Enhancing patient self-management after a first stroke: An application of the wearable devices and the health management platform.
Post-stroke disability restricts a patient's physical activity, affects the patient's quality of life, and leads to higher medical costs. Therefore, it is essential to promote patients' continuous exercise during this period of recovery. This study aimed to verify the effectiveness of applying a health management platform combined with wearable devices to enhance stroke patients' self-management of recovery and to allow comparisons with active care intervention management. This quasi-experimental study aimed at examining those participants who had sustained a stroke for the first time. A 90-day experiment was implemented with the intervention of monitoring and active care from the researchers who also interviewed the selected participants at the end of the study. A total of 26 participants were examined (14 in the experimental group and 12 in the control group). The participants in the experimental group made significant progress between the pre- and post-tests. Firstly, their six-minute walking distance improved by 89.5 m (p < 0.001). Secondly, their sit-to-stand transfers in 60 s improved 2.85 times (p = 0.017), and their Berg balance test improved by 6.36 points (p = 0.003). Finally, the Partners in Health scale (PIH) scores also improved. According to the data collected in the interviews, the researchers' intervention improved the patients' self-management ability. The short-term physical performance in the experimental group after the intervention was better than that in the control group. In clinical practice, it is suggested that continuous interaction between medical staff and patients be sustained while applying wearable devices to promote the patient's self-management ability.


Feasibility of evaluating the stenosis of intracranial segment in the vertebral artery using neck-brain integrated ultrasound: a comparison with computed tomography angiography and digital subtraction angiography.
Currently, no clear diagnostic indicator of vertebral artery hypoplasia (VAH) or intracranial stenosis exists in clinic. This study aims to study the feasibility of neck-brain integrated ultrasound for evaluating stenosis of the intracranial segment in the vertebral artery by comparing with those of computed tomography angiography (CTA) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Clinical data of 138 patients who presented to our hospital with dizziness and headache as the main symptoms between April 2018 and June 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into observation group and unilateral VAH group. The diagnosing accuracy of ultrasound, CTA, and DAS, the vertebral artery diameter (VAD), blood flow, end diastolic velocity (EDV), peak systolic velocity (PSV) values, resistance indexes (RIs), and difference of RI were compared between the two groups. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of ultrasound hemodynamic indicators in assessing stenosis of the intracranial segment of the vertebral artery were calculated. The accuracy rates of mild stenosis and non-stenosis with neck-brain integrated ultrasound were significantly different from those with CTA and DSA examination (P<0.05). The VAD, blood flow, EDV and PSV values of the affected side in the observation group were lower than those of the VAH side in the unilateral VAH group, while the RI and RI difference value were significantly higher than the unilateral VAH group (P<0.05). When the predicted boundary value was 2.084 mm (VAD), 56.41 mL/min (blood flow), 8.47 cm/s (EDV), 0.743 (RI), and 0.149 (difference of RI), the sensitivity and specificity were (86.43%, 49.45%), (88.67%, 47.42%), (80.47%, 68.71%), (82.71%, 84.66%), and (95.84%, 80.11%), respectively. Neck-brain integrated ultrasound is of great value as a noninvasive examination in the diagnosis of stenotic lesions of the internal cervical vertebral artery. VAD, EDV, blood flow, RI, and the difference in RI can be used as indicators to evaluate stenosis of the internal carotid segment of the vertebral artery and provide a reliable basis for the clinical diagnosis of posterior circulation ischemia.


Association between COVID-19 burden and delays to diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients in England.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been highly disruptive for cancer care. Here, we examined the effect COVID-19 had on performance of the 62-day Cancer Waiting Time (CWT) target set by the National Health Service (NHS) in England. Data were retrospectively obtained on COVID-19 hospitalisations and CWT for NHS hospitals in England (n = 121). We produced a 'COVID-19 burden' to describe the proportion of each provider's beds occupied with COVID-19 patients. COVID-19 burden was examined against CWT performance for 1st April - 30th May 2020 (Wave 1), and 1st October - 30th November 2020 (Wave 2). Two-tailed Spearman correlations were used to identify relationships between COVID-19 burden and CWT performance amongst different referral (i.e., 2-week-wait (2 W W) and internal specialist) and tumour types. Significantly correlated variables were further examined using linear regression models. COVID-19 burden was negatively associated with the percentage of 2 W W pathway referrals that met the CWT target in Wave 1 (r= -0.30, p = 0.001) and Wave 2 (r= -0.21, p = 0.02). These associations were supported by the results from our linear regression models (B for wave 1: -0.71; 95 %CI: -1.03 to -0.40; B for wave 2: -0.38; 95 %CI: -0.68 to -0.07). No associations were found between COVID-19 burden and internal specialist referrals or tumour type. Increased COVID-19 burden was associated with lower compliance with CWT targets amongst urgent referrals from primary care in England. This will likely be an ongoing issue due to the backlog of patients awaiting investigations and treatment. As the number of cancer referrals improve, we highlight the need for changes to primary and secondary care to manage the backlog within cancer diagnostic services to alleviate the impact of COVID-19.


Three-generation pedigree of a Möbius syndrome variant with chromosome translocation.
We report the clinical and cytogenetic data on seven members of a family, spaning three generations, who showed congenital facial diplegia and finger contractures. Each affected member showed an identical chromosome abnormality, reciprocal translocation between chromosome 1 and 13. The concurrence of the clinical and cytogenetic defect in this family suggests a direct and possibly etiologic relationship.


[Specific countertransference experience and interpersonal problem description in psychodynamic psychotherapy].
In psychodynamic psychotherapy, countertransference and its professional use is seen as an important means to identify central difficulties of patients. The present study examines the correspondence of countertransference and interpersonal difficulties in 30 therapist-patient couples in day hospital psychodynamic psychotherapy. Interpersonal problems were recorded using the inventory of interpersonal problems (IIP) and countertransference was measured using the impact message inventory (IMI). Correspondence was measured as the correlation of IIP data from the patients and IMI data from the therapists. Data were collected at the start of therapy, after 4 weeks of treatment, and at the end of treatment. Over the course of the therapy, an increase in the correspondence of interpersonal problems as reported by patients and countertransference could be observed, starting with r = 0.22 at the beginning of therapy and continuing through r = 0.47 after 4 weeks to r = 0.58 at the end of therapy. The mean correlation was slightly above that of a control group of 20 nonclinical couples associated for at least 6 months.


On the effect of prospective payment on local hospital competition in Germany.
The introduction of prospective hospital reimbursement based on diagnosis related groups (DRG) in 2004 has been a conspicuous attempt to increase hospital efficiency in the German health sector. As a consequence of the reform a rise of competition for (low cost) patients could be expected. In this paper the competition between hospitals, quantified as spatial spillover estimates of hospital efficiency, is analyzed for periods before and after the reform. We implement a two-stage efficiency model that allows for spatial interdependence among hospitals. Hospital efficiency is determined by means of non-parametric and parametric econometric frontier models. We diagnose a significant increase of negative spatial spillovers characterizing hospital performance in Germany, and thus, confirm the expected rise of competition.


Early changes within the lymphocyte population are associated with the development of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in trauma patients.
Early survival following severe injury has been improved with refined resuscitation strategies. Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) is common among this fragile group of patients leading to prolonged hospital stay and late mortality. MODS after trauma is widely attributed to dysregulated inflammation but the precise mechanics of this response and its influence on organ injury are incompletely understood. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between early lymphocyte responses and the development of MODS during admission. During a 24-month period, trauma patients were recruited from an urban major trauma centre to an ongoing, observational cohort study. Admission blood samples were obtained within 2 h of injury and before in-hospital intervention, including blood transfusion. The study population was predominantly male with a blunt mechanism of injury. Lymphocyte subset populations including T helper, cytotoxic T cells, NK cells and γδ T cells were identified using flow cytometry. Early cytokine release and lymphocyte count during the first 7 days of admission were also examined. This study demonstrated that trauma patients who developed MODS had an increased population of NK dim cells (MODS vs no MODS: 22 % vs 13 %, p < 0.01) and reduced γδ-low T cells (MODS vs no MODS: 0.02 (0.01-0.03) vs 0.09 (0.06-0.12) × 10^9/L, p < 0.01) at admission. Critically injured patients who developed MODS (n = 27) had higher interferon gamma (IFN-γ) concentrations at admission, compared with patients of matched injury severity and shock (n = 60) who did not develop MODS (MODS vs no MODS: 4.1 (1.8-9.0) vs 1.0 (0.6-1.8) pg/ml, p = 0.01). Lymphopenia was observed within 24 h of injury and was persistent in those who developed MODS. Patients with a lymphocyte count of 0.5 × 10(9)/L or less at 48 h, had a 45 % mortality rate. This study provides evidence of lymphocyte activation within 2 h of injury, as demonstrated by increased NK dim cells, reduced γδ-low T lymphocytes and high blood IFN-γ concentration. These changes are associated with the development of MODS and lymphopenia. The study reveals new opportunities for investigation to characterise the cellular response to trauma and examine its influence on recovery.


"Angular percutaneous renal access". Multiple tracts through a single incision for staghorn calculous treatment in a single session.
We herein describe the technique of a single subcostal skin incision with multiple angular punctures to approach the superior, middle and lower pole of the kidney for the management of staghorn calculi. One hundred patients with staghorn calculi were managed between January 1997 and June 2000. The superior calyx was approached by a subcostal triangulation technique and the middle and lower calyces were approached by angular punctures. Correct advancement of the needle was monitored by biplane fluoroscopy. Maximum effort was made for complete stone clearance in a single session. : 87% patients were rendered stone free in a single session. The average number of tract dilation per renal unit was 2.4 with an average anesthesia time of 110 minutes and the average blood loss of 450 ml. The average hospital stay duration was 4.6 days. The secondary procedures required were 0.11 per patient and the complication rate totalled 7% with one case of excessive hemorrhage requiring embolization. We therefore propose the triangulation technique as a safe and appealing method for the percutaneous management of staghorn calculi.


Adenosine-functionalized UiO-66-NH2 to efficiently remove Pb(II) and Cr(VI) from aqueous solution: Thermodynamics, kinetics and isothermal adsorption.
A new zirconium-based adsorption material (UiO-66-AMP) was prepared by modifying UiO-66-NH2 with 5-adenosine to effectively remove Pb(II) and Cr(VI) from wastewater. The SEM, EDS, XRS and FT-IR characterization confirmed the successful synthesis of UiO-66-AMP. We conducted a sets of experiments to test the adsorption effectiveness of UiO-66-AMP for Pb(II) and Cr(VI). The maximum adsorption capacity of UiO-66-AMP for Cr(VI) (pH=2) and Pb(II) (pH=4) are 196.60 and 189.69 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption process conforms to the pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models, which indicates that the adsorption is a single-layer chemical process. Gibbs free energy (∆G) indicates that the adsorption of Pb(II) is an exothermic reaction, while the adsorption of Cr(VI) is an endothermic reaction. At the same time, the adsorbent maintains excellent adsorption capacity at least after 4 cycles. The good adsorption performance of UiO-66-AMP towards the metal ions was attributed to the surface complexation and electrostatic interactions. Therefore, the new adsorbent has obvious application prospect to remove Pb(II) and Cr(VI) from wastewater.


Topical interleukin-1 receptor antagonist inhibits inflammatory cell infiltration into the cornea.
Interleukin (IL)-1alpha and beta are important modulators of many functions of corneal epithelial and stromal cells that occur following injury to the cornea, including the influx of bone marrow-derived inflammatory cells into the stroma attracted by chemokines released from the stroma and epithelium. In this study, we examined the effect of topical soluble IL-1 receptor antagonist on bone marrow-derived cell influx following corneal epithelial scrape injury in a mouse model. C57BL/6 mice underwent corneal epithelial scrape followed by application of IL-1 receptor antagonist (Amgen, Thousand Oaks, CA) at a concentration of 20 mg/ml or vehicle for 24 h prior to immunocytochemical detection of marker CD11b-positive cells into the stroma. In two experiments, topical IL-1 receptor antagonist had a marked effect in blocking cell influx. For example, in experiment 1, topical IL-1 receptor antagonist markedly reduced detectible CD11b-positive cells into the corneal stroma at 24h after epithelial injury compared with the vehicle control (3.5+/-0.5 (standard error of the mean) cells/400x field and 13.9+/-1.2 cells/400x field, respectively, p<0.01). A second experiment with a different observer performing cell counting had the same result. Thus, the data demonstrate conclusively that topical IL-1 receptor antagonist markedly down-regulates CD-11b-positive monocytic cell appearance in the corneal stroma. Topical IL-1 receptor antagonist could be an effective adjuvant for clinical treatment of corneal conditions in which unwanted inflammation has a role in the pathophysiology of the disorder.


Changes in the bone and liver isoenzymes of alkaline phosphatase in postmenopausal women being treated with norethisterone.
The effects of norethisterone therapy on alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme activities were studied in a group of postmenopausal women. There was a significant fall in total alkaline phosphatase activity after 8 wk which was still in evidence after 24 wk. Both bone and liver alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme activities were decreased during the first 16 wk on treatment, but after 24 wk only the bone phosphatase activity was significantly lower than the pretreatment level. The other biochemical indices of bone metabolism and liver function were also measured during the study. The results indicate that bone specific alkaline phosphatase activity is a more sensitive index of bone activity than total alkaline phosphatase and that monitoring of total activity may in some instances be misleading.


Home range scaling: intraspecific and comparative trends.
Intraspecific and intrasexual variation in home range size, body mass and ecological productivity is examined in three selected species of Carnivora (Felis rufus: Canis latrans; Ursus americanus), reflecting different diets. We then compare the intraspecific results with prior cross-species studies. Home range size and body mass inFelis rufus are positively and significantly correlated, similar to other comparative studies. For both intraspecific and intrasexual analyses of all three species, home range size and latitude are strongly correlated. Home range size scales with latitude more steeply as the proportion of meat increases in the diet of each species. That is, the slope of home range size on latitude is greatest in the meat-eatingFelis rufus followed by a shallower slope in the omnivorousCanis latrans and the most shallow slope in the frugivorous/folivorousUrsus americanus. These differences in slope are consistent with models of trophic level biomass change with variation in productivity, and parallel the dietary differences observed in cross-species differences in home range.


Cloning of prophenoloxidase from hemocytes of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus and its expression and enzyme activity during the molt cycle.
The arthropods cuticle undergoes dramatic morphological and biochemical changes from being soft to hardness through each molting process. Prophenoloxidase (PPO) known as a key enzyme in the arthropod innate immune system involved in the melanization reaction, has been related with the initial shell-hardening process, specifically in the sclerotization of the protein matrix in the new cuticle. Since hemocytes have been reported as the main PPO source in arthropods, the transport of hemocyte PPO into the newly laid, soft cuticle has been proposed for shell-hardening occurring during and immediately after ecdysis. In order to define the role of hemocyte PPO in the shell-hardening of crustaceans, the full-length cDNA sequence (2806 nt) of hemocytes PPO of the blue crab Callinectes sapidus (CasPPO-hemo) is isolated using degenerate PCR and 5'-3' RACE. CasPPO-hemo encodes a putative PPO (672 aa) showing three hemocyanin domains: N, M, and C in order and two copper binding sites (CuA & CuB). The sequence analysis identifies the putative CasPPO-hemo as zymogen which requires the cleavage at the N-terminus for its activation. Hemocyte extract (CasHLS) contains the PO, the activity of which depends on the in vitro activation of trypsin. The expression levels of CasPPO-hemo are kept constant during the molt cycle. The increase in the number of hemocytes at early premolt correlates with the elevated PO activity, while at late premolt, the increment in hemocyte numbers does not reflect on the PO activity. The functional importance of the changes in the levels of CasHLS-PO activity during molt cycle is discussed in relation to cuticle hardening process.


Coamorphous Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient-Small Molecule Mixtures: Considerations in the Choice of Coformers for Enhancing Dissolution and Oral Bioavailability.
In the recent years, coamorphous systems, containing an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and a small molecule coformer have appeared as alternatives to the use of either amorphous solid dispersions containing polymer or cocrystals of API and small molecule coformers, to improve the dissolution and oral bioavailability of poorly soluble crystalline API. This Commentary article considers the relative properties of amorphous solid dispersions and coamorphous systems in terms of methods of preparation; miscibility; glass transition temperature; physical stability; hygroscopicity; and aqueous dissolution. It also considers important questions concerning the fundamental criteria to be used for the proper selection of a small molecule coformer regarding its ability to form either coamorphous or cocrystal systems. Finally, we consider various aspects of product development that are specifically associated with the formulation of commercial coamorphous systems as solid oral dosage forms. These include coformer selection; screening; methods of preparation; preformulation; physical stability; bioavailability; and final formulation. Through such an analysis of coamorphous API-small molecule coformer systems, against the more widely studied API-polymer dispersions and cocrystals, it is believed that the strengths and weaknesses of coamorphous systems can be better understood, leading to more efficient formulation and manufacture of such systems for enhancing oral bioavailability.


Regular measurements of EMF in a representative Norwegian city-constant exposure over time despite introduction of new technologies.
The rapid growth of the wireless communication industry has resulted in the installation of numerous of base stations, everywhere in our surroundings. The population is exposed to Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Fields of varying frequency and strength. This, and introduction of new systems have risen public concerns regarding potential health effects from this RF-EMF exposure. The purpose of this project is to get an overview of any changes in exposure when new technologies are introduced. From June 2013 to October 2019, measurements were made at 16 measurement points in Kristiansand and surrounding areas in the same order, on the same day of the week and at the same time of day. The measurements are performed on the frequency bands 390, 450, 800, 900, 1800, 2100, 2400, and 2600 MHz. When we summed up the exposure for all the frequency bands relative to the limit values in a measuring point, the total values per measuring point showed that the exposure outdoors in most cases is less than 1‰ of the limit value. In 2017, a temporary increase was registered for most measurement points, but during 2018 the levels returned to the levels registered before 2017. During the increase, the levels were still low, around 3‰ of the limit values. The increase may be due to the fact that two mobile operators during this period made a comprehensive reconfiguration of their networks. The measurements presented in this report show that the exposure of the population is low, thousandths of the limit values, and relatively constant over time even though new technologies are introduced.


Assessment of symptom induction via artificial inoculation of the obligate biotrophic fungus Phyllachora maydis (Maubl.) on corn leaves.
Tar spot is a foliar disease of corn caused by Phyllachora maydis, which produces signs in the form of stromata that bear conidia and ascospores. Phyllachora maydis cannot be cultured in media; therefore, the inoculum source for studying tar spot comprises leaves with stromata collected from naturally infected plants. Currently, there is no effective protocol to induce infection under controlled conditions. In this study, an inoculation method was assessed under greenhouse and growth chamber conditions to test whether stromata of P. maydis could be induced on corn leaves. Experiments resulted in incubation periods ranging between 18 and 20 days and stromata development at the beginning of corn growth stage VT-R1 (silk). The induced stromata of P. maydis were confirmed by microscopy, PCR, or both. From thirteen experiments conducted, four (31%) resulted in the successful production of stromata. Statistical analyses indicate that if an experiment is conducted, there are equal chances of obtaining successful or unsuccessful infections. The information from this study will be valuable for developing more reliable P. maydis inoculation methods in the future.


Crystalline actin tubes. II. The effect of various lanthanide ions on actin tube formation.
The ability of skeletal muscle actin to aggregate in the form of crystalline tubular structures was examined using all 14 of the available trivalent lanthanide cations. Under conditions which normally cause F-actin formation, (0.1 M KCl, pH 6.9) only those lanthanide ions which interact with actin with a molar ratio of 5:1 (Ce3+, Pr3+, Nd3+, Sm3+ and Eu3+) or 6:1 (Gd3+, Tb3+, Dy3+ and Ho3+) can promote the formation of ordered tubular structures. Under the same conditions, the remaining ions (Er3+, Tm3+, Yb3+, Lu3+ as well as La3+) interact with a 7:1 molar ratio of lanthanide to actin, but these were unable to form actin tubes. Actin tube dimensions undergo systematic changes depending on which lanthanide ion binds. The dimensions of the actin monomers and their packing arrangement (i.e. number of rows of subunits per helical repeat and the pitch angle) determines the actin tube diameter. It is suggested that the failure of actin tube formation when 7 lanthanide ions bind is due to additional charge on the monomer, possibly conferring on it a net positive charge.


Arteriovenous malformation of the pancreas: a case report.
Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) of the pancreas is uncommon in the gastrointestinal tract. We present a case of AVM of the pancreatic head in a 59-year-old male. He was admitted to a hospital with hematemesis and tarry stool and referred to our hospital in March 2014 on the diagnosis of pancreatic artery pseudoaneurysm. A computed tomography scan showed the presence of irregular dilated and/or stenotic vessels with meandering in the pancreatic head. Magnetic resonance imaging showed strong enhancement of the conglomeration in the pancreatic head. Selective angiography showed the proliferation of a vascular network in the pancreatic head and an early visualization of the portal vein at the arterial phase. The patient qualified for surgery with a preoperative diagnosis of AVM of the pancreatic head. We performed pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy. The histological results confirmed the presence of irregular dilated tortuous arteries and veins in the pancreatic head. Surgical treatment may represent definitive management of symptomatic AVM.


Effect of estrogen replacement therapy on speed of sound at multiple skeletal sites.
To evaluate the effect of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) on postmenopausal bone loss by multi-site ultrasound measurement. A cross-sectional comparison of postmenopausal women, ERT users and non-users. The two study groups were enrolled for the reference database collection for the Sunlight Omnisense (Omnisense) and were matched by years since menopause. Speed of sound (SOS) was measured at the distal radius (RAD), mid-shaft tibia (TIB), fifth metatarsus (MTR) and proximal phalanx (PLX). 143 ERT users for 5.2+/-3.6 years were compared with 139 ERT non-users (age: 57.0+/-5.3 and 57.5+/-5.5, respectively). Both groups were 7.1+/-5.0 years since menopause. SOS, expressed in T-score units, was higher at the RAD in ERT users as compared to ERT non-users (-0.55+/-1.30 and -1.36+/-1.60, respectively, P<0.0001), and at the TIB (-0.73+/-1.34 and -1.28+/-1.45, respectively, P=0. 003). Same trend was observed at the MTR and PLX, but not statistically significant because of fewer observations. In early post menopause period, the ERT-non users RAD data shows an annual SOS decrease of 0.17 versus annual increase of 0.12 T-score units (P=0.037). Similar effect is observed at the TIB, though not statistically significant (non-users decrease of 0.20 vs. users increase of 0.08 T-score units/year, P=0.086). SOS measurements by Omnisense at multiple skeletal sites support the ERT protective effect on bone.


Detection techniques of carboxylesterase activity: An update review.
Mammalian carboxylesterases (CESs) are essential members of serine esterase hydrolase superfamily, which are widely distributed in many tissues including liver, intestine, lung and kidney. CESs play an important role in the metabolism of various xenobiotics including ester drugs and environmental toxicants, and also participate in lipid homeostasis, so the development of CESs activity detection techniques are of great significance for drug discovery and biomedical research. With the rapid development of separated and detection technologies such as chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, fluorescent probe-based detection technology, bioluminescent sensor and colorimetric sensor in recent decade, the research of physiological functions of CESs have make huge breakthrough. This review summarizes the development and application of CESs activity detection techniques, as well as comparatively analyzes the characteristics of various detection techniques. The information and knowledge represented here will help the researchers carry out various biochemical studies for understanding activation mechanism and role of CESs in drug metabolism.


[Goose flesh and cold sensation. Symptoms of visceral epilepsy].
Goose flesh and cold shiver can be ictal signs of visceral epilepsies. These visceral epilepsies may occur with isolated ictal signs during a simple partial seizure or in combination with other autonomic signs or in complex partial seizures. Because of the unusual features of the ictal symptomatology, these visceral epilepsies often are masked and wrongly diagnosed as nonepileptic events, e.g., somatoform disorders. Five cases are reported with case history, neurological findings, and results of electroencephalography, MEG, and imaging. Interestingly, patients did not suffer from tumoral epilepsies and the epileptic focus was lateralized to the left (dominant) temporal lobe.


[Initial results of the biocompatibility, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of Aramid].
Tissue biocompatibility of aramid fibres was tested over up to 16 weeks after subcutaneous (A = nine) and intraarticular (B = twelve animals) implantation in the rabbit. Histologically all specimens showed connective tissue ingrowth with interspersed mesenchymal cells. Foreign body giant cells were numerous and demonstrated intracellular dye or aramid particles. Following implantation into the knee joint the aramid ligament was invaded by longitudinally arranged, stress-oriented collagen fibres as soon as four weeks postoperatively. In spite of reactive new bone formation a functional bony anchorage in the bore holes did not take place during the 16 week period. Additional investigations in bacteria (particularly the Salmonella-microsome Assay according to Ames) and mammalian cell cultures showed no evidence for any cyto- or genotoxic effects of aramid fibres.


Fungal carboxylate transporters: recent manipulations and applications.
Carboxylic acids containing acidic groups with additional keto/hydroxyl-groups or unsaturated bond have displayed great applicability in the food, agricultural, cosmetic, textile, and pharmaceutical industries. The traditional approach for carboxylate production through chemical synthesis is based on petroleum derivatives, resulting in concerns for the environmental complication and energy crisis, and increasing attention has been attracted to the eco-friendly and renewable bio-based synthesis for carboxylate production. The efficient and specific export of target carboxylic acids through the microbial membrane is essential for high productivity, yield, and titer of bio-based carboxylates. Therefore, understanding the characteristics, regulations, and efflux mechanisms of carboxylate transporters will efficiently increase industrial biotechnological production of carboxylic acids. Several transporters from fungi have been reported and used for improved synthesis of target products. The transport activity and substrate specificity are two key issues that need further improvement in the application of carboxylate transporters. This review presents developments in the structural and functional diversity of carboxylate transporters, focusing on the modification and regulation of carboxylate transporters to alter the transport activity and substrate specificity, providing new strategy for transporter engineering in constructing microbial cell factory for carboxylate production. KEY POINTS: • Structures of multiple carboxylate transporters have been predicted. • Carboxylate transporters can efficiently improve production. • Modification engineering of carboxylate transporters will be more popular in the future.


Differential release of sewage sludge biochar-borne elements by common low-molecular-weight organic acids.
Biochar materials originated from sewage sludge may contain elevated levels of potentially toxic elements. There was a lack of information on the mobility of biochar-borne elements, as driven by low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOAs) contained in plant root exudates. A batch experiment was conducted to examine the effects of three common LMWOAs on the release of major elements and trace elements with a focus on various potentially toxic trace elements. The results showed that substantial amounts of Al, Mn, Fe, K, Na and Mg were extracted from two sewage sludge-derived biochar materials by the LMWOAs. A much higher release rate of potentially toxic trace elements was observed in the presence of LMWOAs, as compared to reported data using extractants not encountered in root exudates. The LMWOA-driven releasibility of various potentially toxic trace elements was in the following decreasing order: Zn > Ni > Pb > Cu > Cr >Co = Cd. Other trace elements that are subject to mobilization in the presence of LMWOAs included B, Ba, In, Li and Sr except Ba under oxalic acid extraction. Among the three LMWOAs, oxalic acid showed a generally stronger capacity to mobilize these metals. The findings obtained from this study provides new information that can be used for better evaluating the phyto-availability of trace elements bound to sewage sludge-originated biochar materials.


[Age variation of the phenotypic expression and the inheritance of the IgG system of immunoglobulin allotypes in the pig].
The specificity of phenotypic expression and inheritance of immunoglobulin allotypes IgG1a and IgG2b in pigs are discussed. It was shown that a negative state by both these allotypes is repeatedly found among newborn pigs but is extremely rare in pigs older than one month. A model, which simultaneously describes the genetic determination of allogroups formed by allotypes IgG1a and IgG2b and the dynamics of ontogenetic expression of individual genotype by system IgG with a result of a visually registered phenotype, was developed. Allele frequencies by system IgG were assessed in populations of domestic pigs of productive breeds, laboratory miniature pigs, and wild Eurasian pigs.


Induction of colonic adenocarcinomas by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine intrarectally administered in rats.
Multiple colorectal adenocarcinomas were found in Sprague-Dawley rats after intrarectal injection of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH). These lesions along with mild hyperplasia of the surrounding mucosa developed within 34 weeks after either 3 or 8 injections of 250 mg DMH/kg body weight.


A pilot scale of electrochemical integrated treatment technology and equipment driven by solar energy for decentralized domestic sewage treatment.
Based on the natural air diffusion electrode (NADE) cathode, a solar-driven electrochemical integrated sewage treatment technology and equipment in a pilot scale was developed to treat dispersed rural wastewater. The non-aeration NADE had efficient and stable H2O2 production performance, maintaining the H2O2 output between 1474 and 1535 mg h-1 within 50 h with the current efficiency of 77.4%-80.6%. This electrochemical integrated wastewater treatment system was coupled with technologies such as dual-cathode electro-Fenton, peroxi-coagulation and photoelectro-Fenton, which effectively improved the conversion and utilization efficiency of H2O2. It integrated Fenton-like oxidation, electro-oxidation and UV/H2O2, as well as Fe(OH)3-dominated flocculation, which could effectively remove various pollutants in wastewater. The integrated sewage treatment equipment (500 L d-1) realized the effective treatment of a rural decentralized domestic sewage, achieving simultaneous removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), NH3-N, total phosphorus (TP) and bacteria. Driven by solar energy, its application feasibility, superiority and stability have been proved, providing theoretical and technical support for the efficient and low-consumption treatment of dispersed organic wastewater.


A Review of the Partner Trials.
Aortic stenosis (AS) of moderate or greater severity has an estimated prevalence of 5% in people older than 65 years. Survival is poor after onset of symptoms, and surgical aortic valve replacement was the gold-standard treatment for decades. However, more than one-third of patients with symptomatic AS were untreated due to high surgical risk, exposing a clinical need for a less invasive therapy for aortic valve stenosis. The PARTNER trials were pivotal in presenting robust evidence for the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of transcatheter aortic valve replacement in the management of AS and paved the way for clinical use worldwide.


Empagliflozin improves cardiac mitochondrial function and survival through energy regulation in a murine model of heart failure.
Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have been demonstrated to have beneficial effects on HF in large clinical trials; however, the mechanisms remain to be elucidated. The aim of this study was to clarify the mechanisms by which empagliflozin, one of SGLT2 inhibitors, affects heart failure. Eight-week-old male mice deficient for heart and skeletal muscle-specific manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD-cKO mice), a murine model of dilated cardiomyopathy, were given food mixed with or without 10 mg/kg empagliflozin for 7 weeks and evaluated. Both the survival rate and cardiac fibrosis were significantly improved in the empagliflozin group. The capacity for oxidative phosphorylation in cardiac mitochondria was significantly upregulated as measured with Oxygraph-2k respirometer, and blood lactate levels produced by anaerobic metabolism were significantly lower in the empagliflozin group. Energy expenditure was significantly improved in the empagliflozin group, measured by respiratory gas analysis, with a concomitant reduction in serum leptin concentration and increase in food intake. A moderate amount of glucose was excreted in urine in the empagliflozin group; however, the available energy substrate in the body nonetheless expanded because of the much higher caloric intake. We conclude that empagliflozin improved cardiac mitochondrial function and upregulated energy metabolism even in HF in mice. These findings provide novel mechanisms for the beneficial effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on HF.


Low-income blacks in community mental health: forming a treatment relationship.
Sociodemographics, psychological symptom distress, and global adjustment were related to perceived quality of the therapeutic relationship at a community mental health center serving a predominantly low-income and black clientele. Data were collected at intake describing 56 clients; additional data were collected after two sessions of treatment, recording therapist perceived quality of the therapeutic relationship. Results indicated that with all else controlled, three factors predicted a favorable therapist evaluation: having ever been married; reporting more symptoms of psychological distress; having been rated as better adjusted. Apart from symptoms of hostility and somatization, the type of symptom distress suffered appeared less important than the number of symptoms and their severity. In this little studied but increasingly prevalent population of clients, it is possible to predict the formation of a promising therapeutic relationship by means of a relatively straightforward model of symptoms and adjustment.


Cognitive therapy does not prevent a response to tryptophan depletion in patients also treated with antidepressants.
Acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) induces depressive symptoms in remitted depressed patients treated with serotonergic medications, but not in patients treated with noradrenergic medications or electroconvulsive therapy. A recent study suggests that cognitive therapy (CT) protects against the effects of ATD, but the evidence is questionable. The present study compared the effect of ATD in patients who were treated with antidepressant medication and CT (n = 17) versus antidepressant medication alone (n = 23) during their latest episode. Forty remitted depressed patients underwent high-dose and low-dose ATD in a randomized double-blind crossover design. There were no differences in response to ATD between treatment groups. This applied to groups defined by lifetime and by recent CT experience. Cognitive therapy does not protect against the effects of rapidly lowered plasma tryptophan levels in remitted depressed patients who are also treated with antidepressant medication.


AG490 suppresses EPO-mediated activation of JAK2-STAT but enhances blood flow recovery in rats with critical limb ischemia.
Erythropoietin (EPO) has been demonstrated to enhance recovery in ischemic organs through enhancing angiogenesis. In this study, we used an experimental critical limb ischemia (CLI) rat model to reveal the underlying mechanisms and directly examine the benefits of the anti-apoptotic capacity of EPO in the acute phase of limb ischemia and following blood flow recovery. To determine the role of the JAK2/STAT pathway in EPO-enhanced recovery after CLI, male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 8 for each group) were divided into group 1 (normal control), group 2 (CLI treated with normal saline), group 3 (CLI treated with EPO), group 4 (CLI treated with AG490, a JAK2 inhibitor), and group 5 (CLI treated with EPO and AG490). Animals were sacrificed either at day 1 or day 14 and biochemical and histopathological examination of ischemic quadriceps were conducted. At day 1, EPO administration reduced expression levels of apoptotic indices and activated the JAK2/STAT pathway; this activation was inhibited by additional AG490 treatment. Furthermore, the decrease in the size of the infarcted area, as well as activation of ERK1/2 and JNK showed similar regulatory trends with EPO or AG490 treatment. Of Interest, EPO and AG490 in combination showed a synergistic effect, increasing expression levels of antioxidants (GR, GPx, NQO-1) and decreasing transcriptional levels of pro-inflammatory factors (TNF-α, NF-kB). At day 14, laser Doppler analysis showed that the blood flow recovery was enhanced by EPO, AG490, or combined treatment. Although inhibition of the JAK2/STAT pathways reduces the anti-apoptotic effects of EPO in the early phase of CLI, the benefits of AG490 in anti-inflammation and anti-oxidation still play a positive role in enhancing blood flow recovery after CLI.


Establishing populations of Megasphaera elsdenii YE 34 and Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens YE 44 in the rumen of cattle fed high grain diets.
To determine whether Megasphaera elsdenii YE34 (lactic acid degrader) and Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens YE44 (alternative starch utilizer to Streptococcus bovis) establish viable populations in the rumen of beef cattle rapidly changed from a forage-based to a grain-based diet. Five steers were inoculated with the two bacterial strains (YE34 and YE44) and five served as uninoculated controls. With the exception of one animal in the control group, which developed acidosis, all steers rapidly adapted to the grain-based diet without signs of acidosis (pH decline and accumulation of lactic acid). Bacterial populations of S. bovis, B. fibrisolvens and M. elsdenii were enumerated using real-time Taq nuclease assays. Populations of S. bovis remained constant (except in the acidotic animal) at ca 10(7) cell equivalents (CE) ml-1 throughout the study. Megasphaera elsdenii YE34, was not detectable in animals without grain in the diet, but immediately established in inoculated animals, at 10(6) CE ml-1, and increased 100-fold in the first 4 days following inoculation. Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, initially present at 10(8) CE ml-1, declined rapidly with the introduction of grain into the diet and was not detectable 8 days after grain introduction. Megasphaera elsdenii rapidly establishes a lactic acid-utilizing bacterial population in the rumen of grain-fed cattle 7-10 days earlier than in uninoculated cattle. The study has demonstrated that rumen bacterial populations, and in particular the establishment of bacteria inoculated into the rumen for probiotic use, can be monitored by real-time PCR.


Artificial instillation of amniotic fluid as a new technique for the diagnostic evaluation of cases of oligohydramnios.
In cases of severe oligohydramnios, sonographic diagnosis is hampered by poor visibility and by increased fetal flexion. Therefore, 74 artificial instillations of amniotic fluid were performed in 50 pregnancies by sonographic guidance. Fetal diseases included Potter's syndrome, obstructive uropathy, cystic kidneys (20 cases); Meckel's syndrome, C. de Lange syndrome, cytomegaly fetopathy (1 case each); VATER association (2 cases); triploidy (5 cases); severe intrauterine growth retardation (8 cases); and premature rupture of membranes (12 cases). By improved sonographic visibility and the observation of fetal behaviour (drinking, filling of stomach and bladder, voiding of bladder after artificial instillation of amniotic fluid), the fetal anatomy could be studied more accurately, malformations could be identified or excluded, and bladder function could be examined. Thus, differentiation between fetuses without functioning kidneys and those with severe intrauterine growth retardation becomes possible. Further, re-aspiration on the day following instillation permitted determination of the karyotype. Finally, the artificial instillation of amniotic fluid is a hazardous intervention (rupture of membranes, labour) and should be reserved only for a small number of selected cases with diagnostically unclear oligohydramnios. For these cases, it seems to be the method of choice permitting a variety of diagnostic information to be obtained.


The index line as a new aid in clinical and forensic toxicology.
On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Research and Technology, we investigated the use of electronic data processing for clinical toxicological purposes. Initially, sufficient funds were available for a comprehensive approach to the problem and programs covering the following areas were established: 1. A casuistic data program; 2. an identification program for wild fruits; 3. a program for the identification of tablets by their shapes. Due to a subsequent lack of funds, it was necessary to develop a partial solution: this solution is what we call the Index Line. The Index Line--limited data on poisonings--should enable the user to receive information by telex from the German Institute for Medical Documentation and Information, i.e., information on "who has what, where". As a first step the continuous Index Line registration of all cases of poisoning recorded at the poison control centers in Munich, Freiburg, Hamburg, and Nürnberg as well as at the State Institute for Food, Pharmaceutical and Forensic Chemistry in Berlin was founded in 1975. To participate in the program, complete instructions are necessary.


Lack of tailless leads to an increase in expression variability in Drosophila embryos.
Developmental processes are robust, or canalised: dynamic patterns of gene expression across space and time are regulated reliably and precisely in the presence of genetic and environmental perturbations. It remains unclear whether canalisation relies on specific regulatory factors (such as heat-shock proteins), or whether it is based on more general redundancy and distributed robustness at the network level. The latter explanation implies that mutations in many regulatory factors should exhibit loss of canalisation. Here, we present a quantitative characterisation of segmentation gene expression patterns in mutants of the terminal gap gene tailless (tll) in Drosophila melanogaster. Our analysis provides new insights into the dynamic mechanisms underlying gap gene regulation, and reveals significantly increased variability of gene expression in the mutant compared to the wild-type background. We show that both position and timing of posterior segmentation gene expression domains vary strongly from embryo-to-embryo in tll mutants. This variability must be caused by a vulnerability in the regulatory system which is hidden or buffered in the wild-type, but becomes uncovered by the deletion of tll. Our analysis provides evidence that loss of canalisation in mutants could be more widespread than previously thought.


The nature of the onset of rheumatoid arthritis: a reassessment.
A total of 300 consecutive patients referred to a tertiary-care center and fulfilling the American Rheumatism Association criteria for definite-classical rheumatoid arthritis, (with a mean disease-duration of 10.3 +/- 9 years) were studied by structured interview and medical record review. The type of onset (rapid or insidious), type of joint involved (small, medium, large or combined joints) and pattern of joint involvement (monarticular, pauciarticular or polyarticular) at onset, and the interval between the first symptom and development of established disease were determined from the interview (based on the patient's memory). The onset was rapid in 46%. Initial involvement occurred in small joints in 31%, medium joints in 16%, large joints in 28% and combined sites in 25%. The pattern of joint involvement at onset was monarticular in 21%, pauciarticular in 44% and polyarticular in 35%. The time for disease to become established was less than 1 month in 25%, 1-6 months in 35%, 6-12 months in 14% and over 1 year in 26%. The monarticular pattern of onset was associated with slower development of established disease than the other patterns of joint involvement; polyarticular disease tended to be associated with polyarticular onset; involvement of large joints was associated with pauciarticular onset.


Analysis of the fatty acid composition of erythrocyte phospholipids by a base catalysed transesterification method--prevention of formation of dimethylacetals.
A sensitive method for the analysis of the fatty acid composition of erythrocyte phospholipids with capillary column GLC is described. Under the assay conditions (base catalysed transesterification with sodium methoxide), only the fatty acids of the phospholipids are converted to their methylesters. The alkenyl ether chains of the plasmalogens are not transmethylated. This eliminates the need for thin layer chromatography for the separation of dimethylacetals and esterified fatty acids. The method is suitable for the measurement of the fatty acid patterns of erythrocyte phospholipids in small blood samples.


Human Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5 Antibodies Alter Receptor Levels and Behavior in Mice.
Ophelia syndrome or encephalitis with antibodies against the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) manifests with behavioral changes, memory deficits, and anxiety. To study the antibody pathogenicity, mice received continuous cerebroventricular infusion of patients' or controls' immunoglobulin G (IgG) for 14 days, followed by a 15-day washout. The effects on hippocampal mGluR5 clusters were determined by confocal microscopy. Animals infused with patients' IgG, but not controls' IgG, showed memory impairment, increased anxiety, and decreased neuronal surface mGluR5 clusters. After antibody clearance, both behavioral and molecular changes reversed to baseline conditions. These findings support the pathogenicity of these antibodies in anti-mGluR5 encephalitis. ANN NEUROL 2022;92:81-86.


Adrenomyeloneuropathy, a dynamic progressive disorder: brain magnetic resonance imaging of two cases.
Adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN) is a phenotype variant of X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy. We present two patients with adult-onset AMN who were initially suspected to have demyelinating disorders radiologically and finally diagnosed on the basis of laboratory data. The brain magnetic resonance images showed abnormal signal intensity at pyramidal tracts and cerebellar hemisphere bilaterally with abnormal enhancement after contrast medium administration. Review of the literature shows that the brain magnetic resonance findings of adrenomyeloneuropathy may include normal brain, tract demyelination, white matter demyelination, or brain atrophy. Disease progression was demonstrated by follow-up imaging.


Analyzing disparities in access to teledermatology compared with dermatology clinic visits before, during, and after COVID-19 quarantine.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant changes in dermatologic care, likely exacerbating health disparities for specific minority populations. The use of teledermatology has also become more prevalent during this period. The aim of this study was to determine if the proportion of teledermatology versus office-based visits varied significantly during three study periods of the COVID-19 pandemic. The secondary objective was to determine whether there are significant differences in the use of office-based dermatology versus teledermatology care across the following demographic subgroups: insurance type, race/ethnicity, age, and language during the same periods. A chart review of dermatology visits in electronic medical records at a tertiary referral center in Washington, DC, was conducted. The overall telehealth visit rate was 0% in the prequarantine period, 61.12% during the quarantine period, and 10.59% in the postquarantine period. After assessing telehealth utilization rates among the demographic subgroups, we noted that Medicaid users, Black patients, 64-year-olds or older, and English speakers may benefit the least from telehealth services. Teledermatology use necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic may have promoted health care disparities for specific marginalized populations.


Obstructive jaundice from open vessel clip.
Obstructive jaundice occurred 3 years after cholecystectomy in a 49-year-old man. At surgery a large stone was discovered in the common bile duct. Pathologic examination showed that the stone had formed around an open vessel clip. Migration of an open vessel clip to the biliary system with subsequent stone formation has not been reported previously.


Sonic Hedgehog Promotes Neurite Outgrowth of Primary Cortical Neurons Through Up-Regulating BDNF Expression.
Sonic hedgehog (Shh), a secreted glycoprotein factor, can activate the Shh pathway, which has been implicated in neuronal polarization involving neurite outgrowth. However, little evidence is available about the effect of Shh on neurite outgrowth in primary cortical neurons and its potential mechanism. Here, we revealed that Shh increased neurite outgrowth in primary cortical neurons, while the Shh pathway inhibitor (cyclopamine, CPM) partially suppressed Shh-induced neurite outgrowth. Similar results were found for the expressions of Shh and Patched genes in Shh-induced primary cortical neurons. Moreover, Shh increased the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) not only in lysates and in culture medium but also in the longest neurites of primary cortical neurons, which was partially blocked by CPM. In addition, blocking of BDNF action suppressed Shh-mediated neurite elongation in primary cortical neurons. In conclusion, these findings suggest that Shh promotes neurite outgrowth in primary cortical neurons at least partially through modulating BDNF expression.


Pharmacokinetics and haemodynamic effects of a single oral dose of the novel ACE inhibitor spirapril in patients with chronic liver disease.
The pharmacokinetics and haemodynamic effects of orally administered spirapril, a novel angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, have been investigated in patients with liver cirrhosis (n = 10), in patients with chronic, non-cirrhotic liver disease (n = 8) and in a control group of healthy subjects (n = 16). The absorption and elimination of spirapril did not differ between patients with liver disease and control subjects. In contrast, the bioavailability of spiraprilat, the metabolite responsible for the pharmacological action of spirapril, was significantly reduced in patients (AUC 820 micrograms.h.l-1, 923 micrograms.h.l-1 and 1300 micrograms.h.l-1 in patients with cirrhosis, patients with non-cirrhotic liver disease and in healthy subjects, respectively. Compared to healthy subjects, cirrhotic patients had a reduced rate constant of spiraprilat formation (1.10 h-1 in patients vs. 2.00 h-1 in control subjects) while the elimination half-life of spiraprilat was not different. The effect of spirapril on diastolic blood pressure was decreased in patients with chronic liver disease as compared to the controls. Thus, the pharmacokinetics of spirapril was unchanged in patients with different types of liver disease, including cirrhosis. However, the bioavailability of spiraprilat and hypotensive effect of spirapril were reduced in patients.


Width-controlled M-type hexagonal strontium ferrite (SrFe12O19) nanoribbons with high saturation magnetization and superior coercivity synthesized by electrospinning.
Width-controlled M-type hexagonal SrFe12O19 nanoribbons were synthesized for the first time via polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) sol assisted electrospinning followed by heat treatment in air, and their chemical composition, microstructure and magnetic performance were investigated. Results demonstrated that as-obtained SrFe12O19 nanoribbons were well-crystallized with high purity. Each nanoribbon was self-assembled by abundant single-domain SrFe12O19 nanoparticles and was consecutive on structure and uniform on width. PVP in the spinning solution played a significant influence on the microstructure features of SrFe12O19 nanoribbons. With PVP concentration increasing, the ribbon-width was increased but the particle-size was reduced, which distributed on a same ribbon were more intensive, and then the ribbon-surface became flat. The room temperature magnetic performance investigation revealed that considerable large saturation magnetization (Ms) and coercivity (Hc) were obtained for all SrFe12O19 nanoribbons, and they increased with the ribbon-width broadening. The highest Ms of 67.9 emu · g(-1) and Hc of 7.31 kOe were concurrently acquired for SrFe12O19 nanoribbons with the maximum ribbon-width. Finally, the Stoner-Wohlfarth curling model was suggested to dominate the magnetization reverse of SrFe12O19 nanoribbons. It is deeply expected that this work is capable of opening up a new insights into the architectural design of 1D magnetic materials and their further utilization.


Application of chiral chromatographic parameters in quantitative structure-activity relationship analysis of homologous malathion derivatives.
The conditions of the chiral resolution of the racemic malathion O,O-di-n-alkyl derivatives on cellulose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) are described. Quantitative relationships between chromatographic parameters obtained on chiral and achiral stationary phases and acute toxicity of the compounds towards house fly are derived and discussed.


Diagnostic value of intraoperative fine-needle aspiration cytologic diagnosis versus frozen section-based histopathologic diagnosis in thoracic malignancies: A single institution's experience.
Primary lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Most lung cancers are diagnosed in an outpatient setting, but a subset requires intraoperative diagnosis. Two intraoperative diagnostic methods are available, frozen section (FS) and fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology. This study compares intraoperative FNA cytology and FS based diagnosis in thoracic malignancies within the same clinical practice. Pathology reports from thoracic intraoperative FNA cytology or FS (January 2017-December 2019) were reviewed. Resection diagnosis was the gold standard. If unavailable, concurrent biopsy and final FNA cytology diagnosis were the gold standard. Of 300 FNA specimens (155 patients), 142 (47%) cases were benign, and 158 (53%) were malignant. Adenocarcinoma was the most common malignant diagnosis (40%), followed by squamous cell carcinoma (26%), neuroendocrine tumors (18%), and other (16%). Intraoperative FNA yielded 88% sensitivity, 99% specificity, and 92% accuracy (p < .001). Of 298 FS specimens (252 patients), 215 (72%) cases were malignant and 83 (28%) were benign. Adenocarcinomas was the most common malignant diagnosis (48%), followed by squamous cell carcinoma (25%), metastatic carcinomas (13%), and other (14%). FS yielded 97% sensitivity, 99% specificity, and 97% accuracy (p < .001). Our findings confirm FS is the gold standard for intraoperative diagnosis. FNA cytology may be useful as a non-invasive, inexpensive initial diagnostic tool intraoperatively, given the similar specificity (99% FNA, 99% FS) and accuracy (92% FNA, 97% FS). Negative FNA could be followed by the costlier and invasive FS. We encourage surgeons to utilize intraoperative FNA first.


Comparison of group A streptococcal titres in healthy children and those with pharyngitis and skin infections.
Rates of acute rheumatic fever, a sequelae of group A Streptococcal (GAS) infection, remain unacceptably high in Indigenous Māori and Pacific children in New Zealand. This prospective study aimed to describe GAS antibody titres in healthy children (5-14 years) by ethnicity, and to determine how paired titres vary with GAS culture positive and negative pharyngitis, and GAS skin infections. Analysis included 887 children (32% Māori, 36% Pacific, 33% European/Other) from Auckland, New Zealand. Cases comprise 772 children who had a sore throat or skin infection, which resulted in a swab taken for culture. Healthy controls were asymptomatic (N = 154) and matched by age, ethnicity and region. All participants had a serum sample, with a second sample collected from cases only. Sera were analysed for anti-streptolysin O (ASO) and anti-DNase-B (ADB) antibodies. Healthy Māori and Pacific children had higher GAS antibody titres than healthy European/Other children. Children with GAS-positive sore throat had the highest mean ASO titres and children with GAS-positive skin infection had the highest mean ADB titres. When a two-fold increase or an upper limit of normal cut-off (ASO 450 IU/ml, ADB 400 U/ml) was applied to titres from children with GAS-positive sore throat, 62.1% were classified as having serologically confirmed GAS pharyngitis and 37.9% had GAS detected without serological response. Elevated ASO titres were associated with GAS pharyngitis and elevated ADB titres were associated with GAS skin infections in New Zealand children. Higher ASO/ADB titres in healthy Māori and Pacific children could indicate a greater prior exposure to GAS infections.


Giant multinucleated hepatocytes in an adult with chronic active hepatitis.
A case of an adult with chronic active hepatitis associated with giant multinucleated liver cells is presented. The giant liver cells in this case are widespread and the picture resembles neonatal hepatitis. The morphology, pathogenesis, and epidemiology of giant hepatocytes found in human neonates and adults and in experimental animals is discussed. Because the proliferative phase of giant hepatic cells is transient, this reaction may be more common than generally believed.


The role of procalcitonin in respiratory infections.
Accurate diagnosis, risk stratification, and decisions about the need for and optimal duration of antibiotic therapy are cornerstones of the management of patients with respiratory infections. A growing body of evidence supports the use of procalcitonin, a marker of bacterial infection, in addition to conventional clinical parameters to improve diagnostic and prognostic assessment in patients with suspicion of respiratory infections. In addition, several randomized controlled trials indicate that procalcitonin may be used for clinical decision making about initiation and optimal duration of antibiotic therapy. For patients with respiratory infections, procalcitonin-guided antibiotic therapy resulted in less antibiotic use without any apparent adverse patient outcome. For other infections outcome studies are currently lacking. This review summarizes the results of recent investigations of procalcitonin in respiratory infections to provide physicians an overview of the utility and limitations of procalcitonin when used for bedside decision making.


Impact of work routines on parents' and children's sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.
To evaluate the effects of parental sleep and work arrangements on children's sleep duration during the national lockdown period, referred to as 'Circuit Breaker' (CB), due to COVID-19. Cross-sectional, anonymous, online questionnaire to parents with school-going children aged between 3 and 16 years. Child and parental sleep duration in relation to change in parental work arrangements, housing type and number of individuals in the household as reported by parents were evaluated. Descriptive statistics and tests of comparison were used to evaluate data. School-going children (n = 593) had a mean age of 8.68 (SD = 3.65; median 7) years. Both, fathers and mothers had gains in sleep during CB (based on self-reported sleep data), compared to pre-CB. Change in both maternal and paternal sleep duration positively correlated with change in child sleep duration (based on parent-reported sleep data) among all children (r2 = 0.27, p < 0.001 and r2 = 0.17, p < 0.001 respectively); pre-schoolers mirrored their mothers' sleep more closely. Parents who changed to working from home during the CB (compared to working from outside home previously) had the greatest gains in sleep during this period. Housing type was not significantly associated with change in child sleep duration from pre-CB to CB. Greater gains in sleep in parents was associated with working from home during CB. Child sleep duration mirrored gains in parental sleep, especially in pre-school and primary-school-going children. Optimising parental sleep may therefore be one of the means to improve child sleep.


Adjuvant treatment of Parkinson's disease with dopamine agonists: open trial with bromocriptine and CU 32-085.
Bromocriptine (CB-154) and the 8-alpha-ergoline CU 32-085, two dopamine receptor agonists, were administered at different times to two series of 22 patients with Parkinson's disease, most of whom took levodopa (plus benserazide) at optimum dosage. The addition of bromocriptine (mean daily dose 32 mg; after 6 months 40 mg) led to a 38.5% reduction of levodopa, while CU 32-085 (mean daily dose 15.2 mg; after 6 months 17.5 mg) permitted a 33.7% reduction in levodopa. The mean dose in two patients on CU 32-085 monotherapy was 55 mg/day. A total of 15 patients tolerated adequate doses of bromocriptine (5-75 mg/day, mean duration of treatment 7.5 months) and 15 patients long-term treatment up to 14 months with CU 32-085 (dose range 1-60 mg/day; mean duration 8.8 months). Both groups showed a significant improvement of "total disability score' at 6 months by 56% and 67%, respectively, and after 6 months by 69% and 69.4%, respectively, with a significant decrease of all types of disability. All patients with fluctuations and "on-off' effects rapidly improved on both compounds. Bromocriptine and CU 32-085 were discontinued in seven patients each (32%) because of adverse effect including mental changes (for with bromocriptine, two with CU 32-085), nausea and vomiting (one and two, respectively), hypotension (one each) and increased tremor plus vomiting (one with CU 32-085). Although adverse effects were similar to those observed with levodopa, CU 32-085 in general showed less severe dyskinesia and mental changes but more frequent nausea than bromocriptine and levodopa. While the results of treatment with bromocriptine and CU 32-085 were comparable, the antitremor effect of the latter drug developed more rapidly, even at low dosage. Both compounds were useful in the management of patients with advanced Parkinson's disease, CU 32-085 having a stronger effect on tremor, bradykinesia, fluctuations and "on-off' effects than bromocriptine.


The nitrogen edge-doped effect on the static first hyperpolarizability of the supershort single-walled carbon nanotube.
The nitrogen edge-doped effect on the structure, dipole moment, and first hyperpolarizability of the supershort single-walled carbon nanotube (5, 0) has been studied systematically. For the nitrogen edge-doped effect on the structure, the mean diameter on the nitrogen-doped side (D(u)) decreases as the number of doped-nitrogen (n) increases (4.044 (1) > 3.991 (2) > 3.941 (3) > 3.891 (4) > 3.844 A (5)). Significantly, the nitrogen edge-doped effects on the dipole moment and first hyperpolarizability are revealed for the first time and these new effects are dramatic for the supershort single-walled carbon nanotube (5, 0). Among the beta(0) values of these seven nitrogen-doped structures, the largest beta(0) (3155 au) is larger by almost 450 times than the very small beta(0) (7 au) of undoped structure (D(5h)). For nitrogen-doped structures, the order of the beta(0) values is 3155 (1) > 2677 (2A) approximately 2817 (2B) > 1465 (3A) approximately 1458 (3B) > 670 (4) > 254 au (5), which shows two interesting relationships between the beta(0) value and nitrogen-doped number: (1) the smaller the nitrogen-doped number, the larger the beta(0) value. (2) The structures with the same number of doped-nitrogen have almost the same beta(0) values (1465 for 3A and 1458 au for 3B). As for the frequency-dependent beta (-omega; omega, 0) and beta (-2omega; omega, omega), the dependence on the nitrogen-doped number (n) is similar to the case of static beta(0). For beta (-2omega; omega, omega) values at omega = 0.005 au are 3220 (1) > 2720 (2A) approximately = 2862 (2B) > 1480 (3A) approximately = 1477 (3B) > 676 (4) > 256 au (5). In addition, the important monotonic dependences of the beta value on the D(u) and electronic spatial extent <R(2)> are also observed. The new knowledge of influence the beta value will be beneficial to design high-performance nonlinear optical (NLO) materials.


Capturing old-growth values for use in forest decision-making.
Old-growth forests have declined significantly across the world. Decisions related to old growth are often mired in challenges of value diversity, conflict, data gaps, and resource pressures. This article describes old-growth values of citizens and groups in Nova Scotia, Canada, for integration in sustainable forest management (SFM) decision-making. The study is based on data from 76 research subjects who participated in nine field trips to forest stands. Research subjects were drawn from Aboriginal groups, environmental organizations, forestry professionals, and rural and urban publics. Diaries, group discussions, and rating sheets were used to elicit information during the field trips. Findings show that different elicitation techniques can influence the articulation of intensity with which some values are held. In addition, certain values are more often associated with old-growth than with other forest-age classes. Some values associated with old-growth are considered more important than others, and some silvicultural treatments are perceived to compromise old-growth values more than others. Demographic characteristics, such as constituency group, gender, and age, are shown to influence value priorities. Ideas on how to incorporate old-growth values into SFM decision-making are highlighted.


Image-guided surgery of head and neck carcinoma in rabbit models by intra-operatively defining tumour-infiltrated margins and metastatic lymph nodes.
The infiltrative nature and lymphatic metastasis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are the main reasons leading to its poor prognosis. A multimodal surface-enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy (SERRS) and magnetic resonance (MR) nanoprobe, in which paramagnetic chelators and heptamethine cyanine-based Raman reporter molecules were functionalized on a gold nanostar (AuS) surface was developed. Preoperative MRI and intraoperative SERRS-guided surgery were performed on rabbits bearing head and neck VX2 tumours to determine feasibility of the MR/SERRS probe in defining tumour marginal infiltration and lymph nodes metastasis. Preoperative T1-weighted MRI (T1W-MRI) unambiguously delineated the orthotopic head and neck VX2 tumour xenograft and detected the metastatic lymph nodes in rabbit models after intravenous administration of the probe. With the assistance of a hand-held Raman detector, the probe not only intra-operatively demarcated invasive tumour margins but also successfully distinguished metastatic lymph nodes via a remarkable attenuated Raman signal. Importantly, the group of rabbits subjected to the SERRS-guided surgery exhibited prolonged median survival time (78 days) compared with that of the control group without surgical intervention (29 days) or the group treated with conventional white-light-guided surgery (42 days) (P < 0.0001). we developed a novel AuS-based multimodal MR/SERRS probe. The capability of this probe to identify both a tumour xenograft and metastatic lymph nodes preoperatively by MRI and intra-operatively by SERRS not only avoids the need for unnecessary resection of neurological structures but also provides a new opportunity to improve the surgical prognosis of head and neck carcinoma of infiltrative nature.


EMS or HSA: which program model influences health delivery more?
The EMS and the HSA programs differ radically in concept of area of operation, agency structures, roles of consumers and health care professionals, method of funding, and control by the federal government. Both the government and providers should study the differing impact of the programs in order to determine which approach can more effectively change health care delivery.


Polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells play a proinflammatory role via TNF-α+ B cells through BAFF/BTK/NF-κB signalling pathway in the pathogenesis of collagen-induced arthritis mice.
Although various studies have been performed on the function of polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells (PMN-MDSCs) in RA, the results were conflicting. Here we were trying to clarify the role of PMN-MDSCs in the pathogenesis of RA and its specific mechanisms. We detected the frequencies and counts of PMN-MDSCs, TNF-α+ B cells and Ki67+ B cells in spleen and inflamed joints of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice using flow cytometry. The pathological role of PMN-MDSCs was examined by anti-Ly6G neutralizing antibodies against PMN-MDSCs or adoptive transfer of PMN-MDSCs. And the modulation of PMN-MDSCs on B cells was conducted by coculture assays, RNA-Seq, RT-qPCR, and so on. The mechanism of BAFF regulating B cells was verified through western blot and flow cytometry. PMN-MDSCs accumulated in the spleen and joints of CIA mice. PMN-MDSCs depletion could alleviate the arthritis severity, which was accompanied by decreased TNF-α secretion and proliferation of B cells. And its adoptive transfer also facilitated disease progress. Furthermore, PMN-MDSCs from CIA mice had higher expression level of BAFF, which regulated TNF-α expression, proliferation and apoptosis of B cells in vitro. What's more, BAFF promoted phosphorylation of BTK/NF-κB signalling pathway. And Ibrutinib (BTK inhibitor) could reverse the effect of BAFF on TNF-α expression of B cells. Our study suggested that PMN-MDSCs enhanced disease severity of CIA and manipulated TNF-α expression, proliferation and apoptosis of B cells via BAFF, furthermore, BAFF promoted TNF-α expression through BTK/NF-κB signalling pathway, which demonstrated a novel pathogenesis of PMN-MDSCs in CIA.


Nonmutagenicity of maleic acid and its sodium salts in salmonella assays.
Maleic acid (cis-butenedioic acid) and its mono- and disodium salts are shown to be non-mutagenic in the standard Ames Salmonella/mammalian microsome assay in the absence and presence of Aroclor-1254-induced rat liver S9. This lack of activity occurred despite depression of top agar pH in accordance with the degree of protonation of this polybasic acid. These results indicate that when chemical compounds which are maleate salts show activity in this assay, the effect is attributable to the base moiety rather than maleate or pH depression per se.


Classification using the cumulative log-odds in the quantitative pathologic diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the cervix.
This study develops a method that discriminates between normal and cancerous tissue sections (i.e., populations of cells) using a statistical model applied to high-dimensional quantitative measurements made on a sample of cells. We use a cumulative log-odds model to create a score for a tissue section using the information from the cells within that tissue section. Then, a threshold is determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The method was tested using data from cervical adenocarcinomas, adenocarcinoma in situ, and normal columnar tissue. Using 120 potential features, we analyzed the data for staining-independent features. Twenty-two features were statistically significant. We then calculated the log-odds and created a score, followed by ROC curve analysis. The operating point which maximizes the sum of the specificity and sensitivity achieved a sensitivity of 100% with a specificity of 85%. The cumulative log-odds performs well in classifying tissue sections using high-dimensional data measured at the cellular level, like that of quantitative pathology. This methodology potentially has applications in pathology, radiology, and optical technologies.


Pigmented cell lines of mouse albino melanocytes containing a tyrosinase cDNA with an inducible promoter.
Melanocyte cell lines, with characteristic dendritic morphology and melanosomes, were established from young mice of wild-type (C57BL/6) and of two albino (C57BL/6-c2J/c2J and BALB/c) inbred strains. The albino cells were cotransfected with two plasmids: pMTtyr1, containing the full-length tyr1 cDNA for tyrosinase encoded by the c locus, under the control of the inducible mouse metallothionein-I (MT-I) promoter; and pSVneo beta, allowing selection of transformants by G418 resistance. The intrinsic albino defect was corrected by the tyr1 cDNA in transfected cells, thereby validating the coding capability of tyr1 for tyrosinase. Black melanin was formed in the genetically black (B/B) C57BL/6-c2J/c2J cells and brown melanin in the genetically brown (b/b) BALB/c cells. Pigment was produced even without adding heavy metal (for induction of the MT-I promoter), thus obviating the need for adding it, but was formed more rapidly upon addition of ZnSO4 up to 100 microM. Stable transfected albino melanocyte lines with active tyrosinase and melanization were obtained. Addition of ZnSO4 at 200 microM was lethal to the cells. However, this toxicity--attributable at least in part to melanin precursors--was prevented if the cells sojourned at 100 microM ZnSO4 for two weeks before being exposed to the 200 microM level. Adaptation was lost when the cells were removed from 200 microM ZnSO4 for one week and then returned to it. Avoidance of toxicity under these conditions is thus the result of physiological detoxification mechanisms rather than selection for a genetic change.


Age exacerbates HIV-associated white matter abnormalities.
Both HIV disease and advanced age have been associated with alterations to cerebral white matter, as measured with white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and more recently with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). This study investigates the combined effects of age and HIV serostatus on WMH and DTI measures, as well as the relationships between these white matter measures, in 88 HIV seropositive (HIV+) and 49 seronegative (HIV-) individuals aged 23-79 years. A whole-brain volumetric measure of WMH was quantified from FLAIR images using a semi-automated process, while fractional anisotropy (FA) was calculated for 15 regions of a whole-brain white matter skeleton generated using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). An age by HIV interaction was found indicating a significant association between WMH and older age in HIV+ participants only. Similarly, significant age by HIV interactions were found indicating stronger associations between older age and decreased FA in the posterior limbs of the internal capsules, cerebral peduncles, and anterior corona radiata in HIV+ vs. HIV- participants. The interactive effects of HIV and age were stronger with respect to whole-brain WMH than for any of the FA measures. Among HIV+ participants, greater WMH and lower anterior corona radiata FA were associated with active hepatitis C virus infection, a history of AIDS, and higher current CD4 cell count. Results indicate that age exacerbates HIV-associated abnormalities of whole-brain WMH and fronto-subcortical white matter integrity.


Molecularly imprinted polymeric nanoparticles decorated with Au NPs for highly sensitive and selective glucose detection.
A new kind of designed water-compatible molecularly imprinted conductive nanoparticles was prepared by combining macromolecular self-assembly with molecularly imprinting technique. An amphiphilic random copolymer poly(DMA-co-EHA-co-HEA-co-St) containing imino groups and photocrosslinking units was synthesized through free radical copolymerization, which could self-assemble with template molecules (glucose) in aqueous solution to establish nanoparticles embedded with glucose. Meanwhile, AuCl4-, as precursor, was added to generate Au NPs in situ because of reducibility of protonated imino groups, leading to the formation of molecularly imprinted polymeric nanoparticles decorated with Au NPs (Au@MIPNs). By simply adjusting the pH value of the assembly solution, Au@MIPNs with different loading amount of Au NPs could be obtained. Electrodeposition was employed to fabricate a robust integration of MIP film with a transducer, then the film was photo-crosslinked by UV irradiation. After extraction of the template molecules, an MIP sensor modified with Au NPs (Au@MIP sensor) was successfully constructed. The presence of Au NPs greatly improved the conductivity of Au@MIP film and allowed direct electrical connection between the recognition cavities and the transducer, which enhanced the sensitivity of the sensor for templates detection. Effect of Au NPs amount on the performance of the Au@MIP sensor was also evaluated. The obtained Au@MIP sensor demonstrated acceptable selectivity and wider linear ranges (two linear ranges from 10-10 to 10-8molL-1 and 10-8 to 100molL-1 with a detection limit of 3×10-12molL-1) for glucose detection than MIP sensor without decoration of Au NPs.


Comparison of strategies for identification of regulatory quantitative trait loci of transcript expression traits.
In order to identify regulatory genes, we determined the heritability of gene transcripts, performed linkage analysis to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs), and evaluated the evidence for shared genetic effects among transcripts with co-localized QTLs in non-diseased participants from 14 CEPH (Centre d'Etude du Polymorphisme Humain) Utah families. Seventy-six percent of transcripts had a significant heritability and 54% of them had LOD score >or= 1.8. Bivariate genetic analysis of 15 transcripts that had co-localized QTLs on 4q28.2-q31.1 identified significant genetic correlation among some transcripts although no improvement in the magnitude of LOD scores in this region was noted. Similar results were found in analysis of 12 transcripts, that had co-localized QTLs in the 13q34 region. Principal-component analyses did not improve the ability to identify chromosomal regions of co-localized gene expressions.


Efficiency of food utilization by fruit bats.
Neotropical fruit bats consume figs (Ficus spp.) and other fruit in small bites which they suck dry and drop as pellets. The swallowed juice transits the short digestive system in 0.5 h or less. The efficiency of this unusual mode of feeding was determined by comparing the nutritional content of pellets, feces and urine of captive Artibeus jamaicensis to that of the wild figs (Ficus insipida) they had been fed. The bats extracted 57% of the wet weight and 37% of the dry weight of the fruit. The swallowed juice contained 40% of the non-fiber carbohydrate present in whole figs and was digested almost completely. Of the 160±37 seeds per fig, roughly 80% were swallowed, but almost all of these were passed intact in the feces. Overall 25-30% of the metabolizable calories in the figs were swallowed and absorbed. This mode of feeding enables the bats to extract the readily digestable calories from up to 2x their 50 g body weights in figs each night while never having to fly with more than a few grams of food in their guts at any one time.


Characteristics of smell and taste disorders depending on etiology: a retrospective study.
This study investigates the impact of etiology on the epidemiologic profile, disease severity, type of treatment and therapy outcome in smell and taste disorders. This is a retrospective analysis of 270 patients that presented with a smell or taste disorder in a specialized, tertiary care center. An established questionnaire was used to collect data from patients and physicians. Olfactometry was performed with the Sniffin' Sticks test kit, while gustometry was performed by taste strips. Post-traumatic etiology was associated with young age (median 46 years) and male sex, and showed the most severe degrees of smell loss compared to other etiologies (64.3% anosmia). Postinfectious causes occurred more frequently in females (77.3%) and correlated with a history of pharyngeal surgery, suggesting a vulnerability for virally mediated sensory dysfunction following adenoid/tonsil removal. Parosmia also correlated with both postinfectious etiology (62.5%) and female sex. In sinunasal etiology, the presence of nasal polyps worsened the overall olfactory test score by approximately 50%. In particular, smell threshold and discrimination were reduced, while smell identification was not significantly impacted by nasal polyp obstruction. Sinunasal dysfunction was the only etiology to show significant improvement after therapy (73.9% improved). Finally, we could establish good correlations between the subjective impairment and objective dysfunction for each sensory modality. Each etiology of chemosensory dysfunction shows particular distributions of variables like sex, age, comorbidities and operations, disease severity, sensory threshold, discrimination and identification. This paper offers a detailed account of the correlations between the cause and the characteristics of smell and taste loss.


Recombinational repair of alkylation lesions in phage T4. I. N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine.
Treatment of phage T4-host adsorption complexes by MNNG increased recombination between two rII markers by about three-fold. Temperature sensitive mutants defective in genes 32, 46 and 47, which cause reductions in recombination at semirestrictive temperature, proved to be substantially more sensitive to MNNG at such temperatures than wild-type phage. In addition, the recombination defective mutants xm(uvsX) and y10(y) were sensitive to MNNG than wild-type, whereas mutants defective in genes 45 and denV, which are apparently not involved in recombination, were not MNNG sensitive. These findings suggest that a recombination pathway involving the products of genes 32, 46, 47, uvsX and y is employed in repairing MNNG-induced lethal lesions. This mechanism is effective in cells infected by single phage, implying post-replication recombinational repair between daughter chromosomes. MNNG-induced lesions are subjects to multiplicity reactivation, but mutants defective in genes 46 to 47 showed the same degree of multiplicity reactivation as wild-type phage. The gene 32 and gene 47 recombination defective mutants were tested for their effects of MNNG-induced reversion of an rII marker. No reduction in induced reversion was found. Thus, it appears that the postulated recombinational repair pathway employing the products of genes 32 and 47 does not contribute substanitally to induced mutagenesis.


Mitochondrial urea cycle enzymes in rats treated with sodium benzoate.
Since sodium benzoate, which is widely used to treat hyperammonemia its effect on mitochondrial urea cycle enzymes was investigated. its effect on mitochondrial urea cycle enzymes was investigated. Sodium benzoate was administered to urease treated hyperammonemic rats and controls. In both groups no interference with the activity of carbamylphosphate synthetase, ornithine carbamyltransferase and N-acetylglutamate synthetase in the liver could be observed at concentrations of benzoate in plasma found in hyperammonemic patients. Careful monitoring of plasma levels reduces benzoate toxicity as shown in a patient with argininosuccinic aciduria.


The prediction of the dissolution rate constant by mixing rules: the study of acetaminophen batches.
The purpose of this article is to promote two simple and scalable methods to accelerate the formulation development of formulated granules using acetaminophen as a model system. In method I, formulated granules made from the batch of small particle-sized acetaminophen (1) by ball milling the batch of large particle-sized acetaminophen (2), and the mixture of the two batches at equal weights (mix) gave the dissolution rate constants (k) of k(1) = 0.43 +/- 0.15 minutes(-1), k(2) = 0.18 +/- 0.01 minutes(-1), and k(mix) = 0.30 +/- 0.03 minutes(-1) for 75 wt percent formulation; k(1) = 0.75 +/- 0.01 minutes(-1), k(2) = 0.18 +/- 0.01 minutes(-1), and k(mix) = 0.34 +/- 0.03 minutes(-1) for 62 wt percent formulation; and k(1) = 0.28 +/- 0.01 minutes(-1), k(2) = 0.16 +/- 0.01 minutes(-1), and k(mix) = 0.22 +/- 0.02 minutes(-1) for 30 wt percent formulation. In method II, the mixture of the formulated granules produced by mixing the formulated granules from the two batches at equal weights gave dissolution rate constants of k(mix) = 0.30 +/- 0.03 minutes(-1), 0.30 +/- 0.02 minutes(-1), and 0.22 +/- 0.01 minutes(-1) for 75 wt percent, 62 wt percent, and 30 wt percent formulations, respectively. After fitting the three data points of k(1), k(2), and k(mix) to the 10 mixing rules in materials science--series mixing rule, Hashin and Shtrikman upper bound, logarithmic mixing, Looyenga mixing rule, effective media approximation (EMA), three-point lower bound, Torquato approximation, three-point upper bound, Maxwell mixing rule, and parallel mixing rule--we found that the selection of the best suited mixing rules based on k(1), k(2), and k(mix) was solely dependent on the formulations under a given operating condition and regardless of whether the system was a powder mixture or a granular mixture. The values of k(1), k(2), and k(mix) in both the 75 wt percent and 30 wt percent formulations were enveloped by the parallel mixing rule and Maxwell mixing rule, whereas the values of k(1), k(2), and k(mix) for the 62 wt percent formulation were encompassed by the logarithmic mixing rule, Hashin and Shtrikman upper bound, and the series mixing rule. Apparently, the best suited mixing rules could be used to predict the right proportions of either the powder mixture (Method I) or the granular mixture (Method II) for obtaining any other desired dissolution rate constant, k(mix), whose value fell in between the values of k(1) and k(2).


The heart in scleroderma.
The heart is one of the major organs involved in scleroderma, the involvement of which can be manifested by myocardial disease, conduction system abnormalities, arrhythmias, or pericardial disease. Additionally, scleroderma renal crisis and pulmonary hypertension lead to significant cardiac dysfunction secondary to damage in the kidney and lung. This article summarizes the types and mechanism of abnormalities in the heart in scleroderma. The concept of cardiac dysfunction in scleroderma and other rheumatologic conditions has received new interest with the advent of newer noninvasive imaging techniques, as well as the interest in detecting subclinical disease. With this increased interest in cardiac manifestations in scleroderma comes the realization that long-term studies are needed to better assess the appropriate screening and treatment in this patient population.


Microscopic characterization of tension wood cell walls of Japanese beech (Fagus crenata) treated with ionic liquids.
Tension wood that is an abnormal part formed in angiosperms has been barely used for wood industry. In this study, to utilize the tension wood effectively by means of liquefaction using ionic liquid, we performed morphological and topochemical determination of the changes in tension wood of Japanese beech (Fagus crenata) during ionic liquid treatment at the cellular level using light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and confocal Raman microscopy. Ionic liquid treatment induced cell wall swelling in tension wood. Changes in the tissue morphology treated with ionic liquids were different between normal wood and tension wood, moreover the types of ionic liquids. The ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride liquefied gelatinous layers rapidly, whereas 1-ethylpyridinium bromide liquefied slowly but delignified selectively. These novel insights into the deconstruction behavior of tension wood cell walls during ionic liquid treatment provide better understanding of the liquefaction mechanism. The obtained knowledge will contribute to development of an effective chemical processing of tension wood using ionic liquids and lead to efficient use of wood resources.


[Orthodontic effects of tooth injury to the permanent and temporary incisors of children and the adolescent [corrected].
Traumatisms on the deciduous upper incisors could induce orthodontic indirect consequences on the permanent germ, dependent on his growth level and his malleability, dependent on connection between the root of deciduous incisor and the crown of permanent germ and according to the type of traumatism. According to those various data, it should be observed on the permanent incisor: germination of two germs, multiple odontoma, crown dilaceration, severe tipping of the crown with facial angulation, retention of the permanent germ with lack of root resorption of the deciduous teeth or simple cross-bite, without speaking of enamel defect.


Identification of new astroviruses in synanthropic squamates.
Astroviruses have been identified in a wide variety of animal species and are associated with gastro-intestinal disease in humans. Pathologies due to extra-intestinal localization are known in different hosts. We report the detection of astroviruses in synanthropic squamate reptile species (Podercis siculus and Tarentola mauritanica). Fecal samples were collected from 100 squamates from urban and peri-urban areas of three regions in South Italy and tested for the presence of astroviruses using a broadly reactive (pan-astrovirus) RT-PCR protocol targeting the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Astrovirus RNA was detected in 11% of the samples and for six strains a 3 kb-long fragment at the 3' end of the genome was sequenced, obtaining information on the complete capsid-encoding ORF2 sequence. Viral RNA was also detected in the brain of one of the positive animals. The sequences generated from the astrovirus strains shared low nucleotide identities in the ORF2 (< 43.7%) with other known reptilian astrovirus sequences, hinting to the massive genetic diversity of members of this viral family. Based on the partial RdRp gene of the sequenced strains, however, we observed species-specific patterns, regardless of the geographic origin of the animals, and we also identified a possible inter-species transmission event between geckoes and lizards.


Upper limb entrapment neuropathies in multiple sclerosis.
Entrapment neuropathies of upper limbs such as carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel syndromes are common in the general population. Identification of entrapment neuropathies of upper limbs in patients with multiple sclerosis can be clinically challenging as signs and symptoms could be attributed to multiple sclerosis. People at later stages of multiple sclerosis use mobility aids and wheelchairs. Weakness of hands in this cohort due to entrapment neuropathies could adversely affect their mobility and independence. This was a retrospective review of records of patients with multiple sclerosis referred for clinical neurophysiological studies with clinical suspicion of upper limb entrapment neuropathies over a 10-year period. We collected demographic details, clinical features, clinical neurophysiological data and details of aids and appliances used for mobility. Among 71 patients, 38 (53.5%) patients had at least one entrapment neuropathy of upper limb confirmed by clinical neurophysiological studies. Twelve (31%) patients had median nerve entrapment, 20 (53%) had ulnar nerve entrapment and six (16%) had both. Risk of ulnar nerve entrapment was significantly higher in patients using a powered wheelchair (odds ratio 5.7, 95% confidence interval (1.7-18.7, p = 0.0037). Entrapment neuropathies should be considered in patients with multiple sclerosis reporting sensory and motor symptoms of hands.


A dataset of micro biodiversity in benthic sediment at a global scale.
Microorganisms, occupying the largest biomass in deep sea, play essential roles in deep-sea ecosystem. It is believed that the microbes in deep-sea sediments are more representative of deep-sea microbial communities, the microbial composition of which is seldom affected by ocean currents. However, the community of benthic microbes on a global scale has not been adequately explored. Herein, we build a comprehensive global dataset determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing to characterize the biodiversity of microorganisms in benthic sediment. The dataset comprised 212 records from 106 sites, included sequencing of bacteria and archaea for each site and yielded 4,766,502 and 1,562,989 reads, respectively. Through annotation, a total of 110,073 and 15,795 OTUs of bacteria and archaea were obtained, and 61 bacterial phyla and 15 archaeal phyla were identified, of which the dominant phyla were Proteobacteria and Thaumarchaeota in deep-sea sediment. Therefore, our findings provided a biodiversity data of microbial communities in deep-sea sediment at global-scale and laid a foundation to further reveal the structures of microorganism communities in deep sea.