Culture systems influence the physiological performance of the soft coral Sarcophyton glaucum.
There is an urgent need to develop means of ex situ biobanking and biopreserving corals and other marine organisms whose habitats have been compromised by climate change and other anthropogenic stressors. To optimize laboratory growth of soft corals in a way that could also benefit industry (e.g., aquarium trade), three culture systems were tested herein with Sarcophyton glaucum: (1) a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) without exogenous biological input (RAS-B), (2) a RAS with "live" rocks and an exogenous food supply (RAS+B), and (3) a simple flow-through system (FTS) featuring partially filtered natural seawater. In each system, the effects of two levels of photosynthetically active radiation (100 or 200 μmol quanta m-2 s-1) and flow velocity (5 or 15 cm s-1) were assessed, and a number of soft coral response variables were measured. All cultured corals survived the multi-month incubation, yet those of the RAS-B grew slowly and even paled; however, once they were fed (RAS-B modified to RAS+B), their pigmentation increased, and their oral discs readily expanded. Light had a more pronounced effect in the RAS-B system, while flow affected certain coral response variables in the FTS tanks; there were few effects of light or flow in the RAS+B system, potentially highlighting the importance of heterotrophy. Unlike the ceramic pedestals of the FTS, those of the RAS+B did not regularly become biofouled by algae. In concert with the aforementioned physiological findings, we therefore recommend RAS+B systems as a superior means of biopreservating and biobanking soft corals.


Electron microscopic structure of the Alzheimer's neurofibrillary changes in case of atypical senile dementia.
A man aged 70, showed early disorientation, memory defects, delusions and rages at 66, later mental deterioration with muteness and dysphagia. He died of cardiac failure. The postmortem examination revealed macroscopically and light microscopically the neuropathological findings of atypical senile dementia. Moreover, it is the interesting characteristic in the presented case that there are electron microscopically two types of filaments making the neurofibrillary tangles. One showed the so-called "paired helical filaments", which were observed in the cerebral cortex. The other showed paralled "straight filaments". These "straight filaments" were found in the bilateral hippocampi.


Seizure prevalence in children aged up to 3 years: a longitudinal population-based cohort study in Japan.
To investigate the prevalence of seizures/febrile seizures in children up to 3 years of age and examine the effects of gestational age at birth on the risk for febrile seizures. Retrospective longitudinal population-based cohort study. Kobe City public health center, Kobe, Japan, from 2010 to 2018. Children who underwent a medical check-up at 3 years of age. Information regarding seizures was collected from the parents of 96 014 children. We identified the occurrence of seizure/febrile seizure in 74 017 children, whose gestational ages at birth were noted. We conducted a multivariate analysis with the parameter, gestational age at birth, to analyse the risk of seizure. We also stratified the samples by sex and birth weight (<2500 g or not) and compared the prevalence of seizure between those with the term and late preterm births. The prevalence of seizure was 12.1% (11.8%-12.3%), 13.2% (12.2%-14.4%), 14.6% (12.4%-17.7%) and 15.7% (10.5%-22.8%) in children born at 37-41, 34-36, 28-33 and 22-27 gestational weeks, respectively. The prevalence of febrile seizures was 9.0% (8.8%-9.2%), 10.5% (9.5%-11.5%), 11.8% (9.7%-14.5%) and 11.2% (6.9%-17.7%) in children born at 37-41, 34-36, 28-33 and 22-27 gestational weeks, respectively. Male was an independent risk factor for seizures (OR: 1.15, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.20; absolute risk increase 0.014, 95% CI 0.010 to 0.019) and febrile seizures (OR: 1.21, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.28; absolute risk increase 0.016, 95% CI 0.012 to 0.020), respectively. Late preterm birth was not associated with an increased risk of seizure/febrile seizure. Although very preterm birth may increase the risk of seizure/febrile seizure, the risk associated with late preterm birth is considerably small and less than that associated with male.


Colloidal dispersions of monodisperse magnetite nanoparticles modified with poly(ethylene glycol).
Monodisperse magnetite nanoparticles modified with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) were synthesized using a silane functionalized PEG obtained by reacting 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane with carboxylic acid-methoxy PEG (mPEG-COOH) using amide reactions. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and zeta potential measurements show the particles are monodisperse (sigma(gv) approximately 0.2) and stable in water for pH of 3-9 and ionic strengths, up to 0.3 M NaCl. Thermogravimetric analysis coupled with TEM and DLS indicates formation of a dense graft layer on the particle surface. An analysis of the interparticle interaction energy indicates that the particles are stabilized by strong steric repulsions between PEG chains on their surface.


[Extra-intracranial anastomosis in the treatment of cerebral ischemia. Evaluation of 10 years' experience].
Although the extra-intra-cranial by-pass procedure (EIAB or STA-MCA Anastomosis) is now routinely performed, its indications remain still controversial. The author reports his personal experience for the last ten years, analyses the results and gives his personal opinion about the indications of the procedure.


Plasticising effect of water and glycerin on human skin in vivo.
Application of water and glycerin is known to influence skin mechanics. The kinetics of these processes are of great interest. A study was performed to show the immediate changes in skin-mechanics. A Dermaflex machine (R) was used to study 23 healthy volunteers. Water or glycerin was applied to the flexorside of the forearm, and readings were made after 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 min. Regional untreated skin served as baseline. In agreement with earlier studies both substances influenced hysteresis. Water caused a significant increase in hysteresis after 12 and 15 min of hydration (P<0.01). Glycerin caused significantly increased hysteresis after 3 min (P<0.05) and the effect continued to the end of the observation period. No significant differences were seen in the distensibility. The onset of action is rapid for both substances, and the effects are therefore supposed to take place in the outermost layers of epidermis. The effect of glycerin on the hysteresis is more rapid in onset than that of water. Comparing the permeability coefficients, the effect on the mechanical properties of the skin does not appear to be determined by the permeability coefficients as water has a higher permeability coefficient but induces smaller changes than glycerin. Water alone does not appear to be the optimal plasticiser of human skin and other substances soluble in both water and lipids may have an even greater influence on skin mechanics in vivo.


Characteristics of lactobacilli isolated from dry fermented sausages.
A study of the microflora of Spanish dry fermented sausages showed a similar pattern to that observed in other sausages during ripening. Lactic acid bacteria and organisms growing on Mannitol-salt-agar increased during the first five days, remaining at constant levels afterwards. From MRS agar, 368 strains were isolated and characterized. All Lactobacillus strains (343) could be separated into three groups according to their reactions in the API-50 L system. The biochemical characteristics of the Lactobacillus strains analyzed were those typical of isolates from sausages and other meat products. The extracellular and intracellular lipolytic activities of some strains of the three groups were also studied. It is concluded that lipolytic activity of lactobacilli is mainly directed against mono- and diglycerides and short-chain fatty acid triglycerides.


A universal method for separating en bloc cadaveric kidneys.
A universal technique for separating cadaveric kidneys in preparation for aortic cannulation is described. Only autogenous material is used. The technique is particularly helpful in the presence of multilevel renal vessels.


[Pain experience and pain therapy of tumor patients in the view of general practitioners].
The aim of the study presented in this paper is to find out how general practitioners evaluate their cancer patients' health, quality of life and type and extent of pain. In addition the study aims to get information about the training in pain therapy and palliative medicine. A representative sample of 440 of all Austrian general practitioners was interviewed via a standardized questionnaire. The consent for the questioning had been obtained by telephone. The state of health and quality of life of the treated cancer patients are described as little satisfying and most unfavourably affected by the disease. The physicians suppose that the patients experience pain more intense than could be expected of them as endurable. Nevertheless the cancer patients appreciate pain therapy. As a result the medical training in pain therapy and palliative medicine should be improved. At the same time the future general practitioners should gain psychological competences, which would consequently provide them with a broad spectrum of treatment needed when dealing with pain patients (suffering from cancer).


[Acid secretion and serum gastrin during acute and chronic treatment with pirenzepine in duodenal ulcer (author's transl)].
In 8 outpatients with duodenal ulcer the effect of a single dose of 50 mg pirenzepine is compared to a 3-7 days treatment with 2x50 mg. Basal and peptone-stimulated acid output is measured. A single dose of 50 mg pirenzepine reduced basal acid output by 39,9% and the stimulated acid secretion by 21,3%. Treatment for 3-7 days with 2x50 mg pirenzepine is significantly more effective. Basal acid output is reduced by 75,1% and stimulated acid output by 54,0%. No acid inhibition can be demonstrated 12 hours after the last drug administration. Basal serum gastrin levels are little but significantly increased after chronic treatment.


[Design and synthesis of photoaffinity biotin labelled 2'-O-propargyl-guanosine].
Photoaffinity labeling is widely applied to demonstrate targets of small molecule ligands. In this paper, biotin photoaffinity labeled molecule with propargyl group 1 has been designed and synthesized, followed it's labeling of N2-acetyl-2'-O-propargyl guanosine 9 by "click chemistry". This technology presents delight development potential in labeling of second messenger cyclic nucleotide, antisense oligonucleotide or siRNA.


Risk Factors of Membrane Perforation and Postoperative Complications in Sinus Floor Elevation Surgery: Review of 407 Augmentation Procedures.
To test patient- and sinus-related risk factors for an association with intraoperative membrane perforation and postoperative complications after sinus floor augmentation surgery. Sinus floor elevation procedures using a lateral approach were retrospectively analyzed for patients' medical history and sinus anatomy on computed tomographic scans. Complications per sinus after membrane elevation and augmentation using a mixture of autologous bone and deproteinized bovine bone substitute (Bio-Oss) were recorded. Logic regression (adjusted using the generalized estimation equation approach) was performed to analyze the influence of patient age, gender, smoking habits, sinus septa, residual bone height, and mesiodistal elevation width. Of 407 sinus grafts in 300 patients (mean age, 56 yr), perforation of the Schneiderian membrane occurred in 35 sinuses (8.6%) and was significantly associated to the presence of sinus septa (odds ratio [OR] = 4.8; P = .002) and decreased residual bone height (OR = 0.01; P < .001). Smoking increased the risk of membrane perforation (OR = 4.8; P = .002), sinusitis (OR = 12.3; P < .001), and wound dehiscence (OR = 16.1; P = .005). Cases of sinus membrane perforation had higher odds for postoperative sinusitis (OR = 10.5; P < .001). The probability of wound dehiscence increased with the size of the elevated area (OR = 3; P < .001). The results of the study suggest that the presence of sinus septa and residual bone height less than 3.5 mm are the main risk factors increasing sinus membrane perforation rates. There was a higher prevalence for sinusitis in cases of membrane perforation (31.4%) despite intraoperative closure with resorbable membranes (Bio-Guide). Smokers generally exhibited greater chances for complications.


Assessment of the status of urban air pollution and its impact on human health in the city of Kolkata.
Air pollution has significant effects on exacerbation of asthma, allergy and other respiratory diseases. Like many other magacities in the world the ambient air quality of Kolkata is also being deteriorated day by day. Automobile exhausts and certain industrial pollutants produce O(3) by photochemical reactions. The particulate matter, particularly less than 10 microm in size, can pass through the natural protective mechanism of human respiratory system and plays an important role in genesis and augmentation of allergic disorders. Sources of air pollution in the area and the unique problem arising out of the emission from the vehicles, industries, etc. have been described. Ambient air quality was monitored along with micrometeorological data and the results are discussed. The status of air pollution in the area has been evaluated and a questionnaire survey was conducted to estimate the allergic symptoms and exposure to assess the respiratory disorders. The data are analysed to evaluate the critical situation arising out of the emission of air pollutants and the impact on human health due to respirable diseases (RDs) to middle class sub-population (activity-wise) in the area are assessed. A strategic air quality management plan has been proposed. For the mitigation of air pollution problems in the city, the different measures to be adopted to maintain the balance between sustainable development and environmental management have been discussed.


Substance P can contract the longitudinal muscle of the guinea-pig small intestine by releasing intracellular calcium.
The contraction of the longitudinal muscle of the guinea-pig isolated ileum in response to substance P (SP) in high [K+] medium and in Ca2+-free solution which contained EGTA has been investigated in order to examine whether excitation-contraction coupling involves the release of Ca2+ from an intracellular store. In tissues contracted by K+, high concentrations of SP (greater than or equal to 0.1 microM) were still capable of causing a slight, transient contraction. Bathing the ileum in a Ca2+-free medium for 2.5 min greatly diminished the potency and efficacy of SP in contracting the longitudinal muscle but concentrations of 2.2-22 microM SP were still able to produce a response 30-40% of maximal. The responsiveness to SP was completely lost within 10 min of bathing in Ca2+-free medium but was partially restored by a brief exposure (0.5-2 min) to high concentrations of Ca2+ (9-72 mM). The restorative effect of Ca2+ depended on the concentration of Ca2+ and on the time for which the tissue was exposed to this Ca2+ concentration. The fact that high concentrations of SP were able to elicit a contraction in media containing high [K+] or no Ca2+, suggested that they may do so by releasing Ca2+ from an intracellular store which is not as sensitive to removal of extracellular Ca2+ or as easily accessible to EGTA as the extracellular space of the muscle. The location of this store is not known; it may be associated with the internal side of the cell membrane. There is apparently an overlap between the Ca2+ pool associated with the action of SP and the Ca2+ pools utilized by acetylcholine, histamine or tetraethylammonium, which accounts for the cross-desensitization observed between these agonists. It was not possible to determine whether autodesensitization to SP also results from depletion of an intracellular Ca2+ store.


Physical-Chemical and Nutritional Characterization of Somali Laxoox Flatbread and Comparison with Yemeni Lahoh Flatbread.
The physical-chemical and nutritional characteristics of Somali laxoox and Yemeni lahoh flatbreads have not been studied to date, nor have their possible similarities been investigated. Fieldwork was carried out in Somaliland (northwest Somalia), at nine different households, to collect Somali and Yemeni flatbreads. The nutritional characteristics (12.47-15.94 g/100 g proteins, 2.47-4.11 g/100 g lipids) and the total phenolic compounds (5.02-7.11 mg gallic acid equivalents/g on dry matter) were influenced by the natural variability of manual food preparation, as well as variability in the recipes used. All the breads had a porous structure. Cell density varied from 22.4 to 57.4 cells/cm2 in the Somali flatbreads, reaching 145 cells/cm2 in the Yemeni flatbreads. Higher amounts of refined flour increased the pale color of the breads. The principal component analysis highlighted differences between Yemeni and Somali flatbreads, pointing out a certain variability within the latter, with two samples forming a separate subgroup.


Pregnenolone co-treatment partially restores steroidogenesis, but does not prevent growth inhibition and increased atresia in mouse ovarian antral follicles treated with mono-hydroxy methoxychlor.
Mono-hydroxy methoxychlor (mono-OH MXC) is a metabolite of the pesticide, methoxychlor (MXC). Although MXC is known to decrease antral follicle numbers, and increase follicle death in rodents, not much is known about the ovarian effects of mono-OH MXC. Previous studies indicate that mono-OH MXC inhibits mouse antral follicle growth, increases follicle death, and inhibits steroidogenesis in vitro. Further, previous studies indicate that CYP11A1 expression and production of progesterone (P4) may be the early targets of mono-OH MXC in the steroidogenic pathway. Thus, this study tested whether supplementing pregnenolone, the precursor of progesterone and the substrate for HSD3B, would prevent decreased steroidogenesis, inhibited follicle growth, and increased follicle atresia in mono-OH MXC-treated follicles. Mouse antral follicles were exposed to vehicle (dimethylsulfoxide), mono-OH MXC (10 μg/mL), pregnenolone (1 μg/mL), or mono-OH MXC and pregnenolone together for 96 h. Levels of P4, androstenedione (A), testosterone (T), estrone (E1), and 17β-estradiol (E2) in media were determined, and follicles were processed for histological evaluation of atresia. Pregnenolone treatment alone stimulated production of all steroid hormones except E2. Mono-OH MXC-treated follicles had decreased sex steroids, but when given pregnenolone, produced levels of P4, A, T, and E1 that were comparable to those in vehicle-treated follicles. Pregnenolone treatment did not prevent growth inhibition and increased atresia in mono-OH MXC-treated follicles. Collectively, these data support the idea that the most upstream effect of mono-OH MXC on steroidogenesis is by reducing the availability of pregnenolone, and that adding pregnenolone may not be sufficient to prevent inhibited follicle growth and survival.


Development of a recombinant vaccine containing a spike S1-Fc fusion protein induced protection against MERS-CoV in human DPP4 knockin transgenic mice.
The Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), belonging to the family Coronaviridae and genus Betacoronavirus, has been recognized as a highly pathogenic virus. Due to the lack of therapeutic or preventive agents against MERS-CoV, developing an effective vaccine is essential for preventing a viral outbreak. To address this, we developed a recombinant S1 subunit of MERS-CoV spike protein fused with the human IgG4 Fc fragment (LV-MS1-Fc) in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Thereafter, we identified the baculovirus gp64 signal peptide-directed secretion of LV-MS1-Fc protein in the extracellular fluid. To demonstrate the immunogenicity of the recombinant LV-MS1-Fc proteins, BALB/c mice were inoculated with 2.5 μg of LV-MS1-Fc. The inoculated mice demonstrated a significant humoral immune response, measured via total IgG and neutralizing antibodies. In addition, human dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) transgenic mice vaccinated with LV-MS1-Fc showed the protective capacity of LV-MS1-Fc against MERS-CoV with no inflammatory cell infiltration. These data showed that the S1 and Fc fusion protein induced potent humoral immunity and antigen-specific neutralizing antibodies in mice, and conferred protection against coronavirus viral challenge, indicating that LV-MS1-Fc is an effective vaccine candidate against MERS-CoV infection.


Tissue CEA detection by immunoperoxidase (PAP) test in colorectal polyps: correlations with the degree of dysplasia.
We study the presence of Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) on 39 colorectal polyps by the immunoperoxidase technique. The histological examination demonstrated 15 tubular adenomas, one villous adenoma, two tubulo-villous adenomas, six tubular adenomas with slight dysplasia, one tubular adenoma with moderate dysplasia, four tubular adenomas with severe dysplasia, three tubulo-villous adenomas with severe dysplasia, five tubular adenomas with neoplastic degeneration, and two tubulo-villous adenomas with neoplastic degeneration. Twenty-eight of thirty-nine polyps (71.79%) showed a positive staining reaction for CEA. Regarding the intensity of the reaction (classified as absent or negative [-], slightly positive [+], and markedly positive [+ +]), 11/39 polyps presented a negative reaction (28.21%), 19/39 (48.71%) presented a slight reaction, and 10/39 polyps (25.64%) presented a marked reaction. Results demonstrated a higher intensity of the staining reaction in severely dysplastic polyps and in neoplastic degeneration. In conclusion, it is possible that the presence of CEA can be useful to show an initial cellular restlessness of certain polyps.


Proximal Influences on the Trajectory of Suicidal Behaviors and Suicide during the Transition from Adolescence to Young Adulthood.
Youth transitioning to adulthood have unique developmental tasks that make them vulnerable to suicide. Brain development, life stressors, and psychological adjustments during the transition contribute to a high rate of suicidal gestures. To reduce the incidence of self-harm in this age group, a public health approach that identifies and reduces risk factors and enhances protective factors should be used. Institutions and employment arenas should consider structural supports to facilitate this transition of youth into adulthood, with a particular focus on youth with self-harm thoughts, and should provide education about suicide, evidence-based resources, and intervention programs to encourage help seeking.


Climbing fibres projecting to cat cerebellar anterior lobe activated by cutaneous A and C fibres.
1. Climbing fibre responses evoked on stimulation of the ipsilateral superficial radial nerve were examined in the forelimb area of the C3 zone in the barbiturate-anaesthetized cat. Climbing fibre responses were recorded in sixty-five Purkinje cells and as field potentials from the surface of the cerebellum. 2. In addition to the previously described A beta-fibre-evoked climbing fibre response, late climbing fibre responses were consistently evoked in all Purkinje cells studied when C fibres were stimulated. The latencies of the A beta- and C-fibre-evoked climbing fibre responses were 11-20 ms and 110-220 ms, respectively. In most experiments climbing fibre responses with an intermediate latency (20-30 ms) were evoked. It was demonstrated that this response depended on A delta fibres. 3. The long-latency climbing fibre response generated by electrical stimulation at C-fibre strength was evoked also during selective anodal block of conduction in A fibres (Brown & Hamman, 1972). Hence, impulses in C fibres were sufficient for generation of climbing fibre responses. 4. The distribution within the forelimb area of the C3 zone of the A beta- and C-fibre-evoked climbing fibre field potential was similar. No climbing fibre response was evoked in this area of the C3 zone by stimulation of A and C fibres in the contralateral superficial radial nerve or in the plantar nerves of the hind limbs. 5. It can be concluded that climbing fibres projecting to the forelimb area of the C3 zone in the cerebellum receive a somatotopically organized input from both A beta and C fibres.


Nurse specialist led follow-up in lung cancer: The experience of developing and delivering a new model of care.
Data from an earlier paper reporting on a study comparing conventional medical follow-up with nurse specialist follow-up of patients with lung cancer demonstrated that follow-up by nurse specialists is safe, effective and can lead to greater levels of patient satisfaction. The process and experience of developing a nurse specialist role in lung cancer follow-up care has not yet been described. The aims of this paper are to describe the preparation and development of a model of nurse led follow-up care, identify key nursing interventions provided within nurse led follow-up care and provide insights into the experiences of nurse specialists providing follow-up care. Data were collected from nurse specialists' patient case-records and from meetings held with the study team. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the nurse specialists providing follow-up care and the study coordinators. The nature of the nursing role in lung cancer follow-up care is described. In addition, four themes relating to the process of developing a nurse led follow-up role are identified. These are: 'training', 'becoming credible', 'emotional burden' and 'making a difference'. Managing follow-up care for patients with lung cancer can be rewarding for nurse specialists. However, it can also be emotionally demanding. Training and support for such roles is vital and requires further in-depth research.


How structure informs and transforms chemogenetics.
Chemogenetic technologies such as Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs) are widely used to remotely control neuronal and non-neuronal signaling. DREADDs exist for most of the canonical G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathways, and provide a synthetic biology platform useful for elucidating the role of neuronal signaling for brain function. Here, a focused review is provided that shows how recent insights obtained from GPCR structural studies inform our understanding of these chemogenetic tools from a structural perspective.


Associations among enacted weight stigma, weight self-stigma, and multiple physical health outcomes, healthcare utilization, and selected health behaviors.
This study examined the relationship among enacted weight stigma, weight self-stigma, and multiple health outcomes. Weight stigma, a stressor experienced across all body sizes, may contribute to poorer physical health outcomes by activating the nervous and endocrine system or by triggering counterproductive health behaviors like lower physical activity, maladaptive eating patterns, and delayed health care, as well as provider bias that may cause a medical concern to be discounted. While associations of weight stigma with mental health issues are well documented, less is known about its association with physical health. We enrolled 3821 adults who completed an online survey assessing enacted weight stigma, weight self-stigma, multiple self-reported physical health outcomes, healthcare utilization, and selected health behaviors. After controlling for BMI, health care delay or avoidance, sedentary behavior, and selected demographic characteristics, enacted weight stigma, significantly increased the odds of six physical health problems including hypertension (OR 1.36; CI 1.08, 1.72), hyperglycemia (OR 1.73; CI 1.29, 2.31), thyroid disorder, (OR 1.65; CI 1.27, 2.13), any arthritis (OR 1.70; CI 1.27, 2.26), non-arthritic chronic pain (OR 1.76; CI 1.4, 2.29), and infertility (OR 1.53; CI 1.14, 2.05). Weight self-stigma significantly increased the odds for three physical health problems including hypertension (OR 1.43; CI 1.16, 1.76), hyperglycemia (OR 1.37; CI 1.03, 1.81), and non-arthritic chronic pain (OR 1.5; CI 1.2,1.87). Enacted stigma was associated with more than a four-fold increase in odds of believing that a medical concern was disregarded by a health care provider. In this study, enacted stigma and weight self-stigma were independently associated with heightened risk for multiple physical health problems, as well as, believing health concerns were discounted by providers. Reducing weight stigma may be an important component of managing multiple physical health conditions.


Bed-mounted laparoscopic surgical robot system with novel positioning arm mechanism.
Commercialised laparoscopic surgical robotic systems require a large operating room and can only be used in large hospitals. If the robotic system is to be used in a small- or medium-sized hospital, the occupied volume must be reduced further. In this paper, we propose a bed-mounted system that can be installed in a general operating room. Furthermore, we proposed a novel positioning arm suitable for a bed-mounted surgical robot system. The surgical possibility of the proposed bed-mounted system has been verified. Furthermore, the surgical possibility of the proposed system was confirmed using in vivo animal experiments. A bed-mounted laparoscopic robotic system and a novel positioning arm was proposed. The study's ultimate goal is to enable robotic surgery in small and medium-sized hospitals by introducing the proposed bed-mounted laparoscopic robot system, allowing many people to receive high-quality medical services.


Photoluminescence studies and synthesis of BaSO3 Cl2 :Ce3+ blue-emitting lamp phosphor.
The photoluminescence excitation and emission spectra of BaSO3 Cl2 :Ce3+ phosphor were investigated. Excitation wavelength was 323 nm. The phosphor was prepared using a combustion synthesis method. The emission spectrum exhibited a well defined asymmetric band with a maximum at 445 nm for higher emission concentrations. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, photoluminescence and Commission Internationale de l'éclairage colour coordinates; emission intensity was related to relative Ce3+ concentration. These developments enabled the rapid and energy-efficient production of fine particles in the powder form with little expenditure. No additional emission band was observed in the emission spectra, demonstrating that the Ce3+ ion occupied one category of site in the prepared host phosphor.


Self-burdensomeness, other-burdensomeness, and suicidal ideation.
Perceiving oneself as a burden to others (other-burdensomeness), as well as perceiving one's selfhood as a burden (self-burdensomeness), have been proposed as risk factors for suicidal ideation. Yet, it is unclear whether the altruistic motive of being a burden to others or the self-oriented motive of being a burden on oneself is more relevant to suicidal ideation. Given this background, two rival mediation models were tested. Data from N = 228 outpatients (64% female; age: M(SD) = 38.69 (12.27), range:17-65) undergoing psychotherapy were collected at two measurement time points over a three-month period (first measurement = T1, second measurement = T2). The significant positive association between other-burdensomeness (T1) and suicidal ideation (T2) was partially mediated by self-burdensomeness (T1). Furthermore, the significant positive association between self-burdensomeness (T1) and suicidal ideation (T2) was partially mediated by other-burdensomeness (T1). Results suggest that suicidal ideation can develop from both an altruistic, self-sacrificial perception of being a burden to others, as well as from a more self-oriented perception of being a burden to oneself. There is no indication that either self-burdensomeness or other-burdensomeness is a stronger indicator in the development of suicidal ideation.


A novel LC-MS/MS method for quantification of unstable endogenous 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde in rat brain after chemical derivatization.
3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (DOPAL), a toxic intermediary metabolite of dopamine (DA), causes catecholaminergic neurodegeneration via covalent binding with functional proteins or other biomolecules. Accurate quantification of DOPAL is essential to investigate the etiological factors associated with DOPAL and the pathogenetic role of DOPAL in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, no validated quantitative methods are available. Quantification of DOPAL in biosample is challenging since it is a reactive endogenous aldehyde with poor ionization efficiency and chromatographic behavior in the LC-MS system. Here, a sensitive, simple, and robust UPLC-MS/MS method has been established and validated for the determination of DOPAL in rat brain tissue specimens. DOPAL was found to be unstable in biosample due to reactive aldehyde whereas it was stable in acidic condition. The analyte was stabilized by pH and temperature control during the sample preparation and derivatization. Then, a chemical derivatization method that can be readily performed in acidic conditions and at low temperature was employed using 2-hydrazino-4-(trifluoromethyl)-pyrimidine (HTP) to block the reactive aldehyde and improve the detection sensitivity (about 100-fold increase) and chromatographic retention. Bovine serum albumin was used as a surrogate matrix, which was validated by the parallelism assay and post-column infusion experiment. This method was fully validated and the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 0.5 ng/mL. With the method, a significant increase of DOPAL level was found in striatum region of rats received 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) injection for 12 h, indicating DOPAL may play a pathogenic role in 6-OHDA-induced PD model.


A randomised trial into the effect of an isolated hip abductor strengthening programme and a functional motor control programme on knee kinematics and hip muscle strength.
Dynamic knee valgus and internal femoral rotation are proposed to be contributory risk factors for patellofemoral pain and anterior cruciate ligament injuries. Multimodal interventions including hip abductor strengthening or functional motor control programmes have a positive impact of pain, however their effect on knee kinematics and muscle strength is less clear. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of isolated hip abductor strengthening and a functional motor control exercise on knee kinematics and hip abductor strength. This prospective, randomised, repeated measures design included 29 asymptomatic volunteers presenting with increase knee valgus and femoral internal rotation. Participants completed either isolated hip abductor strengthening or a functional motor control exercise for 5 weeks. Knee kinematics were measured using inertial sensors during 2 functional activities and hip abductor strength measured using a load cell during isometric hip abduction. There were no significant differences in dynamic knee valgus and internal rotation following the isolated hip abductor or functional motor control intervention, and no significant differences between the groups for knee angles. Despite this, the actual magnitude of reduction in valgus was 10° and 5° for the functional motor control group and strengthening group respectively. The actual magnitude of reduction in internal rotation was 9° and 18° for the functional motor control group and strengthening group respectively. Therefore there was a tendency towards clinically significant improvements in knee kinematics in both exercise groups. A statistically significant improvement in hip abductor strength was evident for the functional motor control group (27% increase; p = 0.008) and strengthening group (35% increase; p = 0.009) with no significant difference between the groups being identified (p = 0.475). Isolated hip strengthening and functional motor control exercises resulted in non-statistically significant changes in knee kinematics, however there was a clear trend towards clinically meaningful reductions in valgus and internal rotation. Both groups demonstrated similar significant gains in hip abductor strength suggesting either approach could be used to strengthen the hip abductors.


Ten-year experience of home parenteral nutrition in a single centre.
Recent data are scarce on the provision of home parenteral nutrition (HPN) in children from the UK but would help to commission intestinal failure services. Our aim was to describe 10 years of HPN experience in our centre, which serves a population of 650,000 children. Outcome and complication data were collected retrospectively from hospital records of children receiving HPN from April 2001. Data from other centres were used to compare complications and outcomes in the provision of HPN. Nineteen children (12 females) received 10,213 days (28 years) of HPN. In this group, incidence of blood culture positive sepsis was four episodes/1000 days PN. Two children had early intestinal failure-associated liver disease. Of the 19, seven still receive HPN at our centre, six survived PN, three were transferred to other services while still on HPN and three died. Outcome and complication data for HPN from a single UK regional paediatric centre are similar to larger centres. These data provide recent evidence of the disease burden of HPN, which are important for the commissioning of intestinal failure services.


A preliminary evaluation of factors affecting an experimental system for vaccination-and-challenge with Haemonchus contortus in sheep.
A preliminary evaluation of factors affecting an experimental system for vaccination-and-challenge with Haemonchus contortus in sheep. International Journal for Parasitology 19: 169-175. Studies were made with Haemonchus contortus in sheep to ascertain the influence of a range of factors in the domain of the host, the parasite or the vaccine on the formulation of protocols for vaccination-and-challenge to be used in identifying protective immunogens. The results corroborate earlier findings that protective immunity can follow vaccination with homogenates of parasites and show that initial processing of parasites for a vaccine leaves protective immunogen in a functional state. Sonicates of adult worms produced protective immunity and were identified as raw stock in which to prospect for candidate immunogens. By contrast, sonicates of infective larvae and exsheathing fluid invoked no significant protection and were not accredited for the same purpose. In an experiment unaccompanied by protective immunity, ewes contained lower worm burdens than castrate males indicating that vaccination experiments should be made with hosts of one sex only. Again in an experiment unaccompanied by protective immunity, Freund's complete adjuvant increased susceptibility to infection compared with Freund's incomplete adjuvant or no adjuvant implying a profound and persistent interference from killed mycobacteria on resistance against H. contortus.


Reappraisal of Neonatal Greenstick Skull Fractures Caused by Birth Injuries: Comparison of 3-Dimensional Reconstructed Computed Tomography and Simple Skull Radiographs.
The most common birth-associated head injuries during vaginal delivery are cephalhematomas and subgaleal hematomas. Cranial injuries are rarely encountered. The neonate cranium is soft and pliable, and greenstick skull fractures (GSFs) are expected to be more frequent than linear or depressed fractures, but they are extremely difficult to detect with simple skull radiography. As a result, no reports have been issued on this topic to date. Recent reports suggest that technological advances in 3-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) have successfully enhanced the diagnostic accuracy for cranial fractures. The authors researched the types and characteristics of GSFs and the diagnostic accuracy of 3D CT for cranial fractures in neonates. The simple skull radiographs and 3D CT images of 101 neonates were retrospectively evaluated and compared with respect to diagnosis of cranial fractures, and skull GSFs were classified on the basis of 3D CT findings into 5 types depending on multiplicity and location. 3D CT detected 88 cases of cranial fractures, that is, 89 GSFs, 4 combined GSFs and linear fractures, and 3 combined GSFs and depressed fractures. The diagnostic rate of 3DCT was 91% and this was significantly higher than the 13% rate of simple skull radiographs (P < 0.001). GSFs rather than linear fractures were found to account for most cranial injuries among neonates. The diagnostic accuracy of 3D CT was considerably superior than simple skull radiography, but the high radiation exposure levels of 3D CT warrant the need for development of a modality with lower radiation exposure.


A deep neural network for parametric image reconstruction on a large axial field-of-view PET.
The PET scanners with long axial field of view (AFOV) having ~ 20 times higher sensitivity than conventional scanners provide new opportunities for enhanced parametric imaging but suffer from the dramatically increased volume and complexity of dynamic data. This study reconstructed a high-quality direct Patlak Ki image from five-frame sinograms without input function by a deep learning framework based on DeepPET to explore the potential of artificial intelligence reducing the acquisition time and the dependence of input function in parametric imaging. This study was implemented on a large AFOV PET/CT scanner (Biograph Vision Quadra) and twenty patients were recruited with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) dynamic scans. During training and testing of the proposed deep learning framework, the last five-frame (25 min, 40-65 min post-injection) sinograms were set as input and the reconstructed Patlak Ki images by a nested EM algorithm on the vendor were set as ground truth. To evaluate the image quality of predicted Ki images, mean square error (MSE), peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), and structural similarity index measure (SSIM) were calculated. Meanwhile, a linear regression process was applied between predicted and true Ki means on avid malignant lesions and tumor volume of interests (VOIs). In the testing phase, the proposed method achieved excellent MSE of less than 0.03%, high SSIM, and PSNR of ~ 0.98 and ~ 38 dB, respectively. Moreover, there was a high correlation (DeepPET: [Formula: see text]= 0.73, self-attention DeepPET: [Formula: see text]=0.82) between predicted Ki and traditionally reconstructed Patlak Ki means over eleven lesions. The results show that the deep learning-based method produced high-quality parametric images from small frames of projection data without input function. It has much potential to address the dilemma of the long scan time and dependency on input function that still hamper the clinical translation of dynamic PET.


Clinical and MRI features about two types of silent cerebral small-vessel disease in type-2 diabetes mellitus: a retrospective cross-sectional study in a tertiary hospital.
The present study aimed to evaluate the frequency of silent cerebral small-vessel disease, especially lacunes and white matter hyperintensities, in patients with or without the impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and type-2 diabetes mellitus, and to characterize the diabetes-correlated factors related to silent cerebral small-vessel disease. This is a retrospective cross-sectional study. Totally 698 patients were included in this study, from January 2014 to December 2019, among which 270 patients were included in the diabetes mellitus group, 106 patients were included in the IGT group, and 322 patients were included in the Control group. All patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the silent cerebral small-vessel disease: the lacunes and the white matter hyperintensities. All the baseline information and diabetes-related factors, such as glycated hemoglobin level, insulin usage, etc., were collected. Then correlation analysis and regression analysis were used to explore the correlation between diabetes with related risk factors and silent cerebral small-vessel disease. Lacunes and white matter hyperintensities were more common in the diabetes mellitus group than in the IGT group and the Control group, with an occurrence of lacunes of 83.3% vs. 70.8% vs. 70.4% (P=0.003), respectively, and an occurrence of white matter hyperintensities of 41.1% vs. 24.5% vs. 31.1% (P=0.003), respectively. The occurrence of lacunes was correlated with the duration of diabetes mellitus [odds ratio (OR) =1.483, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.082-2.031, P=0.009] and the age (OR =1.141, 95% CI: 1.102-1.180, P<0.001), while white matter hyperintensities were independently correlated only with the age (OR =1.124, 95% CI: 1.094-1.155, P<0.001). Lacunes and white matter hyperintensities, are more common in the diabetes mellitus patients than in the IGT patients or in the other patients. The occurrence of lacunes was correlated with the duration of diabetes mellitus and the age, while the occurrence of white matter hyperintensities was independently correlated with the age.


Glycosidase and phosphatase activities in U-937 and some clones and sublines.
1. The activities of nine glycosidases, lysozyme and acid and alkaline phosphatases were compared in the histiocytic lymphoma cell line U-937 and a set of clones and sublines derived from this line. 2. The patterns of the different enzyme activities and selected enzyme ratios have been used as a method to distinguish between different clones and sublines. 3. Sublines with high lysozyme levels were rich in most cell-bound glycosidases. 4. During long-term growth distinct enzyme patterns of individual lines were preserved. 5. The enzyme pattern during a cell culture growth cycle was basically stable.


Electron microscopic autoradiographic demonstration of inositol incorporation in the cochlea.
[3H]Inositol was perilymphatically perfused into the guinea pig cochlea and the sites of its incorporation were autoradiographically identified by electron microscope. In the organ of Corti, distinct areas of inositol incorporation were observed at sites enriched with cytoskeletal proteins. In addition, a wide range of cell organelles incorporated inositol. Cell membrane/subsurface cisterna complex of the outer hair cells and the cell membrane/microvilli complex incorporated inositol more avidly than did other cell membranes. In the stria vascularis, intermediate cells incorporated inositol more frequently than cells in other areas.


In silico multiple-targets identification for heme detoxification in the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.
Detoxification of hemoglobin byproducts or free heme is an essential step and considered potential targets for anti-malaria drug development. However, most of anti-malaria drugs are no longer effective due to the emergence and spread of the drug resistant malaria parasites. Therefore, it is an urgent need to identify potential new targets and even for target combinations for effective malaria drug design. In this work, we reconstructed the metabolic networks of Plasmodium falciparum and human red blood cells for the simulation of steady mass and flux flows of the parasite's metabolites under the blood environment by flux balance analysis (FBA). The integrated model, namely iPF-RBC-713, was then adjusted into two stage-specific metabolic models, which first was for the pathological stage metabolic model of the parasite when invaded the red blood cell without any treatment and second was for the treatment stage of the parasite when a drug acted by inhibiting the hemozoin formation and caused high production rate of heme toxicity. The process of identifying target combinations consisted of two main steps. Firstly, the optimal fluxes of reactions in both the pathological and treatment stages were computed and compared to determine the change of fluxes. Corresponding enzymes of the reactions with zero fluxes in the treatment stage but non-zero fluxes in the pathological stage were predicted as a preliminary list of potential targets in inhibiting heme detoxification. Secondly, the combinations of all possible targets listed in the first step were examined to search for the best promising target combinations resulting in more effective inhibition of the detoxification to kill the malaria parasites. Finally, twenty-three enzymes were identified as a preliminary list of candidate targets which mostly were in pyruvate metabolism and citrate cycle. The optimal set of multiple targets for blocking the detoxification was a set of heme ligase, adenosine transporter, myo-inositol 1-phosphate synthase, ferrodoxim reductase-like protein and guanine transporter. In conclusion, the method has shown an effective and efficient way to identify target combinations which are obviously useful in the development of novel antimalarial drug combinations.


Characterization of Leishmania infantum species in dogs from the urban area of Cuiabá, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil.
Visceral leishmaniasis presents urban behavior in some Brazilian cities, with domestic dogs as the main infection source. In Cuiabá, MT, canine visceral leishmaniasis was diagnosed and characterized as recommended by the Ministry of Health. Biological samples from suspected canine carriers were analyzed by the isoenzyme electrophoresis technique. The 6PGDH enzyme and reference strain IOC/L0566 (MHOM/BR/1975/M2903) of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum was used as one of the controls. Electrophoresis analysis revealed that the canine isolates belonged to the species L. (L.) infantum. The authors emphasize the importance of species characterization, particularly in areas of mixed infection like Cuiabá.


The Caenorhabditis elegans RAD51 homolog is transcribed into two alternative mRNAs potentially encoding proteins of different sizes.
In prokaryotes, the RecA protein plays a pivotal role in homologous recombination, catalyzing the transfer of a single DNA strand into an homologous molecule. Structural homologs of the bacterial RecA protein, called Rad51, have been found in different eukaryotes (from yeast to man), suggesting a certain level of conservation in recombination pathways among living organisms. We have cloned the homolog of RAD51 in Caenorhabditis elegans. The CeRAD51 gene is transcribed into two alternative mRNAs and potentially codes for two proteins of 395 and 357 amino acids in length, respectively. We discuss the evolutionary implications of these findings.


Attachment styles as predictors of self-reported empathy in medical students during pre-clinical years.
To assess medical students' attachment profile and to explore its relationship with empathy dimensions. Three cohorts of medical students were consecutively enrolled in the study at the beginning of their second year, before their clinical internship experience, and assessed using the Attachment Style Questionnaire (a self-report measure of attachment styles) and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (a self-report measure of empathy). t-test, partial correlations, and multiple linear regression models were used to analyze relationships between attachment styles and gender, age, and empathy dimensions. A total of 361 out of 450 (80.2%) Italian second-year medical students participated in the study. Female students considered interpersonal relationships more important and showed a higher need for approval than did their male counterparts. Among the attachment styles, considering relationships as secondary to achievement was the most important significant predictor of both emotional and cognitive empathy variables. This study shows that the attachment styles of medical students are related to self-evaluated empathy, over and above the effects of gender and age differences. The Attachment Style Questionnaire may be a useful tool for medical educators to identify medical students with low empathy scores during their pre-clinical years of study.


Subclinical HMOD in Hypertension: Brain Imaging and Cognitive Function.
Latest European Societies of Hypertension and Cardiology (ESH/ESC) have acknowledged that brain represent a relevant target for hypertension mediated organ damage (HMOD). In fact, brain damage can be the only HMOD in more than 30% of hypertensive subjects, evolving undetected for several years if not appropriately screened. However, no clear position has been indicated on how to evaluate brain HMOD. The present manuscript would contribute to briefly summarize structural and functional brain HMOD for the medical community dealing with older hypertensive patients. Arterial aging is proposed as possible "common soil" underlying structural and functional brain HMOD. Finally, a simple algothythm to screen older hypertensive subjects for cognitive function is proposed and discussed.


Effect of booster doses of poliovirus vaccine in previously vaccinated children, Clinical Trial Results 2013.
Considering the current polio situation Pakistan needs vaccine combinations to reach maximum population level immunity. The trial assessed whether inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) can be used to rapidly boost immunity among children in Pakistan. A five-arm randomized clinical trial was conducted among children (6-24months, 5-6years and 10-11years). Children were randomized in four intervention arms as per the vaccines they received (bOPV, IPV, bOPV+vitamin A, and bOPV+IPV) and a control arm which did not receive any vaccine. Baseline seroprevalence of poliovirus antibodies and serological immune response 28days after intervention were assessed. The baseline seroprevalence was high for all serotypes and the three age groups [PV1: 97%, 100%, 96%, PV2: 86%, 100%, 99%, PV3: 83%, 95%, 87% for the three age groups respectively]. There was significantly higher rate of immune response observed in the study arms which included IPV (95-99%) compared with bOPV only arms (11-43%), [p<0.001]; Vitamin A was not associated with improved immune response. Immune response rates in the IPV only arm and IPV+bOPV arm were similar [p>0.5]. IPV has shown the ability to efficiently close existing immunity gaps in a vulnerable population of children in rural Pakistan.


Interleukin-8 prevents oxidative stress-induced human endothelial cell senescence via telomerase activation.
Senescence is an irreversible growth arrest which can be triggered by stresses such as oxidative reaction, telomere shortening, DNA damage, or oncogene signaling. Oxidative stress accelerates vascular endothelial cell senescence, and may promote atherosclerosis in humans. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) has been shown to play an important role in tumor growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis, and has close relationship with oxidative stress. The objective of this study was to determine if IL-8 might be able to prevent oxidative stress-induced senescence of endothelial cells and the mechanisms. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured and stimulated with hydrogen peroxide in the absence or presence of IL-8. After ex vivo cultivation, HUVECs became senescent as determined by acidic beta-galactosidase staining. IL-8 dose-dependently inhibited the onset of HUVEC senescence. Western blots indicated that IL-8 attenuated the oxidative stress induced high-expression of cell cycle regulation protein and inhibited the activation of p38 and NF-κB pathway. IL-8 also increased telomerase activity which was accompanied with upregulation of the catalytic subunit, telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), whereas these effects were significantly attenuated by SB 225002 (selective non-peptide CXCR2 antagonist). In conclusion, IL-8 exerted protective effects against endothelial senescence, which may be related to the activation of telomerase.


Electrochemical oxygen reduction catalysed by Ni3(hexaiminotriphenylene)2.
Control over the architectural and electronic properties of heterogeneous catalysts poses a major obstacle in the targeted design of active and stable non-platinum group metal electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction. Here we introduce Ni3(HITP)2 (HITP=2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11-hexaiminotriphenylene) as an intrinsically conductive metal-organic framework which functions as a well-defined, tunable oxygen reduction electrocatalyst in alkaline solution. Ni3(HITP)2 exhibits oxygen reduction activity competitive with the most active non-platinum group metal electrocatalysts and stability during extended polarization. The square planar Ni-N4 sites are structurally reminiscent of the highly active and widely studied non-platinum group metal electrocatalysts containing M-N4 units. Ni3(HITP)2 and analogues thereof combine the high crystallinity of metal-organic frameworks, the physical durability and electrical conductivity of graphitic materials, and the diverse yet well-controlled synthetic accessibility of molecular species. Such properties may enable the targeted synthesis and systematic optimization of oxygen reduction electrocatalysts as components of fuel cells and electrolysers for renewable energy applications.


Automatic reinforcement from operant wheel-running undermines temporal control by fixed-interval schedules of reinforcement.
The current study compared the development of response patterns for operant wheel-running and lever-pressing on fixed-interval schedules. Eleven female Long-Evans rats were exposed to fixed-interval (FI) 15-s, 30-s, and 60-s schedules with wheel revolutions as the operant behavior and sucrose solution as reinforcement. Subsequently, a lever was mounted in each wheel and rats responded on an FI-30 s schedule of sucrose reinforcement. Operant lever-pressing on average developed a scalloping pattern of low responding early in the reinforcement interval followed by an increase in pressing to the moment of reinforcement. In contrast, average operant wheel-revolutions peaked early in the reinforcement interval followed by a plateau, a pattern that did not change over sessions. Variation in the FI-schedule value (interval size) with operant wheel-running did not alter the pattern of running throughout the reinforcement interval, but merely parsed this pattern at different points. Cumulative records for the last session showed long postreinforcement pauses (PRP) for lever pressing. Wheel running, however, rose quickly after reinforcement and continued throughout the reinforcement interval. Overall and local wheel-running rates decreased and PRP duration increased as the interval size of the FI schedule increased. We propose that the automatic reinforcement generated by wheel running, but not lever pressing, provides an account of the poor temporal regulation of operant wheel-running in our study.


The effects of vitamin A nutritional status on glutathione, glutathione transferase and glutathione peroxidase activities in rat intestine.
In rat intestine, the glutathione level was increased, glutathione peroxidase activity decreased and glutathione-S-transferase unchanged by vitamin A deficiency.


Smoking cessation: a role for every practitioner.
Despite the long-term efforts of governments and health professionals, smoking is still the single most important public health problem in the UK today. The addictiveness of nicotine means that very few unsupported attempts to quit are successful. This article provides an overview of the public health implications of smoking in the UK, the benefits of stopping smoking, and examines what community nurses can do to help and support people who want to quit.


Repolarization abnormalities in mitral valve prolapse.
Inferolateral ST depression, T wave inversion, and QT prolongation have been frequently described in reports of largely symptomatic mitral valve prolapse (MVP) patients, but not in a recent population-based survey of mainly asymptomatic subjects with MVP. To learn if there is a relationship between these ECG changes and symptoms, physical findings or hemodynamic sequelae, we reviewed ECGs from 119 patients, ages 18 to 60 years who had MVP diagnosed by echocardiography. Seventy-four percent had symptoms characteristic of MVP. ST-T changes were found as frequently in asymptomatic patients (29%) as in those symptomatic (27%), and did not identify those with hemodynamic sequelae of MVP (apical systolic murmurs, Doppler-defined mitral regurgitation, or left atrial enlargement). QT prolongation was found more frequently in the symptomatic group (25% vs 10%) but did not predict syncope. When compared to the expected 0.9% prevalence of ST abnormalities in a normal population, ST-T changes and QT prolongation are indeed frequent in MVP, but are not useful in identifying clinically important subsets.


[Maternal assessment of pre-natal measures to promote natural breast-feeding].
To value the satisfaction between mothers about the different professionals and the prenatal promotion on breast-feeding (BF) in our basic health zone. To value the role of a paediatric prenatal contact in the health centre. An descriptive and retrospective, cross-sectional study based on an anonymous closed questionnaire filled by two groups without random selection defined on the variable yes/no BF. Paediatric room in the Health Centre of Lugones, Health Area of Oviedo. Every mother of childs aged between 6 and 18 months attending to the Healthy Child Program since June to November of 2000. 60 questionnaires were delivered, 51 to the group BF and 9 to the group no BF (85% BF including mixed and independent of the duration). 52 questionnaires were collected, 44 BF and 8 no BF. We observe a great satisfaction in both groups on the area midwife, who is considered decisive. Obstetrician, hospital and primary nurse, hospital paediatrician and general practitioner may improve their rule in BF promotion. Both groups are interested in the prenatal visit with the health centre paediatrician. Women on no BF group thought that this interview could have changed their decision. Area midwife is considered the most value professional by the mothers. Hospital and primary professionals may improve his rule in BF promotion in our basic health zone. Only 50% women in no BF group took their decision before the birth. They think that the prenatal paediatric visit could have changed their decision.


Immunology in the clinic review series; focus on type 1 diabetes and viruses: how viral infections modulate beta cell function.
Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a multi-factorial immune-mediated disease characterized by the autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic islet beta cells in genetically susceptible individuals. Epidemiological evidence has also documented the constant rise in the incidence of T1DM worldwide, with viral infections representing one of the candidate environmental risk factors identified by several independent studies. In fact, epidemiological data showed that T1DM incidence increases after epidemics due to enteroviruses and that enteroviral RNA can be detected in the blood of >50% of T1DM patients at the time of disease onset. Furthermore, both in-vitro and ex-vivo studies have shown that viruses can infect pancreatic beta cells with consequent effects ranging from functional damage to cell death.


A drug-to-drug interaction package.
This paper describes an electronic database for handling the interactions between active principles administered to various patients. The computer used is a personal computer with adequate mass memory, software, and data obtained from pharmacological sources. The main features of this work are: 'all-patient' orientation, a special sentence-coding system, suitability for most existing catalogues of drug interactions, drug-keyed and cause-and-effect-keyed accesses, menu-driven interaction between the user (a physician) and the system, implementation on a personal computer (as available in most hospital departments) and activation from other programs.


Statistics of intracranial midline tumors in children.
Of the 1,280 pediatric brain tumors seen at the Department of Neurosurgery, University of Vienna, until December 1984 57% involved the midline. Midline tumors were supratentorial in 40% of cases and infratentorial in 60%. The distribution of different tumor types in the various anatomical regions follows the known sites of predilection of brain tumors. Orienting diagrams show their rates in numerical terms, in various regions as well as their "clinical" malignancy.


Simulating chemotherapeutic schemes in the individualized treatment context: the paradigm of glioblastoma multiforme treated by temozolomide in vivo.
A novel patient individualized, spatiotemporal Monte Carlo simulation model of tumor response to chemotherapeutic schemes in vivo is presented. Treatment of glioblastoma multiforme by temozolomide is considered as a paradigm. The model is based on the patient's imaging, histopathologic and genetic data. A discretization mesh is superimposed upon the anatomical region of interest and within each geometrical cell of the mesh the most prominent biological "laws" (cell cycling, apoptosis, etc.) in conjunction with pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics information are applied. A good qualitative agreement of the model's predictions with clinical experience supports the applicability of the approach to chemotherapy optimization.


Magnetic resonance imaging of pure ovarian dysgerminoma: a series of eight cases.
Imaging findings have a prominent role in early and correct identification of ovarian dysgerminoma, the most common ovarian malignant germ cell tumor (OMGCT). Despite Computed Tomography (CT) is widely used, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has proved to be superior in adnexal masses characterization. Limited data and small series are available concerning MRI aspects of dysgerminoma. From January 2012 to December 2018, a database of solid ovarian masses was retrospectively reviewed. Eight patients with histologically proven pure ovarian dysgerminoma and complete imaging available were identified and analyzed. Imaging findings were evaluated separately by two radiologists expert in female genito-urinary MRI. MRI findings of a lobulated, purely solid, encapsulated mass with hyper-intensity of lobules and hypo-intensity of septa on T2w images contribute to differentiate dysgerminomas from other ovarian neoplasms.


Opportunities and barriers for occupational engagement among residents in supported housing.
Opportunities and barriers for occupational engagement among residents in supported housing. Research shows that people with psychiatric disabilities view supported housing (SH) as a possibility for social contact, but also as entailing a risk of deprived self-determination. There is, however, little research on the target group's engagement in everyday occupations. To explore SH residents' opportunities and barriers for occupational engagement. Sixteen participants were interviewed, and data was analysed using content analysis. An overarching theme, Struggling to create meaning and seeking affection, and three underlying categories, emerged. Finding meaning through self-chosen occupations and support focussed on receiving support, doing self-chosen occupations, and having social contacts. Feeling neglected and insecure limits engagement in occupations was related to feelings of not being seen by staff, and insecurity, which hampered daily life. The third theme was Having a negative self-image and low level of ability hinders an active life. Residents' self-view and ability to create an inner drive for being active was important for occupational engagement, which was linked to social connectedness. Occupational based interventions and a personal recovery approach is warranted in order to facilitate needs for meaningful occupations. The results from the study can be used to further develop optimal support within SH units.


The Role of Radiotherapy After Radical Prostatectomy in Patients with Prostate Cancer.
A non-negligible proportion of prostate cancer (PCa) patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP) harbors aggressive disease. These individuals are at higher risk of experiencing recurrence after surgery. Results from prospective, randomized trials support the efficacy of adjuvant radiotherapy (aRT) on cancer control in selected patients with adverse disease features at RP. However, only one of these randomized trials found a significant benefit of aRT on survival. Although such a level of evidence is not currently available for salvage RT, retrospective studies demonstrated that this approach leads to excellent outcomes if administered at the earliest sign of PSA recurrence. Prognostic models might help clinicians in identifying patients who would benefit the most from adjuvant and/or salvage RT. This individualized approach would allow sparing the risk of short- and long-term toxicity in a substantial proportion of patients. Nonetheless, results from randomized trials are still awaited to compare the efficacy of (early) salvage and aRT.


Third-trimester unexplained intrauterine fetal death is associated with inherited thrombophilia.
To determine the risk of thrombophilias in women with unexplained intrauterine fetal deaths (IUFD). All women with IUFD at 27 weeks' gestation or greater were initially assessed during a period of 26 months. Subjects with multiple pregnancies, congenital anomalies, intrauterine infection, chorioamnionitis, immune hydrops, diabetes mellitus, previous thromboembolism, and severe hypertensive disease were excluded. The remaining 40 women with unexplained IUFD (study group) were matched for age and ethnicity with 80 healthy women who had at least one normal pregnancy (control group). All participants were tested at least 2 months after delivery for mutations of factor V Leiden, prothrombin gene, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, and for deficiencies of protein S, protein C, and antithrombin III. They were also tested and found to be negative for anticardiolipin antibodies. The gestational age at delivery and birth weight were significantly lower in the study group. The prevalence of inherited thrombophilias was 42.5% in the study group compared with 15% in the control group (odds ratio 2.8, 95% confidence interval 1.5, 5.3, P =.001). The prothrombin mutation and protein S deficiency rates were significantly higher in the study group (odds ratio 2.3, 95% confidence interval 1.3, 4.0, and odds ratio 3.2, 95% confidence interval 2.4, 4.1, respectively). Third-trimester IUFD is significantly associated with thrombophilias. These findings suggest that thrombophilia work-ups should be part of IUFD investigations and may have therapeutic and prognostic implications in future pregnancies.


TRPML1ng on sparks.
In this issue of Science Signaling, Thakore et al. report that the Ca2+-permeable channel TRPML1 closely associates with ryanodine receptors to induce Ca2+ sparks in native arterial myocytes. Functional studies revealed a key role for TRPML1 channels in regulation of arterial myocyte contractility and blood pressure.


Determining the suitability of rainwater harvesting for the achievement of sustainable development goals in Wadi Watir, Egypt using GIS techniques.
Scarcity of water has emerged as a major problem globally due to climate change and population growth, especially in semi-arid and arid regions. Egypt is currently experiencing serious water challenges due to its limited water resources. The water challenges require optimal and sustainable water management, which should be linked to sustainable development goals. In this context, rainwater harvesting (RWH) is an efficient technique for sustainable management of water resources. This research aims to determine the optimal implementation of RWH systems considering the biophysical and socioeconomic characteristics of the study area. This research combines geographic information systems, remote sensing, multi-criteria analysis, and hydrological modeling in a case study in Wadi Watir in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. It then determines optimal sites for RWH structures using a combination of Boolean analysis, weighted linear combination, and depression depth technique. The study's findings are linked to the sustainable development goals to develop a sustainable RWH plan for the first time. The results indicated that 19% (666 km2) of the study area is highly suitable for RWH. The possibility of RWH is restricted to 16% (573 km2) of the watershed. The study results identified 12 optimal sites for checking dams and 14 locations for percolation tanks along the streams. This research puts forward a novel technique to address the challenges of water scarcity along with socioeconomic and environmental pressures while achieving sustainable development goals.


EZH2 Modulates the DNA Methylome and Controls T Cell Adhesion Through Junctional Adhesion Molecule A in Lupus Patients.
EZH2 is an epigenetic regulator that mediates H3K27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) and modulates DNA methylation. The aim of this study was to characterize the role of EZH2 in CD4+ T cells in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus. EZH2 expression levels were determined in CD4+ T cells isolated from lupus patients and healthy controls. The epigenetic effects of EZH2 overexpression in CD4+ T cells were evaluated using a genome-wide DNA methylation approach. Gene expression profiles and microRNAs (miRNAs) were assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, while protein expression was examined by Western blotting. A cell adhesion assay was used to assess adhesion of CD4+ T cells to human microvascular endothelial cells. EZH2 and H3K27me3 levels were increased in CD4+ T cells from lupus patients compared to healthy controls. T cell production of EZH2 was down-regulated in the presence of miR-26a and miR-101, and levels of both miRNAs were reduced in lupus CD4+ T cells. Overexpression of EZH2 induced in CD4+ T cells resulted in significant DNA methylation changes. Genes involved in leukocyte adhesion and migration, including F11R (which encodes junctional adhesion molecule A [JAM-A]), became hypomethylated in CD4+ T cells when EZH2 was overexpressed. Overexpression of EZH2 resulted in increases in JAM-A expression and CD4+ T cell adhesion. Preincubation of EZH2-transfected CD4+ T cells with neutralizing antibodies against JAM-A significantly blunted cell adhesion. Similarly, CD4+ T cells from lupus patients overexpressed JAM-A and adhered significantly more to endothelial cells than to T cells from healthy controls. Blocking JAM-A or EZH2 significantly reduced the capacity of lupus CD4+ T cells to adhere to endothelial cells. The results of this study identify a novel role of EZH2 in T cell adhesion mediated by epigenetic remodeling and up-regulation of JAM-A. Blockade of EZH2 or JAM-A might have therapeutic potential by acting to reduce T cell adhesion, migration, and extravasation in patients with lupus.


Lowest colpopexy sacral fixation point alters vaginal axis and cul-de-sac depth.
To determine the variation in vaginal axis and posterior cul-de-sac depth when the lowest suture used to attach the sacrocolpopexy mesh to the anterior longitudinal ligament is anchored at different levels. At five lumbosacral mesh attachment sites, the anterior vaginal wall axis angle was measured relative to a line between the lowest border of the pubic symphysis and fourth sacral (S4) foramen in 9 unembalmed cadavers. The vertical distance from S4 to the posterior mesh was measured as a surrogate of cul-de-sac depth. From a mesh fixation point at the lower border of S2 to a point at the lower border of L5, there was a 3-fold increase in both vaginal axis angle (13.04 ± 3.19 vs 42.88 ± 4.16 cm) and distance from S4 to the posterior mesh (2.50 ± 0.61 vs 7.38 ± 1.30 cm) between these points. During sacrocolpopexy, progressively cephalad sacral attachment increases vaginal axis angle and cul-de-sac depth.


Fine-Tuning the Endcap Chemistry of Acrylated Poly(Ethylene Glycol)-Based Hydrogels for Efficient Burn Wound Exudate Management.
Most commercial dressings with moderate to high exudate uptake capacities are mechanically weaker and/or require a secondary dressing. The current research article focuses on the development of hydrogel-based wound dressings combining mechanical strength with high exudate absorption capacities using acrylate-endcapped urethane-based precursors (AUPs). AUPs with varying poly(ethylene glycol) backbone molar masses (10 and 20 kg mol-1 ) and endcap chemistries are successfully synthesized in toluene, subsequently processed into UV-cured hydrogel sheets and are benchmarked against several commercial wound dressings (Hydrosorb, Kaltostat, and Mepilex Ag). The AUP materials show high gel fractions (>90%) together with strong swelling degrees in water, phosphate buffered saline and simulated wound fluid (12.7-19.6 g g-1 ), as well as tunable mechanical properties (e.g., Young's modulus: 0.026-0.061 MPa). The AUPs have significantly (p < 0.05) higher swelling degrees than the tested commercial dressings, while also being mechanically resistant. The elasticity of the synthesized materials leads to an increased resistance against fatigue. The di- and hexa-acrylated AUPs show excellent in vitro biocompatibility against human foreskin fibroblasts, as evidenced by indirect MTS assays and live/dead cell assays. In conclusion, the processed AUP materials demonstrate high potential for wound healing application and can even compete with commercially available dressings.


The p53-induced Wig-1 protein binds double-stranded RNAs with structural characteristics of siRNAs and miRNAs.
Wig-1 is a p53-induced zinc finger protein. Here we show that human Wig-1 binds long (>or=23 bp) dsRNAs with 5'-overhangs. The first zinc finger domain is necessary but not sufficient for this dsRNA-binding in vitro. Wig-1 also binds dsRNA in living cells via zinc fingers 1 and 2. Both zinc fingers 1 and 2 are important for Wig-1-mediated growth suppression. Moreover, Wig-1 binds 21 bp dsRNAs with 3'-protruding ends. These findings demonstrate that human Wig-1 can bind different types of dsRNAs, including dsRNAs resembling small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs), and indicate that dsRNA binding has a role in Wig-1-mediated regulation of cell growth.


Cumulative effects of pre-pandemic vulnerabilities and pandemic-related hardship on psychological distress among pregnant individuals.
Our primary objective was to determine whether pre-existing vulnerabilities and resilience factors combined with objective hardship resulted in cumulative (i.e., additive) effects on psychological distress in pregnant individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. A secondary objective was to determine whether any of the effects of pandemic-related hardship were compounded (i.e., multiplicative) by pre-existing vulnerabilities. Data are from a prospective pregnancy cohort study, the Pregnancy During the COVID-19 Pandemic study (PdP). This cross-sectional report is based upon the initial survey collected at recruitment between April 5, 2020 and April 30, 2021. Logistic regressions were used to evaluate our objectives. Pandemic-related hardship substantially increased the odds of scoring above the clinical cut-off on measures of anxiety and depression symptoms. Pre-existing vulnerabilities had cumulative (i.e., additive) effects on the odds of scoring above the clinical cut-off on measures of anxiety and depression symptoms. There was no evidence of compounding (i.e., multiplicative) effects. Social support had a protective effect on anxiety and depression symptoms, but government financial aid did not. Pre-pandemic vulnerability and pandemic-related hardship had cumulative effects on psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adequate and equitable responses to pandemics and disasters may require more intensive supports for those with multiple vulnerabilities.


Distortion of the gizzard in Cyprus pigeons (Columba livia) associated with Hadjelia truncata infestation.
Hadjelia truncata is well recognised as an avian parasite but is rarely reported as pathogenic. This paper describes severe disease in pigeons due to this parasite and is the first to describe the condition in Cyprus. The morphology of the parasite and the associated lesions are described and illustrated and the pathogenesis of the condition is discussed.


Limited expression of Nrf2 in neurons across the central nervous system.
Nrf2, encoded by the gene Nfe2l2, is a broadly expressed transcription factor that regulates gene expression in response to reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress. It is commonly referred to as a ubiquitous pathway, but this generalization overlooks work indicating that Nrf2 is essentially unexpressed in some neuronal populations. To explore whether this pattern extends throughout the central nervous system (CNS), we quantified Nfe2l2 expression and chromatin accessibility at the Nfe2l2 locus across multiple single cell datasets. In both the mouse and human CNS, Nfe2l2 was repressed in almost all mature neurons, but highly expressed in non-neuronal support cells, and this pattern was robust across multiple human CNS diseases. A subset of key Nrf2 target genes, like Slc7a11, also remained low in neurons. Thus, these data suggest that while most cells express Nfe2l2, with activity determined by ROS levels, neurons actively avoid Nrf2 activity by keeping Nfe2l2 expression low.


The relationship of neuropsychological function to instrumental activities of daily living in mild cognitive impairment.
While activities of daily living are by definition preserved in mild cognitive impairment (MCI), there is evidence of poorer instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) functioning in MCI compared to normal ageing. The aims of the present study were to examine differences in IADL between individuals with MCI and cognitively normal elderly, and to examine the relationships of IADL with cognitive functions. The sample of 762 community-living participants aged 70-90 were assessed with a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery and with the informant-completed Bayer-Activities of Daily Living Scale (B-ADL). Compared to cognitively normal individuals, the MCI group was rated as having more difficulties on the B-ADL and performed worse on cognitive tests. Factor analysis of the B-ADL items yielded two factors, which were labelled 'high cognitive demand' (HCD) and 'low cognitive demand' (LCD). Individuals with MCI scored worse than cognitively normal participants on the HCD factor but similarly on the LCD factor. Men were rated as having more difficulties on the HCD, but not the LCD, factor compared to women. The HCD factor score correlated significantly with all five cognitive domains measured, but the LCD factor correlated significantly only with attention/processing speed and to a lesser extent with executive function. Having more difficulties in IADL, especially those with higher demand on cognitive capacities, was found to be associated with MCI and overall cognitive functioning. This has implications for the definition of MCI, as lack of functional impairment is generally used as a criterion for diagnosis.


Mapping of Rym16Hb, the second soil-borne virus-resistance gene introgressed from Hordeum bulbosum.
Rym16(Hb), a gene conferring resistance to soil-borne viruses, was introgressed from Hordeum bulbosum to barley chromosome 2HL. Mechanical inoculation with BaMMV and field tests on a plot contaminated with different viruses demonstrated that Rym16(Hb) is effective against all European viruses of the soil-borne virus complex (BaMMV, BaYMV-1, -2). Genetic analysis revealed a dominant inheritance of the resistance controlled by Rym16(Hb). Using 2HL anchor markers, the size of the introgression was estimated to be about 30 M. In its proximal part, the introgression was characterized by a rearrangement of markers Xbcd266, ABC153 and ABC252, accompanied with pronounced linkage drag by factor 4 in segregating mapping populations. The introgression was found to be associated with a recessive lethality factor, l(Hb), which was closely linked to the markers mentioned above. Recombination occurring within the introgressed H. bulbosum segment allowed us to separate l(Hb) from Rym16(Hb) and to reduce the size of the introgression to 23 cM or less.


Data on Gabonese rodents and their Plasmodium.
In this paper present data on the description of rodent species living around human dwelling in some villages of Gabon and their malaria parasites. Rodents are known to colonize various environments, such as forest; domestic or peridomestic environment. They are known to be the hosts of many parasites. Data presented here the circulation of malaria parasites in Gabonese rodents was shown; the estimation of pairwise genetic distances (p-distance) between rodents malaria parasites. We also provide data on rodent species diversity in Gabon. Three hundred and forty-five samples from rodents conserved in biobank of International Center of Medical Researches of Franceville (CIRMF) were used for the study. These samples were collected in six villages of southeastern of Gabon between 2009 and 2016 for routine monitoring of infectious disease. Such data can be used to describe and understanding the evolution and systematics of malaria parasite. This data set support the main findings presented in the research article [1].


Effects and optimization of the use of biochar in anaerobic digestion of food wastes.
The addition of various amounts of biochar to anaerobic digestion of food wastes at different ratios of inoculum to substrate (ISR) was investigated to evaluate the effect of biochar as a functional additive and to optimize the additive dosage of biochar. The biochar treatments at ISR 2, 1, and 0.8 shortened the lag phase of digestion by -20.0%-10.9%, 43.3%-54.4%, and 36.3%-54.0%, and raised the maximum methane production rate by 100%-275%, 100%-133.3%, and 33.3%-100%, respectively, compared to control without biochar. Biochar also enhanced the degradation rate of dissolved organics and volatile fatty acids. Furthermore, the amount of biochar with best effectiveness at ISR = 2, 1, and 0.8 was 2.5, 0.625, and 0.5 g g(-1)-waste, respectively. Therefore, the effectiveness of biochar depended on the additive amount of biochar and at the same time the inoculum amount, implying a complementary role of abiotic biochar to biotic inoculum.


Mechanism of cell death of endothelial cells regulated by mechanical forces.
Cell death of endothelial cells (ECs) is a common devastating consequence of various vascular-related diseases. Atherosclerosis, hypertension, sepsis, diabetes, cerebral ischemia and cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury, and chronic kidney disease remain major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, in which ECs are constantly subjected to a great amount of dynamic changed mechanical forces including shear stress, extracellular matrix stiffness, mechanical stretch and microgravity. A thorough understanding of the regulatory mechanisms by which the mechanical forces controlled the cell deaths including apoptosis, autophagy, and pyroptosis is crucial for the development of new therapeutic strategies. In the present review, experimental and clinical data highlight that nutrient depletion, oxidative stress, tumor necrosis factor-α, high glucose, lipopolysaccharide, and homocysteine possess cytotoxic effects in many tissues and induce apoptosis of ECs, and that sphingosine-1-phosphate protects ECs. Nevertheless, EC apoptosis in the context of those artificial microenvironments could be enhanced, reduced or even reversed along with the alteration of patterns of shear stress. An appropriate level of autophagy diminishes EC apoptosis to some extent, in addition to supporting cell survival upon microenvironment challenges. The intervention of pyroptosis showed a profound effect on atherosclerosis. Further cell and animal studies are required to ascertain whether the alterations in the levels of cell deaths and their associated regulatory mechanisms happen at local lesion sites with considerable mechanical force changes, for preventing senescence and cell deaths in the vascular-related diseases.


Community-Based Diabetes Community Health Worker Intervention in an Underserved Chicago Population.
The Community Health Worker (CHW) model has been used to combat disparities in healthcare access by utilizing community members as healthcare liaisons to promote improved community health. CHW interventions have been effective in improving diabetes management. This case study reports on a low-intensity CHW intervention in a predominantly Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black population in two Chicago neighborhoods: North Lawndale and South Lawndale. CHWs conducted door-to-door outreach and, for individuals with self-reported type 2 diabetes, offered home visits at baseline and one-year follow-up to provide diabetes education, create an individual management strategy, and refer to clinic-based support services. During 2012, 459 participants were enrolled, with 343 completing follow-up visits in 2013 (75 % retention). The mean HbA1c decrease was 0.5 %. At follow-up, participants were less likely to be depressed, to forget to take their diabetes medications, and were more likely to report higher social support and score higher on an assessment of diabetes knowledge. Patients who were younger, Hispanic, had uncontrolled diabetes, and had lower levels of diabetes self-care at baseline demonstrated increased odds of a significant HbA1c decrease with the intervention than patients without these characteristics. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a home-based, low-intensity CHW intervention in medically underserved communities, and identifies population groups who might benefit the most from future similar CHW interventions.


Conditioned responses in the visual cortex of dogs. II. During sleep.
Repetitive electrical stimulation of the optic chiasm was used as a cue stimulus for alimentary conditioned lever-press in dogs. During sleep after conditioning, the cue was presented to test whether the conditioned response (CR) can be emitted during sleep and whether CR in visual cortex (VC) is due to change in excitability in VC. Though level-press behavior never occurred without accompanying EEG arousal responses, rate of occurrence periods of EMG (percent EMG) and rate of EMG in the lever-press forelimb increased in the conditioned animals. Amplitudes of components 4 and 5 of the evoked potential in VC enhanced during both slow-wave (SS) and fast-wave sleep (FS) with similar time course as in wakefulness. In addition, correlation between latency of the EMG and of maximum enhancement of the amplitudes which was obtained during wakefulness remained during these sleep stages. Enhancement of the amplitudes was greater during sleep than during wakefulness; no significant difference was found between SS and FS. These results support the hypothesis that the CR in VC is attributed to excitability change and suggest that CR, in the peripheral and central level, can be emitted during SS and FS periods in dogs.


Quantitative immunoassay of total cellular GAP junction protein connexin32 during liver regeneration using antibodies specific to the COOH-terminus.
A radioimmunoassay (RIA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to determine relative concentrations of liver connexin32 (CX32) in rats. The RIA and ELISA utilize synthetic peptides corresponding to regions of the carboxyl-terminus and antibodies raised in rabbits against these peptides. Assuming that affinities of antisera are similar for peptide and native CX32, total cellular CX32 was found to exceed the amount of gap junction protein at the cell surface calculated from morphometric analyses by 1.5-2.0 fold. This finding raises the possibility that some of the protein is present in cytoplasmic compartments or as occult precursors in the plasma membrane. Studies of CX32 content in regenerating rat liver support this conclusion and show a time course of loss and recovery of CX32 that agrees with those reported in studies using other techniques.


Current and emerging biologic therapies targeting eosinophilic disorders.
Eosinophilic disorders include a wide array of conditions in which eosinophils play a primary pathophysiologic role. While historically treated with corticosteroids and immunosuppressants, knowledge of eosinophil biology has led to the development of several biologics targeting eosinophils. In this review, we discuss the current US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved eosinophil-specific biologics targeting IL-5 (mepolizumab and reslizumab) and IL-5R (benralizumab) along with biologics under investigation targeting siglec-8 (lirentelimab). We discuss efficacy and safety data from trials of these medications in conditions including eosinophilic asthma, hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES), eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP), eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), and eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease (EGID). Additionally, we discuss case reports utilizing these medications in conditions including drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA), and eosinophilic pneumonia, among others. While eosinophilic targeting biologic therapy has been successful in eosinophilic asthma, HES, EGPA, and CRSwNP leading to FDA approval for these conditions, trials treating EoE and EGID have been disappointing to date. Given the increasing number of trials utilizing these biologics, it will be imperative for the allergist-immunologist to stay up to date on the latest treatment options to provide the most optimal care for eosinophilic disorders.


A light-gated cation channel with high reactivity to weak light.
The cryptophyte algae, Guillardia theta, possesses 46 genes that are homologous to microbial rhodopsins. Five of them are functionally light-gated cation channelrhodopsins (GtCCR1-5) that are phylogenetically distinct from chlorophyte channelrhodopsins (ChRs) such as ChR2 from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. In this study, we report the ion channel properties of these five CCRs and compared them with ChR2 and other ChRs widely used in optogenetics. We revealed that light sensitivity varied among GtCCR1-5, in which GtCCR1-3 exhibited an apparent EC50 of 0.21-1.16 mW/mm2, similar to that of ChR2, whereas GtCCR4 and GtCCR5 possess two EC50s, one of which is significantly small (0.025 and 0.032 mW/mm2). GtCCR4 is able to trigger action potentials in high temporal resolution, similar to ChR2, but requires lower light power, when expressed in cortical neurons. Moreover, a high light-sensitive response was observed when GtCCR4 was introduced into blind retina ganglion cells of rd1, a mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa. Thus, GtCCR4 provides optogenetic neuronal activation with high light sensitivity and temporal precision.


Determination of ochratoxin A in food: comparison of a stable isotope dilution assay, liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Quantitative results for the mycotoxin ochratoxin A (OTA), obtained by a stable isotope dilution assay (SIDA) were compared with two commonly used analytical methods for OTA quantitation. For this, different types of food, such as wheat, coffee, sultanas, and blood sausages, were analyzed. Because results obtained by the SIDA method were closest to the certified contents of an OTA reference material, data obtained by this method were considered as reference data. For liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection, a clean-up by solid phase extraction on silica was found to be necessary, and a correction for recovery had to be performed to match the data from the SIDA experiments. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) strongly overestimated the OTA content in coffee and nutmeg therefore an extract clean-up by immunoaffinity chromatography had to be used to match the SIDA results. Following this sample preparation, ELISA gave correct qualitative and semiquantitative results, and proved to be a suitable screening method. SIDA was also established as a valuable tool to quantify OTA in meat products, when using a clean-up procedure developed recently for blood samples.


Detection of KPC-2 and qnrS1 in clinical isolates of Morganella morganii from China.
Seven carbapenem-nonsusceptible Morganella morganii isolates, which have similar antibiotic susceptibility profiles, were isolated over a 5-month period. MICs of imipenem, meropenem, and ertapenem were 8, 1, and 0.25 to 0.5 μg/mL, respectively. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis indicated that 6 isolates were indistinguishable or closely related. Carbapenem resistance can be transferred from M. morganii to Escherichia coli by conjugation. All M. morganii isolates and E. coli transconjugants produced KPC-2 and carried the qnrS1 gene. Production of KPC-2 mainly contributed to the carbapenem resistance in M. morganii. KPC-2-producing M. morganii clonally spread in a hospital in China.


[Inhibition of incorporation of (2-14C) acetate into the free sterol fraction of hepatocytes as a result of treatment with ubiquinone-9].
Incubation of rat hepatocytes for 2 and 3 h in a medium containing ubiquinone-9 resulted in a decrease of cholesterol biosynthesis. The decrease level does not depend on the incubation time. Ubiquinone does not influence the synthesis of acyl groups of phospholipids, inhibition is specific for cholesterogenesis. The 4-5-fold increased cholesterol biosynthesis is observed in hepatocytes obtained from the liver of gamma-irradiated rats (8 Gy, 1 h after irradiation).


Sexual concerns and educational needs after an implantable cardioverter defibrillator.
Patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) describe anxiety, fears, and other psychosocial issues, although sexual concerns are not well understood. The purpose of this descriptive study was to explore the experiences of patients and partners with return to sexual activity post-ICD implantation. Subjects were 12 patients with an ICD (10 men, 2 women) and 4 partners (1 man, 3 women). Most patients with an ICD and partners were age 55 years or older, with a mean age of 62 years for patients and 47 years for partners. A semistructured interview was used to explore the meaning and influence of the ICD on the sexual relationship. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using a qualitative descriptive approach. Themes identified were (1) anxiety and apprehension, with subthemes of partner overprotectiveness and fear of ICD discharge with sexual activity; (2) varying interest and pattern of sexual activity; (3) powerfulness of ICD discharge; and (4) a need for information and sexual counseling. Additional research is needed to further understand the experience of ICD discharge with sexual activity and to develop educational strategies.