Advanced degradation of brominated epoxy resin and simultaneous transformation of glass fiber from waste printed circuit boards by improved supercritical water oxidation processes.
This work investigated various supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) systems, i.e. SCWO1 (only water), SCWO2 (water+H2O2) and SCWO3 (water+H2O2/NaOH), for waste printed circuit boards (PCBs) detoxification and recycling. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize the operating conditions of the optimal SCWO3 systems. The optimal reaction conditions for debromination were found to be the NaOH of 0.21g, the H2O2 volume of 9.04mL, the time of 39.7min, maximum debromination efficiency of 95.14%. Variance analysis indicated that the factors influencing debromination efficiency was in the sequence of NaOH>H2O2>time. Mechanism studies indicated that the dissociated ions from NaOH in supercritical water promoted the debromination of brominated epoxy resins (BERs) through an elimination reaction and nucleophilic substitution. HO2, produced by H2O2 could induce the oxidation of phenol ring to open (intermediates of BERs), which were thoroughly degraded to form hydrocarbons, CO2, H2O and NaBr. In addition, the alkali-silica reaction between OH(-) and SiO2 induced the phase transformation of glass fibers, which were simultaneously converted into anorthite and albite. Waste PCBs in H2O2/NaOH improved SCWO system were fully degraded into useful products and simultaneously transformed into functional materials. These findings are helpful for efficient recycling of waste PCBs.


7Be, 210Pb and 40K depositions over 11 years in Málaga.
The monthly bulk depositional fluxes of three natural radionuclides (7Be, 210Pb and 40K) were measured at a Mediterranean coastal station (Málaga) over an 11-year period from 2005 to 2015. The mean annual depositional fluxes of 7Be, 210Pb and 40K were 1215, 144 and 67 Bq m-2 year-1 respectively, showing a clear seasonal trend with minimum values recorded during summer and maximum values in winter. The rainfall regime with dry summers allows estimating the dry deposition. Assuming constant dry deposition through each year, 7Be, 210Pb and 40K would account for 12.5, 26.5 and 33% of the bulk fallout respectively which indicates that deposition for 210Pb and 40K are significantly higher than 7Be. The precipitation-normalized enrichment factor alpha used to explain seasonal variations in the depositional fluxes of radionuclides with respect the rainfall, indicates higher depositional fluxes during spring and summer than expected from the amount of rainfall. Despite their different origin, 210Pb and 7Be monthly depositional fluxes have strong correlation. The atmospheric deposition fluxes of 7Be, 210Pb and 40K were controlled mainly by the amount of rainfall (r = 0.89, 0.91 and 0.66 respectively). Moreover, principal component analysis was applied to the datasets and deposition of radionuclides and rainfall in the same component highlighting the importance of the washout mechanism. The mean depositional velocity of aerosols evaluated using 7Be and 210Pb are similar and are compared to other published values.


Myeloperoxidase as a biomarker of skin irritation and inflammation.
Topical exposure to many occupational and environmental chemicals is often accompanied by the induction of a cutaneous inflammatory response characterized by the influx of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNs). In this study, the accumulation of myeloperoxidase (MPO), an enzyme found at high content in PMNs, was used as a biomarker to assess the inflammatory response to a number of well characterized skin irritants and tumour promoters. Of the chemicals examined, there was a good agreement between MPO accumulation and morphometric indicators of PMNs. Therefore, it was suggested that MPO accumulation could be an additional and useful toxicological tool for determining the dermal irritancy of chemicals.


Risk factors for breast fibroadenoma in young women.
In a case-control study, 178 women diagnosed with fibroadenoma (FA) between 1976 and 1982 were compared with 178 age-matched controls in order to assess the risk factors for FA. Women who had a previous diagnosis of breast disease were excluded. The odds ratios (OR) of FA were calculated for different risk factors of breast disease from bivariate analysis as well as multivariate regression analysis. The highest ORs were found for a previous premenstrual mastalgia before first childbirth and a familial history (FH) of breast cancer (BC). Oral contraceptive (OC) use before a first full-term pregnancy (FFTP) does not modify this risk. Also current use of standard oral contraceptives (SOC) containing 50 micrograms of ethinyl estradiol per pill appeared to be protective and the correlation with FA was negative. These findings underline: (a) the predictive value of premenstrual mastalgia for the subsequent development of breast disease; (b) only current high-dose OC use is protective.


HMGN2: a novel antimicrobial effector molecule of human mononuclear leukocytes?
Leukocytes are a central cellular element of innate-immune defense in mammals. In addition to the generation of toxic oxygen radicals and nitric oxide, leukocytes express and secrete a broad array of antimicrobial proteins and peptides. In the study, an antimicrobial polypeptide was isolated and purified from human peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes in the presence of interleukin (IL)-2. Microsequencing provided that its N-terminal amino sequence was PKRKAEGDAK, which was identical to high mobility group nucleosomal-binding domain 2 (HMGN2). Mass spectrometric value and Western blot also indicated its individual character of HMGN2. The antimicrobial assays showed that the Escherichia coli-based production of HMGN2 had a potent antimicrobial activity against E. coli ML-35p, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, and to some extent, against Candida albicans ATCC 10231. The HMGN2 alpha-helical domain had the same antimicrobial activity as HMGN2. The immunocytochemistry staining, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and Western blot revealed that HMGN2 was present in the cytoplasm of mononuclear leukocytes and released to the extracellular environment when stimulated with IL-2. These results suggest that HMGN2 would be a novel antimicrobial effector molecule of human mononuclear leukocyte.


A normotriglyceridemic, low HDL-cholesterol phenotype is characterised by elevated oxidative stress and HDL particles with attenuated antioxidative activity.
Low levels of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) are highly prevalent in subjects presenting premature atherosclerosis. It is indeterminate as to whether high cardiovascular risk in low HDL-C subjects occurs concomitantly with elevated oxidative stress and/or with biologically dysfunctional HDL particles. Systemic oxidative stress (as plasma 8-isoprostanes) was 2.3-fold elevated (p<0.05) in normocholesterolemic, normotriglyceridemic, normoglycemic low HDL-C subjects (plasma HDL-C, <40 mg/dL; n=8) as compared to normolipidemic controls (n=15). HDL subfractions (HDL2b, 2a, 3a, 3b and 3c) isolated by density gradient ultracentrifugation from low HDL-C subjects displayed significantly lower (-21 to -43%, p<0.05) specific antioxidative activity (sAA; capacity to protect LDL from oxidation on a unit particle mass or on a particle number basis) as compared to controls. Altered chemical composition (core triglyceride enrichment, cholesteryl ester depletion) paralleled antioxidative dysfunction of HDL subfractions. Plasma 8-isoprostane levels negatively correlated with sAA of HDL subfractions and positively correlated with the total cholesterol/HDL-C ratio, which was significantly elevated in the low HDL-C phenotype. Low HDL-C subjects display elevated oxidative stress and possess HDL particle subspecies with attenuated intrinsic antioxidative activity which is intimately related to their altered chemical composition.


Comorbidity Between Depression and Anxiety in Adolescents: Bridge Symptoms and Relevance of Risk and Protective Factors.
Depression and anxiety are highly prevalent and comorbid in adolescents, and this co-occurrence leads to worse prognosis and additional difficulties. The relationship between depression and anxiety must be delineated to, in turn, reduce and prevent the comorbidity, however our knowledge is still limited. We used network analysis to investigate bridge symptoms; symptoms that connect individual depression and anxiety symptoms and thus can help explain the comorbidity. We also examined the role of relevant risk and protective factors in explaining these symptom-level associations between these disorders. We analyzed data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Children and Parents (n = 3670). Depression and anxiety symptoms, peer victimization, bullying, peer relational problems, prosocial behavior, and parental monitoring were assessed at a single time point around age 13 years. Stressful life events (SLEs) were assessed at age 11 years. We identified the most prominent bridge symptoms among depression ("feeling unhappy", "feeling lonely") and anxiety symptoms ("worrying about past", "worrying about future"). Peer relational difficulties and SLEs were strongly associated with several depression and anxiety symptoms, such that these two risk factors created a link between individual depression and anxiety symptoms. Prosocial behavior had several negative associations with symptoms of both disorders, suggesting it can be an important protective factor. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10862-021-09880-5.


Determination of avilamycin as dichloroisoeverninic acid in poultry and porcine muscles by isotope dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
Avilamycin residue in food is regulated as its marker residue dichloroisoeverninic acid (DIA). An isotope dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method is established for the accurate determination of DIA in animal muscles without any pre-extraction and preconcentration prior to alkaline hydrolysis. Optimization of the sample cleanup procedures such as liquid-liquid extraction and solid phase extraction was performed by fine-tuning several critical parameters to reduce the matrix effects. Quantification of DIA in edible muscle was accomplished by using matrix-matched calibration with dichloroisoeverninic acid-d6 as internal standard. The method was validated with DIA and avilamycin-fortified poultry and porcine muscles at three different levels (25, 50, and 100 μg/kg). Conversion of avilamycin to DIA by alkaline hydrolysis was ≥92%. The recoveries of DIA in both muscles at three fortification levels ranged from 94 to 106% and RSDs were ≤11% in all cases. The estimated limit of detection values in poultry and porcine muscles were 2.7 and 0.7 μg/kg, respectively. The estimated limit of quantitation values in poultry and porcine muscles were 8.3 and 2.4 μg/kg, respectively. This method is suitable for routine monitoring of avilamycin residue in food safety surveillance programs.


ESR determination of membrane order parameter in yeast sterol mutants.
ESR investigations designed to determine membrane order parameter in sterol mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were conducted using the membrane probe, 5-doxyl stearic acid. These mutants are blocked in the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway and thus do not synthesize ergosterol, the end product sterol. They do not require exogenous ergosterol for growth and, therefore, incorporate ergosterol biosynthetic intermediates in their membrane. Increasing order parameter is reflective of an increase in membrane rigidity. Single mutants involving B-ring delta 8 leads to delta 7 isomerization (erg 2) and C-24 methylation (erg 6) showed greater membrane rigidity than wild-type during exponential growth. A double mutant containing both lesions (erg 6/2) showed an even greater degree of membrane rigidity. During stationary phase the order of decreasing membrane rigidity was erg 6 greater than erg 6/2 greater than erg 2 = wild-type. The increased membrane order parameter was attributed to the presence of substituted sterols rather than increased sterol content or altered fatty acid synthesis.


The influence of masked hypertension on the right ventricle: is everything really masked?
We sought to investigate right ventricular (RV) structure, function, and mechanics in subjects with masked hypertension (MH), normotensive, and sustained hypertensive patients. This cross-sectional study included 186 untreated subjects who underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring and complete two-dimensional echocardiographic (2DE) examination including multilayer strain analysis. MH was diagnosed if clinic BP was normal (<140/90 mm Hg) and 24-hour BP was increased (≥130/80 mm Hg). Global and free-wall RV longitudinal strains were significantly lower in MH and sustained hypertensive patients comparing with controls. Systolic and early diastolic RV strain rates were lower, whereas late diastolic strain rate was higher, among patients with MH and sustained hypertension than in control group. Endocardial and midmyocardial RV strains were also significantly lower in MH and hypertensive patients. There was no difference between MH and subjects with sustained hypertension. RV structure, function, and deformation are significantly changed in subjects with MH and sustained hypertension.


Use of the tuberculin skin test in children.
The tuberculin skin test, originally developed by Koch over a century ago as a means to treat tuberculosis, has emerged as the definitive means to identify infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Its value was first demonstrated in studies of student nurses in Norway where it correctly identified uninfected students at greatest risk of dying of tuberculosis during the course of their training. The test was used to investigate contacts of active cases of tuberculosis, especially children. Cohort studies of such children undertaken in the 1950s and early 1960s showed that those who developed an induration in response to the tuberculin test of 10mm or greater were most likely to go on to develop tuberculosis in the future and that, if they were treated with isoniazid for a prolonged period (with maximal effect after 12 months of treatment), they were substantially less likely to develop tuberculosis. Since that time, the tuberculin skin test has been used extensively to identify individuals who have been infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and who would most likely benefit from treatment of latent tuberculous infection. Subsequently, international experts recommend that all children under five years of age who are in contact especially with sputum smear positive cases of tuberculosis should all be tested with tuberculin if it is available. Those found to have a significant reaction should be treated with isoniazid if they do not have active tuberculosis. Moreover, the tuberculin skin test has been used as a reliable means to monitor the progress of tuberculosis in the community through the means of surveys of school children to determine prevalence (and estimate incidence) of tuberculous infection in the community. The tuberculin skin test is not easy to administer or to interpret and requires careful application and interpretation. Tuberculin consists of a mixture of material produced by Mycobacterium tuberculosis as it is growing. It is prepared in a form termed 'purified protein derivative (PPD)' but is neither pure nor consists entirely of protein. Reference material has been developed to standardise it. The reading of the result of tuberculin testing requires experience and care. Inexperience leads to error (terminal digit preference). Tuberculin also detects the presence of antigens from other Mycobacteria species the most important of which is environmental Mycobacteria. Previous vaccination with BCG has less effect on the results of the test. The tuberculin test is useful to detect infection in children.


Plasma cortisol and elective cataract surgery.
Plasma cortisol was measured before and after elective cataract surgery in 19 patients given local anesthesia and in 11 patients given general anesthesia. In eight patients control plasma cortisols were measured at times corresponding to the surgical determinations. These eight patients demonstrated the circadian pattern of a fall in plasma cortisol. Only seven (37%) of 19 patients given local anesthesia failed to demonstrate the four-hour decrease in plasma cortisol (4-hr. p.o./8 A.M.0 greater than or equal to 0.80) following surgery, but this occurred in ten (91%) of 11 patients under general anesthesia (P less than .005). The 8:00 A.M. value was increased on the first postoperative day (8 A.M.1/8 A.M.0 greater than or equal to 1.37) in five (26%) of 19 patients given local anesthesia, but this occurred in 8 (73%) of 11 patients undergoing general anesthesia (P less than .025). The cortisol response to cataract surgery was significantly both more frequent and of greater magnitude in those patients undergoing general anesthesia.


Multi-stimuli Photo and Redox-active Nanostructured Mesoporous Silica Films on Transparent Electrodes.
Silica matrices hosting transition metal guest complexes may offer remarkable platforms for the development of advanced functional devices. We report here the elaboration of ordered and vertically oriented mesoporous silica thin films containing covalently attached tris(bipyridine)iron derivatives using a combination of electrochemically assisted self-assembly (EASA) method and Huisgen cycloaddition reaction. Such a versatile approach is primarily used to bind nitrogen-based chelating ligands such as (4-[(2-propyn-1-yloxy)]4'-methyl-2,2'-bypiridine, bpy') inside the nanochannels. Further derivatization of the bpy'-functionalized silica thin films is then achieved via a subsequent in-situ complexation step to generate [Fe(bpy)2 (bpy')]2+ inside the mesopore channels. After giving spectroscopic evidences for the presence of such complexes in the functionalized film, electrochemistry is used to transform the confined diamagnetic (S=0) FeLSbpy2bpy'2+ species to paramagnetic (S=1/2) oxidized FeLSbpy2bpy'3+ species in a reversible way, while blue light irradiation (λ=470 nm) enables populating the short-lived paramagnetic (S=2) FeHSbpy2bpy'2+ excited state. [Fe(bpy)2 (bpy')]2+ -functionalized ordered films are therefore both electro- and photo-active through the manipulation of the oxidation state and spin state of the confined complexes, paving the way for their integration in optoelectronic devices.


Encapsulation of camu-camu extracts using prebiotic biopolymers: Controlled release of bioactive compounds and effect on their physicochemical and thermal properties.
Camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia [H.B.K] McVaugh) is a Amazonian fruit rich in ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds, and has been attracting great interest from the food, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries due to its potential health benefits. The bioactive compounds from camu-camu are considered sensitive and unstable, resulting in nutritional losses and impairment of its commercialization and export. For this reason, the camu-camu extract (pulp and peel) was subjected to microencapsulation by spray drying process using maltodextrin (MD), inulin (IN), and oligofructose (OL) as carrier agents. Lyophilized in natura camu-camu extract (CEL) was also evaluated. Thus, physicochemical and thermal properties and controlled release at different temperatures (25 °C and 35 °C) were investigated. In contrast with the IN and OL microparticles, the MD microparticles showed lower density and hygroscopicity, besides greater thermal stability, antioxidant activity, and retention of ascorbic acid and anthocyanins. FTIR spectra allowed the qualitative evidence of encapsulation of the bioactive compounds from the camu-camu extract. The highest percentage of volatile compounds was observed in IN microparticles, followed by OL and MD microparticles. The major group of compounds identified in CEL were terpenes (88%). The Korsmeyer-Peppas mathematical model allowed to describe the controlled release behavior of ascorbic acid and anthocyanins in the powder extracts. The controlled release followed a Fickian diffusion mechanism (n ≤ 0.43). The increase of temperature from 25 °C to 35 °C influenced on the release of bioactive compounds in all treatments, showing greater release for MD microparticles. The encapsulating materials were considered effective for the production of camu-camu extract powder, contributing to the better use of this Amazonian fruit. In addition, the encapsulation process increased the stability of its bioactive compounds, representing a tool to facilitate their incorporation in several matrices to act as antioxidant and coloring agents, as well as nutraceutical.


Peer-pressure and overuse: The effect of a multimodal approach on variation in benzodiazepine prescriptions in a network of public hospitals.
The epidemic phenomenon leading to a progressive increase in benzodiazepine prescriptions represents a challenge for healthcare systems. In the hospital setting, indicators of prescription variation and potential of overuse are lacking and are rarely monitored. Inter-hospital monitoring/benchmarking, via peer-pressure, can foster the motivation to change. The aim of this investigation was to analyse whether, the reduction in new benzodiazepine prescriptions obtained thanks to a Choosing Wisely campaign, also contributed to reducing inter-hospital variation. Secondary analysis of a multicentre longitudinal intervention in a network of five teaching hospitals in Switzerland. We set out to explore the effect, on inter-hospital benzodiazepine prescription variation, of a continuous monitoring/benchmarking strategy, which was proven effective in reducing the intra-hospital prescription rate. The variance was used to assess inter-hospital variation. To investigate the impact of the intervention a segmented regression analysis of interrupted time series was performed. A total of 36 299 admissions over 42 months were analysed (1 July 2014 to 31 December 2017). Before the intervention a significant constant upward trend in inter-hospital variability was found (+0.901; SE 0.441; P < .05). After the intervention, the variance trend line significantly changed, decreasing by -0.257 (SE 0.005: P < .001) and producing by December 2017, a 27% absolute reduction. Thanks to a multimodal approach based on monitoring-benchmarking, a significant reduction in inter-hospital benzodiazepine prescription variation was obtained. Aligning to peer strategy is a spontaneous consequence of open benchmarking that can be used to convert a variation-based suspicion of overuse, into an occasion to actively review prescription habits.


A tumefactive anti-MOG antibody associated disorder heralding central nervous system B-cell lymphoma: Case report on diagnostic challenge.
We present the case of a 52-year-old woman with right hemiparesis due to a mass lesion in the left parietal white matter and corpus callosum. The lesion was hyperintense on diffusion weighted image and homogenously enhanced with gadolinium on magnetic resonance imaging, and was radiologically indistinguishable with lymphoma. Following progressive aggravation of symptoms, craniotomy for biopsy of the lesion was performed, and it was revealed that the patient had anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-associated disease by histopathological and serological diagnosis. Initial treatment with steroid dramatically improved the symptoms, but they exacerbated again. Then, through cerebrospinal fluid examination, it was revealed that the patient had B-cell lymphoma.


Exploring the Impacts of Caring for Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients on Nurses: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.
The impacts of caring for hospitalized COVID-19 patients on nurses are wide and varied and have not been comprehensively explained in the existing literature. The aim of this study was to explore the nurses' perception of the impacts of caring for hospitalized COVID-19 patients. In this qualitative descriptive study, data were collected via semi-structured interviews with 20 nurses and head nurses of emergency/internal wards and Intensive Care Units (ICUs) of 2 hospitals in Tehran, Iran. The purposive sampling method was used, and data analysis was performed using a conventional content analysis approach. After data analysis, 12 subcategories, 3 main categories, and 1 theme (professional resilience) were extracted. The three main categories included "complex care," "professional development," and "caring self-efficacy." Caring for hospitalized COVID-19 patients was complex for nurses; however, the care provided to these patients could also lead to the nurses' professional development and caring self-efficacy. Health organizations and nursing managers can better manage the COVID-19 pandemic and other similar future crises through strategies such as providing nurses with adequate and diverse resources and facilities, encouraging and supporting nurses in various dimensions, providing positive media advertisements for the nursing profession and nurses, and providing nurses with necessary and applicable knowledge and skills.


Joint Association of Diabetes and Physical Activity With Falls Among Midlife and Older Adults: 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
We examined joint associations of diabetes and physical activity (PA) with falls. Complex survey (cross-sectional) design using the 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (Response rate was 53% (landline phones) and 46% (cellular phones)). National survey in the U.S. Adults ≥45 years who self-reported diabetes status, PA, and falls (n = 295,282; 98.5% of eligible samples; N = 130,103,093) were classified into 4 groups: no diabetes-PA, no diabetes-no PA, diabetes-PA, diabetes-no PA. Self-reported PA, diabetes, falls, and major health characteristics. Poisson regression models were used to estimate the association of groups with any (≥1 fall) falls. Compared to no diabetes-active groups, no diabetes-inactive (Relative Risk (RR) = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.18, 1.26), diabetes-active (RR = 1.25; 95% CI: 1.20, 1.30), and diabetes-inactive (RR = 1.46; 95% CI: 1.41, 1.51) groups were more likely to report falls, independent of tested covariates. Leisure-time PA may mitigate the likelihood of falls in adults with and without diabetes. Our findings could be useful for healthcare providers or clinicians to promote the importance of PA in midlife and older adults who are at risk of falls and/or diabetes. More detailed longitudinal information on objectively-estimated PA and a more frequent fall calendar are warranted to prevent recall bias and temporal ambiguity (causality between PA and falls).


OSA-Onset: An algorithm for predicting the age of OSA onset.
There is currently no way to estimate the period of time a person has had obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Such information would allow identification of people who have had an extended exposure period and are therefore at greater risk of other medical disorders; and enable consideration of disease chronicity in the study of OSA pathogenesis/treatment. The 'age of OSA Onset' algorithm was developed in the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort (WSC), in participants who had ≥2 sleep studies and not using continuous positive airway pressure (n = 696). The algorithm was tested in a participant subset from the WSC (n = 154) and the Sleep Heart Health Study (SHHS; n = 705), those with an initial sleep study showing no significant OSA (apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) < 15 events/hr) and later sleep study showing moderate to severe OSA (AHI≥15 events/hr). Regression analyses were performed to identify variables that predicted change in AHI over time (BMI, sex, and AHI; beta weights and intercept used in the algorithm). In the WSC and SHHS subsamples, the observed years with OSA was 3.6 ± 2.6 and 2.7 ± 0.6 years, the algorithm estimated years with OSA was 10.6 ± 8.2 and 9.0 ± 6.2 years. The OSA-Onset algorithm estimated years of exposure to OSA with an accuracy of between 6.6 and 7.8 years (mean absolute error). Future studies are needed to determine whether the years of exposure derived from the OSA-Onset algorithm is related to worse prognosis, poorer cognitive outcomes, and/or poorer response to treatment.


Neurotransmitters, KCl and antioxidants rescue striatal neurons from apoptotic cell death in culture.
Striatal neurons grown in low density culture on serum-free media and in the absence of glia die within 3 days of plating. In this study, we sought to determine the mechanism of cell death (e.g., apoptosis) and whether trophic influences, such as, growth factors, neurotransmitters, antioxidants or KCl-mediated depolarization could improve their survival. We found that striatal neurons grown in this manner die via apoptosis unless treated with one of several different rescuing agents. One way to prevent the death of most striatal neurons was continual treatment with 5-20 microM dopamine (DA) or other monoamines. Although the survival effect of DA was mimicked by the specific D1 receptor agonist, SKF38393, no D1 or D2 receptor antagonists blocked the effect. As with DA, chronic depolarization with KCl (12-39 mM) or treatment with antioxidants, such as the vitamin E analog, Trolox (10-10-500 microM), or the hormone, melatonin (10-10-500 microM) also rescued striatal neurons from impending cell death. Surprisingly, growth factors, such as BDNF, bFGF, GDNF, NGF, NT3 and EGF, demonstrated no ability to rescue striatal neurons in this model, suggesting that death was not solely caused by the absence of essential trophic factors. We conclude that a variety of agents, but not growth factors, can prevent the demise of striatal neurons, presumably by neutralizing damage at one or more steps in the death cascade.


Sequence-specific interactions of UvrABC endonuclease with psoralen interstrand cross-links.
The nature of the Uvr protein-DNA complexes formed on psoralen-DNA interstrand cross-links was analyzed by DNase I footprinting and correlated with the incision efficiency of the UvrABC endonuclease on the cross-links of different DNA sequences. Our results indicate that the repair specificity is dependent on the DNA sequence and the psoralen orientation in the cross-link. On the strand that will be cut, a 30-nucleotide long UvrAB footprint with a DNase I hypersensitive site at the 11th nucleotide 5' to the lesion was observed and subsequently rearranged to a 22-nucleotide long UvrB-lesion footprint. On the strand that will not be cut, the UvrAB-lesion footprint had no 5' DNase I hypersensitive site and did not form the UvrB-lesion footprint. Although UvrABC incision requires the formation of UvrB-lesion complex on the strand which will be cut, the affinities of these complexes do not correlate with the incision efficiencies, suggesting that the overall reaction can be driven forward by a favorable next step such as UvrC incision. A study of the time-dependent interconversion of UvrAB-lesion complex to UvrB-lesion complex on a cross-link revealed a secondary recognition of the UvrB-lesion complex by UvrA2(B) proteins in vitro.


Time-domain and spectral turbulence analyses of the signal-averaged electrocardiogram have different predictive values for sustained ventricular tachycardia in patients with myocardial infarction.
We performed signal-averaged ECG and programmed stimulation in 15 patients after myocardial infarction with ventricular tachycardia and 49 patients after myocardial infarction without ventricular tachycardia to compare the spectral turbulence analysis and time-domain analysis of signal-averaged ECG for prediction of clinical and induced ventricular tachycardia. Sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia was inducible in all 15 patients with clinical sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (group 1) and in 9 patients without clinical sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (group 2). Sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia was not inducible in 40 patients without clinical sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (group 3). While there was no difference in time-domain variables between groups 1 and 2, there were significant differences between groups 2 and 3. Values obtained by spectral turbulence analysis differed significantly between groups 1 and 2, but not between groups 2 and 3. Time-domain analysis showed abnormal values in 87% of group 1 patients, 78% of group 2, and 35% of group 3. Spectral turbulence analysis showed abnormal values in 93% of group 1, 11% of group 2, and 30% of group 3. In conclusion, frequency-domain spectral turbulence analysis of signal-averaged ECG is more useful than the time-domain analysis in predicting the spontaneous occurrence of sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia in patients after myocardial infarction.


Spectrum of Behçet's disease in the Indian population.
The purpose of this investigation is to study the clinical profile of Behçet's disease in the Indian population as seen in a tertiary referral uveitis clinic. A retrospective non-comparative case series was used. The records of all of the patients seen in our uveitis clinic between January 1990 and December 2006 were screened and patients with a diagnosis of Behçet's disease were enrolled. The diagnosis was based on the Japanese diagnostic criteria and patients were classified into complete, incomplete, suspected, and possible Behçet's disease. Information on the patient's demographic characteristics, ocular and systemic clinical features, complications, investigation results, management protocols, and visual outcome was collected. The records of 4,214 uveitis clinic patients were screened and 53 patients (1.25%) of Behçet's disease were identified. These included 39 males and 14 females (2.8:1), with a mean age of 27.6 years (range 10-51 years). Fifty (94.3%) of these patients were of either complete or incomplete Behçet's disease. Ocular involvement was the most common manifestation (49 patients, 92.4%), followed by oral ulcers (88.7%), genital ulcers (61.2%), and skin involvement (28.3%). Panuveitis (57.1%) was the most common ocular presentation, followed by posterior (26.5%) and anterior uveitis (16.3%). More than 95% of the patients required oral steroids, while additional immunosuppressants were used in nearly 53% of the patients. The common complications observed included complicated cataract (57% of eyes), followed by cystoid macular edema (55.1%), occlusive vasculitis (44.8%), and optic atrophy (26.5%). Nearly 36% of the eyes maintained 6/12 or better vision, while 38% of the eyes were less than 6/60 after a mean follow-up period of 4.9 years (range 2-16 years). Behçet's disease, although rare among Indians, commonly manifests with ocular involvement as non-granulomatous panuveitis with a high incidence of complications and unfavorable visual outcome in nearly one-third of the cases.


Tomato lectin resists digestion in the mammalian alimentary canal and binds to intestinal villi without deleterious effects.
Experiments were designed to investigate whether orally consumed tomato lectin could resist the digestive process and function as a lectin within the alimentary canal. Rats fed on a tomato lectin-rich diet passed faeces containing serologically detectable tomato lectin, and the lectin could be shown by immunoperoxidase staining bound to intestinal villi. Moreover, radioactivity was mainly recovered from the alimentary canal 3h after 125I-labelled tomato lectin administration with only traces in the circulation or internal organs. Radioactivity absorbed into the human circulation after consumption of 125I-labelled tomato lectin was also less than that expected for a digestable protein.


Communications between doctors and social workers in a general practice.
This study describes an investigation into the information and attitudes which were held by a social worker and general practitioners about the same clients, and records the communication between them about these clients.


Computer-aided three-dimensional reconstruction and measurement of the round window niche.
The goal of this study was to clarify the three-dimensional shape of the round window niche and to measure this structure three-dimensionally using the computer-aided reconstruction method we developed. The equipment used in this study included a personal computer (NEC 98-XA), a high-resolution 14-inch color CRT, a digitizer (Hitachi HDG-1111), and a printer. We studied five normal temporal bones obtained from five individuals with negative otologic histories, who had been 5 months and 14, 15, 18, and 59 years old at death. In each case the round window niche was located posteroinferior to the round window. The round window niches had wide openings to the middle ear cavity that became narrower near the aperture; thus, the round window niche seemed to be shaped like a pouch. The maximal diameter of the round window niche was 2.98 +/- 0.23 mm. The shortest distance between the aperture of the round window niche and the margin of the round window was 0.66 +/- 0.16 mm. The volume of the round window niche, on average, was 4.65 +/- 0.67 mm3. The volume of the round window niche was found to be correlated with the area of the round window.


Comparison of adjuvant anesthetics for propofol induction.
Fentanyl was compared with nitrous oxide/sevoflurane as an adjuvant anesthesia to propofol during induction. Two-hundred sixty-three patients of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status 1 or 2 undergoing minor surgery were randomly divided into two groups. Group F patients (n = 125) received 2 microg x kg(-1) fentanyl and 1.8 mg x kg(-1) propofol, and were ventilated by mask with oxygen. Group S patients (n = 138) received 1.8 mg x kg(-1) propofol, followed by inhalation of 4% sevoflurane in N2O (41 x min(-1)) and oxygen (21 min(-1)) by mask. The trachea was intubated exactly 2, 3, 4, or 5 min after injection of 0.1 mg x kg(-1) vecuronium, and the conditions of endotracheal intubation were scored according to the patients' responses to laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and heart rate (HR) were measured before and after endotracheal intubation. The cost of anesthetics was also calculated. No significant differences in SBP were observed between the groups throughout the induction period. HR did not change from preanesthetic values in group F. In contrast, HR in group S patients increased by 9-18 beats x min(-1) (bpm) after inhalation of N2O/sevoflurane and further increased by 17-21 bpm following endotracheal intubation. Significant differences in HR were noticed between the groups (P < 0.001). The conditions of endotracheal intubation were similar in the two groups and were satisfactory when mask ventilation exceeded 3 min. Fentanyl was less expensive than sevoflurane/N2O anesthesia when mask ventilation exceeded 3 min. From the standpoints of hemodynamics and drug cost, fentanyl is preferable to N2O/sevoflurane inhalation as an adjuvant to propofol during induction, because mask ventilation for more than 3 min was required for satisfactory endotracheal intubation.


A novel classification, management and long-term outcomes of coronary artery involvement in acute aortic dissection.
To introduce a new and simple classification and management of coronary artery involvement in aortic dissection and report results. Coronary artery involvement was classified into two types according to the integrity of coronary intima: simple lesion (type S) and complex lesion (type C). Complex lesions were treated by CABG and simple lesions were treated by ostial repair or reimplantation. Data were collected and analyzed retrospectively. From January 2010 to December 2019, 267 consecutive patients were enrolled in the study, and among them complex lesions occurred in 27 patients (11.1%) and simple lesions was found in 240 patients(89.9%). Eleven untreated vessels with simple lesion were found to be involved again in the same operation and treated by CABG. The two type groups had comparable operative mortality (type S vs. type C, 9.6% vs. 18.5%, P = 0.28). 221 patients received follow-up with a median duration of 52 months. The overall survival rates at 1, 5, and 10 years postoperatively were 88.9%, 85.7%, and 79.8% in type S group and 79.2%, 79.2%, and 79.2% in type C group, respectively (P = 0.47). For the patients who received CABG and survived at discharge, radiographic follow-up with a median duration of 28 (IQR 7-55.5) months showed the freedom from occlusion of vein graft at 1, 5, and 10 years postoperatively were 87.5%, 70.0%, 28.0%. According to the new classification, two types of lesions could be treated by corresponding methods with satisfactory early and long-term results. Unrepaired coronary artery was at a risk of re-involvement. Vein graft onto arteries without atherosclerosis still had a high occlusion rate.


Glycation changes the charge distribution of type I collagen fibrils.
In aging and diabetes, glycation of collagen molecules leads to the formation of cross-links that could alter the surface charge on collagen fibrils, and hence affect the properties and correct functioning of a number of tissues. The electron-optical stain phosphotungstic acid (PTA) binds to positively charged amino acid side-chains and leads to the characteristic banding pattern of collagen seen in the electron microscope; any change in the charge on these side-chains brought about by glycation will affect the uptake of PTA. We found that, upon glycation, a decrease in stain uptake was observed at up to five regions along the collagen D-period; the greatest decrease in stain uptake was apparent at the c1 band. This reduction in PTA uptake indicates that the binding of fructose leads to an alteration in the surface charge at several sites along the D-period. Not all lysine and arginine residues are involved; there appear to be specific residues that suffer a loss of positive charge.


Nested Inversion Polymorphisms Predispose Chromosome 22q11.2 to Meiotic Rearrangements.
Inversion polymorphisms between low-copy repeats (LCRs) might predispose chromosomes to meiotic non-allelic homologous recombination (NAHR) events and thus lead to genomic disorders. However, for the 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS), the most common genomic disorder, no such inversions have been uncovered as of yet. Using fiber-FISH, we demonstrate that parents transmitting the de novo 3 Mb LCR22A-D 22q11.2 deletion, the reciprocal duplication, and the smaller 1.5 Mb LCR22A-B 22q11.2 deletion carry inversions of LCR22B-D or LCR22C-D. Hence, the inversions predispose chromosome 22q11.2 to meiotic rearrangements and increase the individual risk for transmitting rearrangements. Interestingly, the inversions are nested or flanking rather than coinciding with the deletion or duplication sizes. This finding raises the possibility that inversions are a prerequisite not only for 22q11.2 rearrangements but also for all NAHR-mediated genomic disorders.


Axillary Artery Deployment of Endovascular Aortic Repair Iliac Limb for Preservation of Internal Iliac Artery Blood Flow.
The axillary artery approach has been used for access for complex endovascular aortic procedures such as thoracic endovascular aortic repair with poor anatomy for traditional deployment as well as for fenestrated and branched abdominal aortic endografts. We report the first case of an iliac graft limb deployment through the axillary artery during an endovascular aortic repair for maintenance of anterograde internal iliac flow in a patient with a symptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysm and chronic occlusion of both the external iliac and common femoral arteries.


Treatment for Insomnia Symptoms is Associated with Reduced Depression Among Older Adults: A Propensity Score Matching Approach.
The study aimed to investigate the effect of utilization of treatment for insomnia symptoms on the prevalence of major depressive disorder among older adults in India. We used the data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI), 2017-18. The sample included 10,911 older individuals who reported insomnia symptoms. The propensity score matching (PSM) approach was used to compare the depressive disorder among those who received vs. not received treatment. Only 5.7% of older adults reporting insomnia symptoms received treatment. On average, prevalence of depressive disorder among men and women who received treatment for insomnia symptoms was lesser by 0.79 and 0.33 points, respectively, than those who did not receive treatment. In the matched sample, treatment for insomnia symptoms was significantly associated with lesser prevalence of depression for both older men (β= -0.68, p < .001) and older women (β= -0.62, p < .001). The current findings suggest that treatment for insomnia symptoms can reduce the risk of depressive disorder among older adults and the effects are higher among older men than women.


A method for producing unbiased histograms of neuronal profile sizes.
An important goal in neuroscience is to produce frequency distribution curves or histograms that relate numbers of cells to their sizes. Unfortunately such histograms, which are extremely common, are biased. Some of the reasons are inadequate attention to sampling paradigms, the lack of assurance that the section through the center of the cell is measured, and that large cells will have more profiles than small cells. The first goal of this paper is to illustrate these biases for dorsal root ganglion cells by showing significant statistical differences between histograms prepared the classic way and histograms produced by unbiased methods. The differences are particularly dramatic for plastic embedded material. The second goal of the paper is to describe an unbiased method for obtaining these histograms. The procedure is 2-fold. Cells are chosen in an unbiased way (unbiased in this sense means that every cell has an equal chance of being chosen), and then the largest profile of the cell is measured. We further suggest that these histograms be accompanied by analyses of cell volume, since volumes of cells rather than diameters or areas of cell profiles, will be the future measure of choice when considering the sizes of cells (or any other particles of biologic interest).


Multilabel hybridization probes for sequence-specific detection of sepsis-related drug resistance genes in plasmids.
Emerging antimicrobial drug resistance is increasing the complexity involved in treating critical conditions such as bacterial induced sepsis. Methods for diagnosing specific drug resistance tend to be rapid or sensitive, but not both. Detection methods like sequence-specific single-molecule analysis could address this concern if they could be adapted to work on smaller targets similar to those produced in traditional clinical situations. In this work we demonstrate that a 120 bp double stranded polynucleotide with an overhanging single stranded 25 bp probe sequence can be created by immobilizing DNA with a biotin/streptavidin magnetic bead system, labeling with SYBR Gold, and rinsing the excess away while the probe retains multiple fluorophores. These probes with multiple fluorophores can then be used to label a bacterial plasmid target in a sequence-specific manner. These probes enabled the detection of 1 pM plasmid samples containing a portion of an antibiotic resistance gene sequence. This system shows the possibility of improving capture and fluorescence labeling of small nucleic acid fragments, generating lower limits of detection for clinically relevant samples while maintaining rapid processing times.


[Diabetes mellitus and the intestinal nervous system].
Lack of release of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and calcitonin gene-related peptide during electrical stimulation of enteric nerves in streptozotocin-diabetic rats.


The effect of number of days in culture and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) 4G/5G genotype on PAI-1 antigen release by cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells.
An insertion/deletion (4G/5G) polymorphism in what has been shown to be an enhancer/repressor binding site in the promoter region of the PAI-1 gene has been related to plasma PAI-1 activity. Transfection studies demonstrated increased interleukin-1 stimulated PAI-1 synthesis in cells containing the 4G sequence. To study this response in endothelial cells, first passage HUVEC from 26 umbilical cords were stimulated with interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. PAI-1 antigen was measured in 24-hour conditioned medium and allele-specific PCR utilized to determine genotype at the 4G/5G locus. Analysis of covariance was used to determine whether the effect of a variable time in culture was masking a difference between genotypes. A trend towards higher PAI-1 levels with increasing time in culture was observed. The geometric mean (95% confidence interval) of the basal rate of PAI-1 release was, 4G/4G 9.7 (7.0, 13.5) ng/24 hours (n=11), 4G/5G 9.5 (6.5, 13.9) ng/24 hours (n=9), and 5G/5G 10.9 (7.8, 15.1) ng/24 hours (n=6). In cells of the same cultures, the interleukin-1 stimulated levels were 25.9 (23.1, 29.1), 27.2 (23.6, 31.3), and 23.1 (19.5, 27.3) ng/24 hours, respectively, corresponding to ratios of stimulated to basal levels of 2.68, 2.87, and 2.12. After adjustment for time in culture the basal PAI-1 release was 4G/4G 10.7, 4G/5G 9.1, and 5G/5G 9.7 ng/24 hours. For interleukin-1 stimulated release the adjusted levels were 26.3, 27.0, and 22.7 ng/24 hours, respectively. Adjusted levels in 4G/4G genotype cells were non-significantly greater than those in cells of 5G/5G genotype by a factor of 1.16 (0.95, 4.08). This study did not demonstrate a significant difference in basal or cytokine stimulated PAI-1 release from cells of different PAI-1 promoter (4G/5G) genotypes but does not exclude increased interleukin-1 stimulated PAI-1 release in the 4G/4G compared with the 5G/5G genotype.


Toward uniform and controlled clinical pathways in cancer care: a qualitative description.
The definition of clinical pathways (CPs) and their application are heterogeneous. Each center is used to choose whether to adopt this instrument or not and to variably conceive its features We consider CPs as the necessary description of the cancer patient journey and we emphasize their role as the user view of clinical processes rather than a local translation of guidelines. We proposed a unique CPs model for all the centers of our regional network, with the aim of making CPs accountable and comparable. We also established a central quality evaluation. Through a multi-step process, the model was proposed to the 22 Regional centers. Landmark characteristics of the project were: the involvement of hospital administrations; reference to a unique set of guidelines; a peer-review and open evaluation. Of the 374 expected CPs, 253 (68%) were received and evaluated. A median number of 131 items were the object of evaluation in each hub center and 77 in each spoke center. About 79.5% items were considered well described, 15.5% were absent and 5.0% partially described. The median percentage of fulfilled indicators was 85.6% in hub CPs and 82.2% in spoke CPs. Although, not all diseases were equally covered through the territory a high degree of homogeneity and a good quality of compilation were achieved. The project was shown to be feasible and achieved its goal. We suggest this process as a functional way for building uniform cancer CPs.


Cor triatriatum: operative results in 25 patients.
Twenty-five patients with cor triatriatum underwent surgical correction at the Texas Heart Institute during a 21-year period from 1959 to 1980. Patients ranged in age from 4 months to 38 years. Diagnosis was established preoperatively in 14 patients (56%), at the time of operation for correction of associated lesions in 10 patients (40%), and during reoperation in 1 (4%). In the earlier part of this series, diagnosis was more common at the time of operation. Associated cardiovascular anomalies were present in 20 patients (80%), major anomalies in 14 others (56%). Simultaneous correction or palliation of associated lesions and total excision of the anomalous membrane were done in 18 patients utilizing temporary cardiopulmonary bypass. Cor triatriatum alone was repaired in 5 patients (20%) with the aid of extracorporeal circulation. Two patients underwent reoperation: 1 because of incomplete excision of the septum and the other because the condition had not been diagnosed during a first operation for correction of total anomalous pulmonary venous return. Excision of the membrane was accomplished utilizing the left atrium in 10 patients (40%), the right atrium in 12 (48%), or both in 3 (12%). Four patients (16%) died early after operation; all were infants who had severe associated cardiac anomalies. Among the 21 surviving patients, results were excellent in 20.


Exopolysaccharide from Lactobacillus casei NA-2 attenuates Escherichia coli O157:H7 surface adhesion via modulation of membrane surface properties and adhesion-related gene expression.
The natural compound, exopolysaccharide from Lactobacillus casei NA-2 (EPS-cn2), has been shown to inhibit biofilm formation by Escherichia coli O157:H7. Although bacterial adhesion to substrate surfaces is a primary, indispensable step in this process, the mechanisms by which EPS-cn2 can block E. coli O157:H7 adhesion to biotic or abiotic surfaces remain unclear. In this study, investigation of E. coli O157:H7 response to EPS-cn2 revealed that 1 mg/mL EPS-cn2 can decrease adherence to polystyrene and confluent Caco-2 cell surfaces to 49.0% (P<0.0001) and 57.0% (P<0.01) of that in untreated E. coli O157:H7, respectively. Moreover, EPS-cn2 significantly reduced outer membrane hydrophobicity by 49.0% and decreased the electronegativity of the membrane surface charge by as much as 1.57 mV (P<0.05) compared to untreated cells. High throughput RNA sequencing indicated that genes responsible for adhesion through extracellular matrix secretion, such as poly-N-acetyl-glucosamine (PNAG) biosynthesis, locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE) proteins and outer membrane protein (OmpT) were all down-regulated in response to EPS-cn2, while chemotaxis and motility-related flagellar assembly genes were differentially up-regulated, suggesting that the EPS-cn2 may serve as an extracellular signal to attenuate adhesion-related gene expression and alter bacterial surface properties in E. coli O157:H7. These findings support the further development of EPS-cn2 for pathogenic biofilm management in clinical and industrial settings, and suggests the further targeting of adhesion-related genes to limit the persistence of this highly pathogenic strain in sensitive environments.


Enzymes of collagen biosynthesis in skin and serum and dermatological diseases. II. Serum enzymes.
Serum immunoreactive prolyl hydroxylase protein and galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase activity were measured in 54 patients wtih various dermatological diseases and compared with corresponding values in 32 control subjects. These serum enzymes were at the control level in the great majority of the patients, and no correlation was found between serum and skin enzymes, except for one weak correlation in lichen ruber planus. Some patients with psoriasis, lichen ruber planus, keloids, erythema nodosum or chronic discoid lupus erythematosus, however, did have at least one of these enzymes elevated in the serum, and a significant correlation (P less than 0.01) between the two enzymes was found in the total disease material. Thus it does seem that diseases limited only to the skin can sometimes raise these serum enzyme levels. The mean levels of serum immunoreactive prolyl hydroxylase and galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase activity were significantly elevated (P less than 0.001) in active systemic connective tissue diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma or dermatomyositis compared with the controls, and 4 out of 7 values for immunoreactive prolyl hydroxylase and 3 out of 7 for galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase activity were above the 95% confidence limit of the controls. Since the levels of the skin enzymes were not elevated in most of these patients, however, the main sources for the elevated serum enzymes were probably tissues other than the skin.


Mesophilic anaerobic co-digestion of cow manure and biogas crops in full scale German biogas plants: a model for calculating the effect of hydraulic retention time and VS crop proportion in the mixture on methane yield from digester and from digestate storage at different temperatures.
Data from 24 full scale biogas plants in Germany digesting cow manure and crops were evaluated. Special emphasis was given to the effect of hydraulic retention time HRT and proportion of crops in the mixture (VS basis) p(VS,Crops)(Inp) on the methane yield from the digester [Formula: see text] and the storage tank [Formula: see text] at 37 and 22°C. The evaluation has shown model parameters for maximal methane yield of manure and crops [Formula: see text] at 270 and 420 Lkg(-1), respectively. For example, at HRT of 60days, maximum methane yield result to 249 and 388 Lkg(-1) for a crop proportion in the input of 0.0 and 1.0, respectively. The calculation of [Formula: see text] considers first order reaction rates and a temperature term f(T). Hence, at any arbitrary temperature in the range of 12°C<T<37°C the values of [Formula: see text] in the course of time can be calculated, which correspond to methane emissions for uncovered storage tanks.


Human IgE mediates stimulus secretion coupling in rat basophilic leukemia cells transfected with the alpha chain of the human high-affinity receptor.
Cell surface expression of the alpha chain of the human (h) Fc epsilon receptor type 1 (Fc epsilon R1) can be observed following stable transfection of RBL-2H3 cells with the h alpha chain of the Fc epsilon R1 complex. Association and dissociation constants for hIgE are similar to those previously reported for the ligand and its receptor. The demonstration of mediator release following the cross-linking of hFc epsilon R1 alpha by hIgE and antigen or anti-hFc epsilon R1 alpha antibody suggests that this system will assist the identification of structural motifs and specific amino acids that are involved in the generation of the signal(s) that will initiate and/or propagate the secretion of mediators from mast cells and basophils.


Pheromonal regulation of male mouse ultrasonic courtship (Mus musculus).
Biochemicals from several sites on the body of female house mice (Mus musculus) were found to elicit 70-kHz ultrasonic calls from male mice. Experiment 1 demonstrated that an anaesthetized female wrapped in an odour-impermeable plastic bag elicited ultrasounds from males when either the front or rear of their body was left exposed. In experiment 2 cotton swabs rubbed on the face and cheeks of females but not from males elicited ultrasonic calls from males. The results of experiment 3 suggested that female vaginal odours also elicit calls. Experiments 4 and 5 demonstrated that males will also emit ultrasounds in response to female but not male urine. The source and chemical nature of this 'ultrasound-releasing pheromone' remain to be discovered.


β-N-Acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) is a novel regulator of mitosis-specific phosphorylations on histone H3.
O-Linked β-N-acetylglucosamine, or O-GlcNAc, is a dynamic post-translational modification that cycles on and off serine and threonine residues of nucleocytoplasmic proteins. The O-GlcNAc modification shares a complex relationship with phosphorylation, as both modifications are capable of mutually inhibiting the occupation of each other on the same or nearby amino acid residue. In addition to diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases, O-GlcNAc appears to play a significant role in cell growth and cell cycle progression, although the precise mechanisms are still not well understood. A recent study also found that all four core nucleosomal histones (H2A, H2B, H3, and H4) are modified with O-GlcNAc, although no specific sites on H3 were reported. Here, we describe that histone H3, a protein highly phosphorylated during mitosis, is modified with O-GlcNAc. Several biochemical assays were used to validate that H3 is modified with O-GlcNAc. Mass spectrometry analysis identified threonine 32 as a novel O-GlcNAc site. O-GlcNAc was detected at higher levels on H3 during interphase than mitosis, which inversely correlated with phosphorylation. Furthermore, increased O-GlcNAcylation was observed to reduce mitosis-specific phosphorylation at serine 10, serine 28, and threonine 32. Finally, inhibiting OGA, the enzyme responsible for removing O-GlcNAc, hindered the transition from G2 to M phase of the cell cycle, displaying a phenotype similar to preventing mitosis-specific phosphorylation on H3. Taken together, these data indicate that O-GlcNAcylation regulates mitosis-specific phosphorylations on H3, providing a mechanistic switch that orchestrates the G2-M transition of the cell cycle.


Reference-scan-free method for automated correction of Nyquist ghost artifacts in echoplanar brain images.
One of the most common artifacts for echo-planar imaging is the Nyquist ghost, typically overcome with the aid of a reference scan preceding the actual image acquisition. In this work, a nonlinear phase correction obviating the need for a reference scan is proposed. The method is based on computing the second moments of the even and odd subdomains of the phase-encoding k-space data to retrieve the phase disparities between even and odd echoes. The method's underlying assumption is that the images are dominated by their low frequency and symmetric part. In vivo data demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm showing ghost suppression comparable to that achievable with the reference-scan method.


Vascular and neural dysfunction in Zucker diabetic fatty rats: a difficult condition to reverse.
We had previously demonstrated that vascular and neural dysfunction in Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats is progressive. In this study, we sought to determine whether monotherapy of ZDF rats can reverse the vascular and nerve defects. ZDF rats at 16 weeks of age were treated for 12 weeks with the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor enalapril, the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid, the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor rosuvastatin or the PPARgamma agonist rosiglitazone. Vasodilation of epineurial arterioles was measured by videomicroscopy. Endoneurial blood flow (EBF) was measured by hydrogen clearance, and nerve conduction velocity was measured following electrical stimulation of motor or sensory nerves. Motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV), sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCV) (70 and 77% of control, respectively), EBF (64% of control), and vascular relaxation in response to acetylcholine (50% of control) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP; 73% of control) are impaired in ZDF rats at 28 weeks of age compared with lean littermate controls. Treatment with enalapril and alpha-lipoic acid attenuated the decrease in MNCV and SNCV. Enalapril, alpha-lipoic acid and rosiglitazone treatment of ZDF rats were partially effective in improving endothelium-dependent vascular dysfunction as measured by vascular relaxation in response to acetylcholine. The same drugs also attenuated the decrease in EBF. However, impairment in vascular relaxation in response to CGRP was improved with only alpha-lipoic acid or rosuvastatin treatment. The increase in superoxide and nitrotyrosine levels in vascular tissue was attenuated by all treatments. The efficacy of monotherapy treatment of ZDF rats using different classes of drugs for vascular and neural dysfunction once complications have developed did not achieve expected levels. This could be because of the complex aetiology of vascular and neural disease in type 2 diabetes.


[Hair analysis in the diagnosis of toxic hepatitis after Ecstasy abuse].
A young man, aged 18 years, was admitted to hospital for suspected hepatitis, having developed increasing jaundice without any pain. His urine was light brown in colour and the stools often liquid and pale. Every 14 days for the last 4 months he had been taking 2 tablets of "ecstasy" (methylenedioxyamphetamine; MDMA). Physical examination was unremarkable and the patient was in good general condition. The activities of GOT, GPT and alkaline phosphatase were raised (to 903, 744 and 270 U/l, respectively) as was the bilirubin concentration (16.8 mg/dl). Tests were negative for: leptospira and the viruses of mumps, HI, varicella zoster, picornavirus, cytomegaly, Coxsackie and hepatitis, A, B and C. Ultrasound revealed hepatomegaly, with a normal echo pattern. Hair analysis demonstrated, in two different hair segments (0-2 cm and 2-4 cm, respectively) both MDMA (6.4 and 4.3 micrograms/g hair) and its metabolite MDA (0.7 and 5.0 micrograms/g hair). No specific treatment was required. After intake of the drug had been stopped the transferase activities and bilirubin concentration became essentially normal. Hair analysis can be valuable in confirming "ecstasy" abuse, especially when it is denied, and thus contribute to clarifying the cause of toxic hepatitis.


Total synthesis and structural revision of laurefurenynes A and B.
Structural reassignment: A total synthesis of the proposed structure of (-)-laurefurenyne A has been accomplished that relies on organocatalytic aldehyde α-chlorination and a flexible chlorohydrin-based strategy for stereocontrolled access to the bis-tetrahydrofuran core of the natural product. Analysis of incongruities between the (1) H NMR spectra of synthetic and natural material led to a configurational reassignment for the natural product, which was also confirmed by total synthesis.


Epidemiology of occult hepatitis B and C in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Occult hepatitis B (OBI) and C (OCI) infections lead to hepatic crises including cases of liver cirrhosis and even hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). OBI and OCI also pose a significant problem of their transmissibility. This study aimed to assess the overall prevalence of OBI and OCI in the African continent, a region highly endemic for classical hepatitis B and C viruses. For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched: PubMed, Web of Science, African Journal Online and African Index Medicus for published studies on the prevalence of OBI and OCI in Africa. Study selection and data extraction were performed by at least two independent investigators. Heterogeneity (I²) was assessed using the χ² test on the Cochran Q statistic and H parameters. Sources of heterogeneity were explored by subgroup analyses. This study was registered in PROSPERO, with reference number CRD42021252772. We obtained 157 prevalence data for this meta-analysis, from 134 studies for OBI prevalence; 23 studies on OCI prevalence, and a single study on the OBI case fatality rate. The overall estimate for the prevalence of OBI was 14.8% [95% CI = 12.2-17.7] among 18579 participants. The prevalence of seronegative OBI and seropositive OBI was 7.4% [95% CI = 3.8-11.8] and 20.0% [95% CI = 15.3-25.1] respectively. The overall estimate for the prevalence of OCI was 10.7% [95% CI = 6.6-15.4] among 2865 participants. The pooled prevalence of seronegative OCI was estimated at 10.7% [95%CI = 4.8-18.3] and that of seropositive OCI at 14.4% [95%CI = 5.2-22.1]. In Sub-group analysis, patients with malignancies, chronic hepatitis C, and hemodialysis had a higher OCI prevalence. While those with malignancies, liver disorders, and HIV positive registered highest OBI prevalence. This review shows a high prevalence of OBI and OCI in Africa, with variable prevalence between countries and population groups.


Hip Protectors: Are They Worth it?
Hip fractures are one of the most serious conditions in frail elderly subjects, greatly increasing morbidity and mortality, and decreasing healthy life years. Since their first introduction on the market, hip protectors have been revealed to be a potential preventive measure for hip fractures, in addition to other well-known recognized medical interventions and rehabilitation procedures. However, randomized controlled trials have given contradictory results regarding their efficacy. Moreover, little data are available on the cost effectiveness of hip protectors. Adherence is a major problem in assessing the effectiveness of hip protectors in preventing fractures. Indeed, there is a lack of general consensus on a standard definition and quantitative objective estimation of adherence to hip protectors, along with still scarce evidence on specific interventions on how to ameliorate it. From what is known so far, it seems reasonable to advise the use of hip protectors in aged care facilities, since recent pooled analyses have suggested their efficacy in this setting. The introduction of sensors combined with hip protectors will probably address this issue, both for monitoring and optimizing compliance, especially in elderly people. In the meantime, new, well-designed studies following specific guidelines are strongly encouraged and needed. In particular, studies in community-dwelling elderly individuals at high risk of first or further fragility fractures are required. The optimization of the tested devices in a preclinical setting according to international standard biomechanical testing is necessary.


Correction to: A simple method for the automatic classification of body parts and detection of implanted metal using postmortem computed tomography scout view.
In the original publication of the article, the authors affiliations were incorrectly published. The corrected affiliations are given in this correction.


Chemical Components of Ganoderma.
So far, more than 20 species of Ganoderma (Lingzhi) fungi have been studied, including G. lucidum, G. sinense, G. japonicum, G. capense, G. australe, G. tsugae, G. applanatum, G. tropicus, G. boniense, G. duropora, G. resinaceum, G. theaecolum, G. cochlear, G. atrum, G. formosanum, G. boninense, G. colossum, G. concinna, G. amboinense, G. pfeifferi, and G. orbiforme. Over 600 compounds were isolated and identified from the genus Ganoderma. The components in Ganoderma contained triterpenes, meroterpenoids, steroids, alkaloids, nucleosides, nucleobases, and polysaccharides, in which triterpenes were the main compounds, and more than 300 triterpenes obtained from it. With the use of new technology of separation and purification, the other types of compounds, such as meroterpenoids, alkaloids, nucleosides, and polysaccharides were reported in recent years. Herein, the structural classifications and characteristics and separation methods were summarized.


The coordinating role of the human norovirus minor capsid protein VP2 is essential to functional change and nuclear localization of the major capsid protein VP1.
Global outbreaks of norovirus (NOV) gastroenteritis are associated with the most prevalent genotype, GII.4. Mutations in the protruding domain 2 (P2 domain) of the norovirus major capsid protein (VP1) result in the emergence of various NOV variants, however, it is unclear whether the minor capsid protein (VP2) also affects the generation of VP1 variants. In this study, using a human 293T expression system, we investigated the interactions of VP1 and VP2 of three GII.4 strains, focusing on the changes in expression and cellular localization. We found that co-transfection with VP1 and VP2 leads to a significant increase in expression of both proteins compared to that in cells transfected with VP1 or VP2 alone. In contrast to VP1 expressed in the absence of VP2, which was dispersed throughout the cytosol, VP2 expressed in the absence of VP1 was found to be located in the nucleus. This could be attributed to a predicted specific nuclear localization signal found in this gene. When both proteins were expressed, VP1 was found together with VP2 in the nucleus. These results thus suggest that the VP2 of GII.4 NOVs affects the function and cellular location of VP1 and that, with the cooperation of VP2, VP1 could play a critical role in affecting cell functions by impairing the downstream transcriptional signaling and chromatin remodeling in the cell nuclei.


STAT3 is involved in miR-124-mediated suppressive effects on esophageal cancer cells.
Esophageal cancer (EC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. The cancer-related inflammation pathway- signal transducer and activator of transition 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway has been reported to play critical role in its initiation and progression, while the way mediated its hyperactivation remains elusive so far. Accumulating studies reported the important role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the regulation of gene expression, among of which, the miR-124/STAT3 interaction has been widely reported in various cancers, while its role in EC has not been investigated yet. Firstly, we identified the target role of STAT3 in esophageal cancers using Dual-luciferase reporter assays. Next, we explored the expression of miR-124 in EC tissues. To further investigate its effects on the malignant phenotype of EC cells, we completed a series of experiments. Through transfection with miR-124 mimic, the expression of miR-124 in esophageal cancer cell lines, Eca109 and TE-1, were restored. Next, we detected the effects of ectopic miR-124 expression on the proliferation, cell cycle distribution, apoptosis, migration and invasion of EC cells in vitro, and the tumor growth in vivo. Dual-luciferase assays identified that STAT3 is a target gene of miR-124 in esophageal cancer cells. Over-expression of miR-124 significantly down-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of STAT3. Moreover, we found that the expression of miR-124 was consistently suppressed in esophageal cancer tissues and cell lines. Next, functional experiments showed that ectopic expression of miR-124 in EC cells induced a complex phenotype, namely an inhibition of cell proliferation, block of G1/S phase transition, induction of cell apoptosis, and suppression of cell invasion in vitro, as well as inhibition of tumor growth in vivo. Moreover, restored the expression of STAT3 in esophageal cancer cells transfected with miR-124 before, could partially abolished the suppressive effects of miR-124 on the proliferation and invasion of Eca109 cells. Collectively, these data suggest that miR-124 functions as a tumor suppressor in esophageal cancer through, at least partially, targeting STAT3 signaling pathway.


Sexual health concerns in women with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review in qualitative studies.
Studies indicate that women with intellectual disabilities (ID) face various personal and socio-environmental barriers in their sexual lives. This study aimed to identify the concerns and sexual health needs experienced by women with ID. A systematic review of relevant qualitative articles was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science Scopus and PsycINFO databases from June 2018 to August 2018. We designed our search strategy according to two main foci: (1) sexuality; and (2) women with ID. In the study, searches were limited to articles published from January 2000 to December 2017. In this review, studies on women ages 16 and over were included. Within the four databases, the search found 274 unique articles. After three steps of screening (title, abstract and full text), 22 studies were included in the final review. The articles mentioned difficulties with lack of sexual experience, negative experiences with sexuality, negative attitudes towards sexuality by nondisabled individuals, limited cognitive capacities to understand sexual identity, difficulty with finding the right partner, lack of access to sexual health information, lack of school-based sexuality education, violence and sexual abuse, lack of support from families and caregivers about sexuality, fear of sexual acts and unwanted pregnancy, shyness in expressing sexual desires, and limited knowledge of sexual behaviors. Our findings indicate that women with ID need to be provided with school-based sexuality education tailored to the level of understanding needed to attain the requisite knowledge to form relationships, understand sexual and romantic relationships, and practice safe sex when they choose this option. Families along with education and healthcare systems should provide opportunities for women with ID to talk about their sexual needs and make their own choices.


Acute appendicitis in neonates: complication or morbus sui generis?
Neonatal appendicitis (NA) is very rare and is associated with a very high perforation rate. Three cases treated at our hospital since 1969 are presented. All of them had a perforated appendix; two represented a complication of an underlying disease, i.e., Hirschsprung's disease and cystic fibrosis, respectively. These diseases should always be ruled out actively in cases of NA. If an underlying disease is not found, NA might be an isolated form of necrotizing enterocolitis limited to the appendix. Histology cannot distinguish between a simple appendicitis and a localized form of NEC, so NA must be regarded as a complication of an underlying disease as well as a morbus sui generis.


[False aneurysm of the superior mesenteric artery complicating a pancreatic pseudocyst. Report of a case and review of the literature].
The authors report a case of a pancreatic pseudocyst complicated by a false aneurysm of the superior mesenteric artery. The diagnosis was made possible thanks to the evocative images of echography and C.T. scanning permitting to perform on time the arteriography. The surgical treatment consisted on the exclusion of the false aneurysm, which necessitated a distal bypass to revascularise the intestinal tract, and the drainage of the pseudocyst by a Roux-en-Y loop. A review of literature is made.


Human infection with foamy viruses.
Virtually all nonhuman primate species investigated thus far including prosimians, New World and Old World monkeys and apes all harbor distinct and species-specific clades of simian foamy virus (SFV). However, evidence supporting the existence of a human-specific foamy virus (FV) is not yet available. Early reports describing widespread infection of healthy and sick humans with FV could not be confirmed. In contrast, all FV infections documented in humans are of zoonotic origin and are identified in persons occupationally exposed to nonhuman primates. The introduction of SFV into humans raises several public health questions regarding disease outcomes and potential for human-to-human transmissibility. The available data from a very limited number of SFV-infected humans suggest that these infections are nonpathogenic and are not easily transmissible. Additional studies are needed to better define the prevalence and natural history of SFV in humans.


Influence of masticatory muscle function on transverse skull dimensions in the growing rat.
The aim of this study was to elucidate the influence of reduced masticatory muscle function on the transversal dimensions of the premaxilla, maxilla (including the dental arch) and the calvaria in the growing rat. 38 growing male albino rats were used. 14 animals were killed at the beginning of the experiment to provide baseline values (Young Group). The remaining animals were randomly divided into two equal groups; one received the ordinary diet in hard pellet form (Hard Diet Group), and the other a soft diet (Soft Diet Group). The experimental period started when the rats were 28 days old and had a duration of 28 days. 3D measurements of the dentofacial skeleton were performed on dry skulls with a Reflex microscope. No inter-group differences were found in mean body weight and overall length of the cranium. The dental arch was found to be narrower in the third molar region in the Soft Diet Group, possibly due to less growth in the midpalatal suture and/or to reduced occlusal loading. This may be due to the first and second molars having been in occlusion at the beginning of the experimental period, while the third molars were not. Furthermore, the premaxilla and the frontal bones at the most lateral part of the temporal crest were narrower in the Soft Diet Group, these regions being areas of masticatory muscle attachment.


Accumulation of theophylline, theobromine and paraxanthine in the fetal rat brain following a single oral dose of caffeine.
This paper describes the disposition of caffeine and its metabolites, theophylline, theobromine and paraxanthine in the 20-day fetal and adult brains following a single maternal dose of 5 or 25 mg/kg caffeine. Brains and plasma were collected 5 and 30 min, and 1, 3, 8 and 24 h after dosing. It was found that fetal and adult caffeine AUC (area under the concentration-time curve) values did not differ between the brain and plasma at either dose. Caffeine's primary metabolites theophylline, theobromine and paraxanthine did, however, accumulate in the fetal brain at both doses resulting in a 3-fold increase in brain metabolite exposure compared to fetal circulatory levels. In contrast to the fetus, metabolite AUC values after a dose of 25 mg/kg were found to be lower in the brains of adults compared with plasma. This suggests that caffeine's primary metabolites might be selectively excluded from the adult brain. In conclusion we have shown that, unlike the adult, the fetal rat brain accumulates theophylline, theobromine and paraxanthine when exposed to caffeine doses comparable to those attainable by normal human consumption. Since many aspects of caffeine metabolism are similar in the rat and human, we suggested that particular attention should be paid to the consumption of caffeine during pregnancy.


Prevalence and risk factors for low back pain in industrial workers.
The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) in industrial workers, check for possible LBP related risk factors and investigate the associations between physical activity and severity of low back pain. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 430 workers of an industrial company over the previous 12 months. The industrial workers were given questionnaires and assigned to two groups: (1) with low back pain, (2) without low back pain. Group 1 was then divided into three subgroups according to the answer to question (a) LBP without irradiation, called mild cases, (b) LBP with irradiation above the knee, called moderate cases, LBP with the irradiation below the knee, called severe cases. LBP was found in 61.6% of workers. The prevalence of LBP was significantly associated with physical activity (p = 0.03). There was a significant difference between frequent physical activity and severity of LBP (p = 0.01). Work-related physical factors showed strong associations with LBP. The main risk factors for low back pain among production workers were extreme trunk flexion (OR = 3.5, 95% CI 1.7-7.3), as well as lifting of loads (OR = 3.5, 95% CI 1.9-6.2), pushing or pulling heavy loads (OR = 3.5, 95% CI 1.9-6.2) and exposure to whole body vibration (OR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.0 -3.0). Daily life conditions, job-related factors are associated with the occurrence of low back pain. These results suggest that individuals with LBP should avoid nonspecific physical activities to reduce pain and improve psychological health.


SDS-PAGE analysis of Aβ oligomers is disserving research into Alzheimer´s disease: appealing for ESI-IM-MS.
The characterization of amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) oligomer forms and structures is crucial to the advancement in the field of Alzheimer´s disease (AD). Here we report a critical evaluation of two methods used for this purpose, namely sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), extensively used in the field, and ion mobility coupled to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-IM-MS), an emerging technique with great potential for oligomer characterization. To evaluate their performance, we first obtained pure cross-linked Aβ40 and Aβ42 oligomers of well-defined order. Analysis of these samples by SDS-PAGE revealed that SDS affects the oligomerization state of Aβ42 oligomers, thus providing flawed information on their order and distribution. In contrast, ESI-IM-MS provided accurate information, while also reported on the chemical nature and on the structure of the oligomers. Our findings have important implications as they challenge scientific paradigms in the AD field built upon SDS-PAGE characterization of Aβ oligomer samples.


Does endogenous glycosylation prevent the use of mouse monoclonal antibodies as cancer therapeutics?
Monoclonal antibodies have many potential therapeutic benefits. However, when applied to humans, mouse monoclonal antibodies have several disadvantages. Here Carl Borrebaeck and colleagues describe a strategy to overcome the anti-Gal activity, thought to be one of the reasons why mouse mAbs have a limited half-life.


Effect of tibial plateau leveling osteotomy on femorotibial subluxation: in vivo analysis during standing.
To assess the effect of tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) on femorotibial subluxation during standing in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) insufficiency. Prospective clinical study. Fifteen dogs weighing 20-45 kg with unilateral complete CrCL insufficiency. Force-platform analysis, and lateral weight-bearing radiographs of the affected stifle were acquired preoperatively, 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively. The distance between the origin and insertion of the CrCL (CrCL(d) ) was measured on each radiograph and compared between time points using ANOVA. Lateral radiographs of the non-weight-bearing affected stifle and weight-bearing contralateral normal stifle were acquired preoperatively, and CrCL(d) was compared with a paired t-test. Dogs were grouped according to medial meniscal status (intact or hemimeniscectomy) and CrCL(d) was compared within each group using ANOVA. No difference was observed in CrCL(d) between the non-weight-bearing affected stifle and the contralateral stifle (P = .994). That is, femorotibial joint alignment in the affected stifle when non-weight-bearing was considered normal. Preoperatively in the affected stifle, CrCL(d) during weight-bearing was 6.3 ± 2.4 mm longer than normal (P < .001). Postoperative weight-bearing CrCL(d) in dogs with intact menisci at all time points was not statistically different from normal; CrCL(d) at 1 (P = .014) and 6 months (P = .005) postoperatively was longer than normal in dogs with hemimeniscectomy. TPLO does not consistently resolve femorotibial subluxation during standing in dogs with CrCL insufficiency. The medial meniscus appears to be an important contributor to stability in stifles treated by TPLO.


Alone, together: On the benefits of Bayesian borrowing in a meta-analytic setting.
It is common practice to use hierarchical Bayesian model for the informing of a pediatric randomized controlled trial (RCT) by adult data, using a prespecified borrowing fraction parameter (BFP). This implicitly assumes that the BFP is intuitive and corresponds to the degree of similarity between the populations. Generalizing this model to any K ≥ 1 historical studies, naturally leads to empirical Bayes meta-analysis. In this paper we calculate the Bayesian BFPs and study the factors that drive them. We prove that simultaneous mean squared error reduction relative to an uninformed model is always achievable through application of this model. Power and sample size calculations for a future RCT, designed to be informed by multiple external RCTs, are also provided. Potential applications include inference on treatment efficacy from independent trials involving either heterogeneous patient populations or different therapies from a common class.


Higher systemic inflammatory status and cardiovascular risk associated with Charcot arthropathy unrelated to infection or extremity amputation.
People with diabetes and Charcot arthropathy have higher mortality than people with diabetes without this complication. Are the causes of this higher mortality exclusively infectious or of a cardiovascular origin? We aimed to study aspects related to cardiovascular risk and inflammation in a population of people with type 2 diabetes with and without Charcot arthropathy. A cross-sectional study was performed in people with diabetes and Charcot Eickenholtz III arthropathy, matched for sex and age, with two groups of people with diabetes without Charcot arthropathy with and without peripheral sensory-motor neuropathy, in the absence of active infection. All participants underwent clinical and laboratory evaluation at the time of the interview, and their cardiovascular risk was calculated according to the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) calculator. We evaluated 69 people with type 2 diabetes (21 with Charcot arthropathy, 24 with diabetic peripheral neuropathy and 24 without this neuropathy), with a mean age between 57 and 61 years and with a diabetes duration of more than 10 years. Patients with Charcot arthropathy had a longer duration of diabetes; more frequency of dyslipidemia; and higher levels of uric acid, microalbuminuria and C-reactive protein than the other two groups. A total of 73.9% of the people evaluated had high or very high cardiovascular risk according to the UKPDS score. The people with type 2 diabetes presenting Charcot arthropathy had greater values of systemic inflammatory parameters, even in the chronic phase of the complication, with a higher risk of mortality unrelated to infections.


Authorship trends over the past fifty years in the Journal of the Danish Medical Association (Danish: Ugeskrift for Læger).
Internationally, the number of authors per scientific article is increasing. The objective of this study was to determine authorship trends over the past fifty years in Ugeskrift for Læger (UfL). From 1960 to 2010, ten volumes of the UfL, 5,962 articles in total, were studied. For each article, category and number of authors were recorded. The median number of authors per article (all categories) was one in 1960 (range 1-3), two in 1985 (range 1-9) and three in 2010 (range 1-14). The proportion of articles published by three or more authors constituted 1% in 1960 and 68% in 2010. For original articles, the median number of authors per article was two in 1960 (range 1-3), three in 1985 (range 1-9) and three in 2010 (range 1-9). For reviews, the median number of authors per article was one in 1960 (range 1-2), two in 1985 (range 1-5) and three in 2010 (range 1-14). For case reports, the median number of authors per article was one in 1960 (range 1-2), two in 1985 (range 1-5) and three in 2010 (range 1-6). The number of authors per article increased for all types of articles published in the UfL. This could reflect increases in "gift authorship", but "multiple authorship" could also be fully legitimate. Replacing or supplementing authorship criteria with contribution statements would provide some transparency and accountability. Yet, questions about credit assessment and overall responsibility need to be clarified. not relevant. not relevant.


[Significance and expression of cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA in peripheral blood monocytes in patients with acute coronary syndrome].
To determine the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA in peripheral blood monocytes in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and to explore the effect of the expression of COX-2 mRNA in ACS. The expressions of COX-2 mRNA in peripheral blood monocytes from 18 normal subjects and 42 ACS patients were analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the monocytes from patients were incubated with celecoxib in vitro. The concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in supernates of monocytes were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). The expression of COX-2 mRNA and the secrections of IL-6 and MMP-9 in peripheral blood monocytes in ACS patients significantly increased compared with those from normal controls [0.61 +/- 0.17 vs 0.11 +/- 0.09; (97.24 +/- 11.21) ng/L vs (22.15 +/- 6.30) ng/L; (41.20 +/- 8.41) g/L vs (11.76 +/- 4.23) g/L; all P < 0.05, respectively]. Celecoxib reduced IL-6 and MMP-9 secretion level of monocytes from ACS patients up to 48% and 50% respectively (all P < 0.05), in a concentration-dependent manner. COX-2 in peripheral blood monocytes may play an important role in the acute coronary syndrome.


Therapeutic communication in nursing students: A Walker & Avant concept analysis.
Therapeutic communication, the fundamental component of nursing, is a complex concept. Furthermore, the poor encounters between nursing student and patient demonstrate the necessity of instruction regarding therapeutic communication. The aim of this study was to define and clarify this important concept for including this subject in the nursing curriculum with more emphasis. A literature search was conducted using keywords such as "nursing student", "patient" and "therapeutic communication" and Persian-equivalent words in Persian databases (including Magiran and Medlib) and English databases (including PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus and ProQuest) without time limitation. After extracting concept definitions and determining characteristic features, therapeutic communication in nursing students was defined. Then, sample cases, antecedents, consequences and empirical referents of concept were determined. After assessing 30 articles, therapeutic communication defining attributes were as follows: "an important means in building interpersonal relationships", "a process of information transmission", "an important clinical competency", "a structure with two different sections" and "a significant tool in patient centered care". Furthermore, theoretical and clinical education and receiving educators' feedback regarding therapeutic communication were considered as antecedents of the concept. Improving physical and psychological health status of patient as well as professional development of nursing students were identified as consequences of the concept. Nursing instructors can use these results in order to teach and evaluate therapeutic communication in nursing students and train qualified nurses. Also, nursing students may apply the results to improve the quality of their interactions with patients, perform their various duties and meet patients' diverse needs.


Myosin changes in experimental 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetate myopathy.
Young rats treated with 10 to 14 daily injections of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetate (2,4-D) developed a myopathy mainly involving fast muscles. Myosin isolated from the gastrocnemius muscles of treated and normal control animals differed in several respects. The Ca2+- and Mg2+-mediated ATPases were higher in myopathic muscle myosin than in normals. Alkylation of thiols by N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) induced an increase of Ca2+-activated ATPase that was higher in normal than in myopathic myosin. Trinitrophenylation of reactive amino groups by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonate (TBS) induced on increase in Mg2+-mediated ATPase in both preparations, but the increase was higher in normals. Although the heavy- and light-chain pattern was identical in normal and myopathic myosin, during storage at 0 degrees C the relative amount of myopathic L2 light chain decreased. Myosins fragmented either by limited proteolysis with trypsin and chymotrypsin or by specific cleavage at tryptophanyl and cysteinyl peptide bonds showed differences on sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. The results indicate that there is a change in the heavy chains of myosin isolated from the gastrocnemius muscle in 2,4-D-induced rat myopathy.


Enzymatic activity assay of D-hydantoinase by isothermal titration calorimetry. Determination of the thermodynamic activation parameters for the hydrolysis of several substrates.
Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) has been applied to the determination of the activity of D-hydantoinase (EC 184.108.40.206) with several substrates by monitoring the heat released during the reaction. The method is based on the proportionality between the reaction rate and the thermal power (heat/time) generated. Microcalorimetric assays carried out at different temperatures provided the dependence of the catalytic rate constant on temperature. We show that ITC assay is a nondestructive method that allows the determination of the catalytic rate constant (kcat), Michaelis constant (KM), activation energy and activation Gibbs energy, enthalpy and entropy of this reaction.


Seasonality, Food Insecurity, and Clinical Depression in Post-Partum Women in a Rural Malawi Setting.
We evaluate the association between food insecurity (FI) and clinical depression, and the modifying effects of seasonality on this association. Food insecurity is assessed from 175 post-partum women in the rural Ntcheu District of central Malawi using the USAID's Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). Clinical depression is measured using a validated Chichewa version of the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ). Interviews were conducted from October 2016 to June 2017 and spanned 5 months of the dry season (April-November) and the 4 months of rainy season (December-March). After adjusting for age and parity, participants who reported high FI (HFIAS score ≥ 9) had 4.6 (95%CI 1.8-11.4) times the odds of meeting the cut-off for clinical depression (SRQ score ≥ 8). The effect was greater during the dry season (OR 9.9; 95%CI 2.0-48.6), than in the rainy season (OR 2.6; 95%CI 0.8-8.3) though the interaction term was not statistically significant (p = 0.18) CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: High FI is associated with diagnostic markers of clinical depression.


Idiotypic studies of monoclonal anti-tobacco mosaic virus antibodies from one mouse.
Monoclonal antibodies have been prepared from one BALB/c mouse immunized with tobacco mosaic virus. The monoclonal antibodies are distributed into three subgroups recognizing different epitopes on tobacco mosaic virus subunits. The idiotypic specificities of these monoclonal antibodies have been studied using syngeneic antiidiotypic sera. A sharing of idiotypic specificities has been observed between members of each subset. These idiotypes are not recurrent in BALB/c mice immunized with tobacco mosaic virus.