such as children and people in low-transmission regions. These data were collected from American adults with neurosyphilis, so there are reasons to be cautious about extending the quantitative results reported here to general populations in malaria-endemic regions. Understanding how immune responses modify these statistical relationships given past exposure is key for being able to apply these results more broadly.


Complete amino acid sequence of staphylococcal enterotoxin A.
The amino acid sequence of staphylococcal enterotoxin A is presented. Staphylococcal enterotoxin A is a single-chain polypeptide which consists of 233 amino acid residues with a molecular weight of 27,078 and has the amino acid composition Cys2, Asp17, Asn19, Thr16, Ser13, Glu15, Gln12, Pro4, Gly15, Ala7, Val13, Met2, Ile10, Leu23, Tyr18, Phe8, His6, Lys24, Arg7, Trp2, with serine as both amino- and carboxyl-terminal amino acids. Automated sequence analysis of intact enterotoxin A, as well as characterization of the peptides obtained from cyanogen bromide treatment and trypsin and chymotrypsin digestion, led to the elucidation of the complete primary structure of this protein. Less structural homology is observed among staphylococcal enterotoxins A, B (Huang, I-Y., and Bergdoll, M. S. (1970) J. Biol. Chem. 245, 3518-3525), and C1 (Schmidt, J. J., and Spero, L. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 6300-6306) than that seen between enterotoxins B and C1.


A combined recrystallization and acetylation strategy for resistant starch with enhanced thermal stability and excellent short-chain fatty acid production.
In this study, resistant starch (RS) with enhanced thermal stability and excellent short-chain fatty acid production was obtained using recrystallization at 50 °C of debranched waxy maize starch followed by an acetylation strategy. RS sample obtained by debranching with a 25% high concentration of native starch combined with recrystallization at 50 °C (25DBS-50 °CP) and acetylated RS (25DBS-50 °CPA) exhibited high relative crystallinity of 69.4% and 64.2%, respectively. And the peak gelatinization temperature values of them reached 116.8 °C and 111.4 °C, and the RS contents of them after cooking for 30 min remained at 35.1% and 40.0%, respectively. The acetic acid yield of 25DBS-50 °CPA was higher than that of the control group. These results indicated that recrystallization at 50 °C combined with acetylation for debranched starch could be used as a new method for regulating the digestibility and fermentation properties while developing food with a low glycemic response and specific nutritional benefits.


Search for potential anticonvulsant drugs: part I. Synthesis of 2-phenyl-3-benzimidazolyl/-alkyl (alkyl-aryl)--quinazolin (3H) -4-one.
By the condensation of 2-phenyl-3-carboxy alkyl/aryl-quinazolin (3H)-4-one and substituted (unsubstituted o-phenylenediamine, fifteen new 2-phenyl-3-benzimidazolyl(-alkyl/alkyl-aryl) -quinazolin (3H)-4-ones were prepared. All the fifteen compounds were tested for anticonvulsant activity in mice against pentylenetetrazol. A good protection was obtained by most of the compounds.