Self-esteem of prisoners committing directly versus indirectly destructive crimes.
62 prisoners from a county jail and a state forensic hospital, having committed 12 types of crimes, were administered the Coopersmith Self-esteem Questionnaire and a biographical form. Self-esteem scores were compared across three classifications of destructiveness of criminal acts. A significant difference was found between self-esteem scores for those prisoners who were indirectly destructive to others and those prisoners who were directly destructive to others or to themselves. Also, prisoners who were on work release and/or in psychology classes tended to have higher self-esteem. No causality was inferred between the instruction in psychology and work-release programs and higher levels of prisoners' self-esteem.


Ocular blood flow in dogs using radiolabelled microspheres.
We used radioactive microspheres of different sizes to determine the rate of blood flow through the various parts of the eye in dogs. The use of either 15 +/- 5 microns or 25 +/- 5 microns microspheres gave reproducible measurements of total ocular and uveal blood flows. Using these sphere sizes, retinal flow was found to be close to 1% of the total ocular blood flow and showed poor reproducibility due in part to the small number of spheres trapped in the retinal vessels.


High HSP27 and HSP70 expression levels are independent adverse prognostic factors in primary resected colon cancer.
The expression of Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs) is increased in various cancers and has been shown to correlate with biological tumor behaviour. This study aimed to investigate the impact of HSP70, HSP60 and HSP27 expression in colon cancer. HSP expression was determined by immunohistochemistry on a tissue microarray with 355 primary resected colon carcinomas of all stages. Expression patterns were correlated with pathologic features (UICC pTNM category, tumor grading) and survival. Expression of HSP27, HSP60 and HSP70 ranged from negative to high. There was no correlation between HSP27, HSP60 and HSP70 expression among each other and with UICC pT category, presence of lymph node or distant metastases or tumor grading. High HSP70 expression was associated with worse overall survival (p < 0.001) and was an independent prognostic factor (p = 0.004) in multivariate analysis including the pathological parameters mentioned above. For patients without lymph node or distant metastases (UICC stages I/II) and with complete tumor excision, HSP70 expression was the only independent prognostic factor for survival (p = 0.001) and superior to UICC pT category. In left sided UICC stage I/II carcinomas, high HSP27 expression also had adverse prognostic impact and was an independent prognostic factor (p = 0.016) besides HSP70 (p = 0.002). High HSP70 and HSP27 expression is associated with worse clinical outcome in colon cancer. Determination of tumoral HSP70 and HSP27 may be used as additional biomarker for risk stratification especially for UICC stage I/II patients.


Complex organisation and structure of the ghrelin antisense strand gene GHRLOS, a candidate non-coding RNA gene.
The peptide hormone ghrelin has many important physiological and pathophysiological roles, including the stimulation of growth hormone (GH) release, appetite regulation, gut motility and proliferation of cancer cells. We previously identified a gene on the opposite strand of the ghrelin gene, ghrelinOS (GHRLOS), which spans the promoter and untranslated regions of the ghrelin gene (GHRL). Here we further characterise GHRLOS. We have described GHRLOS mRNA isoforms that extend over 1.4 kb of the promoter region and 106 nucleotides of exon 4 of the ghrelin gene, GHRL. These GHRLOS transcripts initiate 4.8 kb downstream of the terminal exon 4 of GHRL and are present in the 3' untranslated exon of the adjacent gene TATDN2 (TatD DNase domain containing 2). Interestingly, we have also identified a putative non-coding TATDN2-GHRLOS chimaeric transcript, indicating that GHRLOS RNA biogenesis is extremely complex. Moreover, we have discovered that the 3' region of GHRLOS is also antisense, in a tail-to-tail fashion to a novel terminal exon of the neighbouring SEC13 gene, which is important in protein transport. Sequence analyses revealed that GHRLOS is riddled with stop codons, and that there is little nucleotide and amino-acid sequence conservation of the GHRLOS gene between vertebrates. The gene spans 44 kb on 3p25.3, is extensively spliced and harbours multiple variable exons. We have also investigated the expression of GHRLOS and found evidence of differential tissue expression. It is highly expressed in tissues which are emerging as major sites of non-coding RNA expression (the thymus, brain, and testis), as well as in the ovary and uterus. In contrast, very low levels were found in the stomach where sense, GHRL derived RNAs are highly expressed. GHRLOS RNA transcripts display several distinctive features of non-coding (ncRNA) genes, including 5' capping, polyadenylation, extensive splicing and short open reading frames. The gene is also non-conserved, with differential and tissue-restricted expression. The overlapping genomic arrangement of GHRLOS with the ghrelin gene indicates that it is likely to have interesting regulatory and functional roles in the ghrelin axis.


Long-term persistence of a nonintegrated lentiviral vector in mouse hematopoietic stem cells.
Lentiviral transduction is an established method for efficiently modifying the gene expression program of primary cells, but the ability of the introduced construct to persist as an episome has not been well studied. Here we investigated this issue in lethally irradiated female mice injected with 300 or 3000 doubly sorted male lin(neg), Sca-1(high), c-kit(high), Thy-1.1(low) mouse bone marrow cells that had been exposed in vitro to self-inactivating lentivirus vector encoding a green fluorescence protein (GFP) cDNA. Seven to sixteen months later, bone marrow cells from primary mice were injected into secondary female recipients and another 8 months later into tertiary female recipients. Integration study was performed on individual spleen colonies by Southern blot analysis. Inverse polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequence of amplified vector-derived DNA was used to verify Southern blot results. Spleen colony-forming cell study revealed that a small fraction of the spleen colonies contained integrated provirus as shown by Southern blot analysis. Unexpectedly, many spleen colonies were found to contain a nonintegrated episomal form of the provirus, which was confirmed by an inverse PCR analysis. In some of the spleen colonies containing only the episomal form, GFP-expressing cells were also detected. Lentiviral sequences were present in hematopoietic tissues of primary mice but not in other tissues. These results demonstrate that lentiviral vectors produce episomal circles in hematopoietic stem cells that can be transferred through many cell generations and expressed in their progeny.


Protective cover cap for implant attachment.
A procedure is described for use of a cast metal cover cap to protect implant prosthesis attachments during finishing and polishing. The cap helps prevent distortion or damage to the implant.


Ultrastructure of the pineal gland of the brush mouse (Peromyscus boylei): influence of long and short photoperiod.
The ultrastructure of the pineal gland of wild-captured brush mice (Peromyscus boylei) was examined. A homogeneous population of pinealocytes was present in the pineal gland of this species. The Golgi apparatus, granular endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, lysosomes, dense-core vesicles, vacuoles containing fluocculent material, clear vesicles, microtubules and glycogen particles were consistent components of the pinealocyte cytoplasm; infrequently-observed organelles included centrioles, "synaptic" ribbons, subsurface cisternae, multivesicular bodies, lipid droplets and annulate lamellae-like structures. Quantitative comparison of pinealocyte ultrastructure revealed larger cross-sectional areas of cytoplasma, nucleus, Golgi apparatus, granular endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria and vacuoles containing flocculent material as well as higher number of dense-core vesicles in the animals kept in short photoperiod (LD 8 : 16) as compared to those in animals kept in long photoperiod (LD 16 : 8). These observations suggest that restricting the amount of light to which animals are exposed activated the pinealocytes of brush mice.


Energy metabolism and frailty: The potential role of exercise-induced myokines - A narrative review.
Frailty is a complex condition that emerges from dysregulation in multiple physiological systems. Increasing evidence suggests the potential role of age-related energy dysregulation as a key driver of frailty. Exercise is considered the most efficacious intervention to prevent and even ameliorate frailty as it up-tunes and improves the function of several related systems. However, the mechanisms and molecules responsible for these intersystem benefits are not fully understood. The skeletal muscle is considered a secretory organ with endocrine functions that can produce and secrete exercise-related molecules such as myokines. These molecules are cytokines and other peptides released by muscle fibers in response to acute and/or chronic exercise. The available evidence supports that several myokines can elicit autocrine, paracrine, or endocrine effects, partly mediating inter-organ crosstalk and also having a critical role in improving cardiovascular, metabolic, immune, and neurological health. This review describes the current evidence about the potential link between energy metabolism dysregulation and frailty and provides a theoretical framework for the potential role of myokines (via exercise) in counteracting frailty. It also summarizes the physiological role of selected myokines and their response to different acute and chronic exercise protocols in older adults.


Characterisation of the antibodies detected by the film inhibition test for Mycoplasma bovis.
The class of antibody detected by the film inhibition test was determined. Density gradient ultracentrifugation and disulphide-bond reduction showed it to be 7S(IgG) immunoglobulin. Antibody absorption and ion exchange chromatography studies confirmed this and indicated that IgG2 is probably the major type of antibody involved.


Photocatalytic hydrogel film assisted forward osmosis (PFO) for water treatment: Sustainable performance and contaminant control.
The integration of catalytic oxidation with forward osmosis (FO) holds promising potential to address two crucial challenges encountered by FO: fouling and unsustainable performance, but suitable approaches are still rare. Herein, we have successfully developed a photocatalysis-assisted forward osmosis (PFO) system. In the PFO, a self-made porous carbon nitride doped functional carbon nanotube photocatalytic hydrogel film (PCN@CNTM) was engaged in the FO process in an inventive way by simply sticking to the commercial FO membrane surface, preventing damage to the membrane from the catalyst's direct insertion and delaying the assault from the oxidation groups. PFO allowed organic pollutants to decompose in the feed solution (90%) and on the membrane surface, regulating the water chemical potential and giving the FO membrane antifouling properties. This resulted in sustainable water flux (11.8 LMH) with no significant membrane fouling in PFO, whereas in FO alone there was a significant fouling and flux drop (from 12.73 to 7.23 LMH in 4 h). Moreover, the expensive FO membrane was protected while the hydrogel film can be replaced on demand. The PFO exemplifies the concept of synergistic technology integration, presenting a new perspective on harnessing the strengths of distinct technologies in a mutually beneficial manner.


Vascular tissue banking: state of the art.
The cardiovascular homograft banks in Italy were set up in 1994 in Milan (Lombardia) and Treviso (Veneto) and in 2001 in Bologna, Emilia Romagna. In this study we briefly summarize the data from Emilia Romagna Cardiovascular Tissue Bank. In Emilia Romagna, vascular homografts were harvested from brain-dead multiorgan donors (aged 15-55 years) by a dedicated vascular surgery team. All donors were virologically screened for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B and C, Treponema pallidum, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Toxoplasma. After transferring the vascular homografts to Emilia Romagna Cardiovascular Tissue Bank facilities, the arteries were prepared, classified (class III to I), and transferred to an antibiotic-containing solution under a laminar flow cabinet. After the decontamination, all homografts were cryopreserved and stored in the vapour phase of liquid nitrogen. Microbiological tests were performed in all phases of preparation. Samples were routinely taken from 1 vessel and formalin fixed for the histology. Bags with cryopreserved homografts were sent in dry ice to the hospitals when required and thawing protocol of the Bank was included. From January 2002 to October 2004, 543 homografts from 125 heart-beating donors were harvested and transferred to Emilia Romagna Cardiovascular Tissue Bank. After preparation, 459 of 543 (85%) were cryopreserved and stored. Vascular homografts classified class I were discarded. Other criteria of rejection were: (1) positive serology, and (2) persistent positive microbiology after decontamination. From March 2002, 333 cryopreserved homografts were assigned to several vascular surgery departments in Italy. The assessment of 3-year activity of Emilia Romagna Cardiovascular Tissue Bank might be used as an indicator of the efficiency of selecting, cryopreserving, and allocating quality-controlled vascular homografts.


High Activity Arthroplasty Score has a lower ceiling effect than standard scores after knee arthroplasty.
The tested hypothesis was following: the High Activity Arthroplasty Score has a significant lower ceiling effect than American Knee Society Score and Oxford Knee Score after total knee arthroplasty. One hundred patients operated on for total knee arthroplasty with more than one-year follow-up have been included. The ceiling effect was 53% for the American Knee Society Score, 33% for the Oxford Knee Score, and 0% for the High Activity Arthroplasty Score. High Activity Arthroplasty Score had a significantly lower ceiling effect than American Knee Society Score and Oxford Knee Score. High Activity Arthroplasty Score has the potential to detect more subtle differences in level of function than standard scoring systems among a non-selected total knee arthroplasty population.


Transperineal pelvic floor ultrasound in male.
The pelvic floor (PF) is a highly complex structure which may be affected by various stimulating factors like decreased PF support. As ultrasound can dynamically observe the position and mobility of anatomical structures, However, there are very few studies on PF ultrasound in males. Twenty-one male patients with normal conditions underwent transperineal pelvic floor ultrasound (TPFU) examination. Ultrasound was performed in a supine lithotomy position. The probe was pressed on the sagittal plane of the perineum and adjusted till the anorectal angle, as well as bladder, were located and the median prostate and pubic symphysis were visible on the sagittal plane. TPFU was carried out to observe the patterns of pelvic floor movement during different phases, measure ultrasound parameters of the PF in men, and assess the potential applications and prospects of the male PF. Two-dimensional male PF ultrasound can detect the bladder, prostate, male urethra, anus, rectum. Resting, Valsalva, and contraction phases of the PF are clearly shown, the pelvic organs in the Valsalva phase shift to the dorsal foot side, and shift to the cephalic ventral side when the levator ani muscle (LAM) contracts. Three-dimensional male PF ultrasound can visually show the shape and structure of the levator ani muscle hiatus. It is a feasible examination tool for detecting PF disorders. However, there are still many fields to explore in the future.


Occurrence and removal of butyltin compounds in a waste stabilisation pond of a domestic waste water treatment plant of a rural French town.
The aim of this study was to investigate the fate and behaviour of butyltin pollutants, including monobutyltin (MBT), dibutylin (DBT), and tributyltin (TBT), in waste stabilisation ponds (WSP). The study was conducted as part of a baseline survey and included five sampling campaigns comprising bottom sludge and the water column from each pond from a typical WSP in France. Butyltins were detected in all raw wastewater and effluents, reflecting their widespread use. Our results revealed high affinity between butyltins and particulate matter and high accumulation of butyltins in the sludge taken from anaerobic ponds. The dissolved butyltins in the influent ranged from 21.5 to 28.1 ng(Sn).L(-1) and in the effluent, from 8.8 to 29.3 ng(Sn).L(-1). The butyltin concentrations in the sludge ranged from 45.1 to 164 and 3.6-8.1 ng(Sn).g(-1) respectively in the first and last ponds. Our results showed an average treatment efficiency of 71% for MBT, 47% for DBT, 55% for TBT. Laboratory sorption experiments enabled the calculation of a distribution coefficient (Kd = 75,000 L.kg-1) between TBT and particulate matter from the WSPs. The Kd explained the accumulation and persistence of the TBT in the sludge after settling of particulate matter. The continuous supply of contaminated raw wastewater and the sorption-desorption processes in the ponds led to incomplete bio- and photolytic degradation and to the persistence of butyltins in dissolved and particulate matrices throughout the survey period. It is thus recommended to use shallow ponds and to pay particular attention when sludge is used for soil amendment.


NRF2 in human neoplasm: Cancer biology and potential therapeutic target.
Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) is a master regulator of a series of cytoprotective genes, which protects cells from stress conditions such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and electrophiles. Besides its pivotal role in cellular physiology and stress response, several recent advances revealed that NRF2-governed pathways are extensively exploited in cancer cells, and play critical roles in granting growth advantage, supporting cancer metabolism, and promoting malignant transformation. In the present review, we focus on the regulatory mechanisms of NRF2 and its roles in cancer biology. We also discuss the value of targeting NRF2-associated pathways as a means of developing future cancer therapeutics.


Special instruments and prosthetic cups for the removal and replacement of a total hip prosthesis.
In the course of replacing more than 500 total hip prostheses over a period of five years the authors have developed a new set of instruments for the removal of the defective prosthesis and cement and for improved anchorage of the new prosthetic cup. The set comprises: 1. A set of special chisels and an axially guided drill for removal of the old cement from the femur. These instruments greatly simplify the latter procedure. 2. A new type of prosthetic cup with a weight-bearing collar. This cup is used for cases in which the amount or structure of the acetabular bone is such that it will not support a conventional cup. 3. A new type of drill with a flexible drive and easily exchangeable drill bits for cutting anchorage holes in otherwise inaccessible parts of the acetabular bone.


Differentiation of PTH-Expressing Cells From Human Pluripotent Stem Cells.
Differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into functional parathyroid-like cells would accelerate development of important therapeutic options for subjects with parathyroid-related disorders, from the design and screening of novel pharmaceutical agents to the development of durable cellular therapies. We have established a highly reproducible directed differentiation approach leading to PTH-expressing cells from human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. We accomplished this through the comparison of multiple different basal media, the inclusion of the CDK inhibitor PD0332991 in both definitive endoderm and anterior foregut endoderm stages, and a 2-stage pharyngeal endoderm series. This is the first protocol to reproducibly establish PTH-expressing cells from human pluripotent stem cells and represents a first step toward the development of functional parathyroid cells with broad applicability for medicinal and scientific investigation.


Definitive radiation therapy without chemotherapy for human papillomavirus-positive head and neck cancer.
To report a single institutional experience with definitive radiation therapy alone for human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive head and neck cancer. A total of 67 patients were treated by radiation therapy alone to a median dose of 70 Gy (range, 66-72 Gy) for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Paraffin-embedded, formalin-fixed pretreatment tumor tissues were used to establish HPV-positivity using standardized techniques of immunohistochemistry for p16 and polymerase chain reaction for HPV. In all, 23 patients with HPV-positive cancers were identified. With a median follow-up of 28 months (range, 6-85 months), the 3-year actuarial rates of overall survival, locoregional control, and distant metastasis-free survival were 83%, 90%, and 88%, respectively. These findings attest to the exquisite radiosensitivity of HPV-positive head and neck cancer. The clinical outcomes observed from this selected series compare favorably with historical controls treated by more intensive chemoradiotherapy strategies.


Do small hospitals have lower quality? Evidence from the English NHS.
We investigate the extent to which small hospitals are associated with lower quality. We first take a patient perspective, and test if, controlling for casemix, patients admitted to small hospitals receive lower quality than those admitted to larger hospitals. We then investigate if differences in quality between large and small hospitals can be explained by hospital characteristics such as hospital type and staffing. We use a range of quality measures including hospital mortality rates (overall and for specific conditions), hospital acquired infection rates, waiting times for emergency patients, and patient perceptions of the care they receive. We find that small hospitals, with fewer than 400 beds, are generally not associated with lower quality before or after controlling for hospital characteristics. The only exception is heart attack mortality, which is generally higher in small hospitals.


Identification of risk factors for future fracture in patients following distal forearm fracture.
The challenge for healthcare systems around the world is delivering timely preventative strategies to subjects most likely to develop fragility fractures. The success or failure of national campaigns will be determined at local level, and many studies to date have found under-utilization of osteoporosis treatment strategies due to reduced public and healthcare professional awareness. An important link between the at-risk patients and their appropriate therapy is their identification and assessment. In the context of a medium sized secondary care provider, this study examined the efficiency of a nurse-led service for assessing women following distal forearm fracture, looking for additional risk factors for future fracture and also looking at uptake of the assessment programme among the target population. Two hundred and two women, median (range) age 69 (50-91) years presented with distal forearm fracture over a 9-month period. Fifty-four subjects did not participate in the study: they were significantly older than those who did ( P<0.002). One hundred and forty-eight subjects underwent assessment of falls risk, future hip fracture risk and calcaneal ultrasound attenuation measurement: 107 attended for assessment at the hospital and 41 required a health professional to visit at their place of residence-the latter group were significantly older ( P<0.0002). Of 148 subjects assessed, 76 (51%) had one or more risk factors for a fall: these subjects were significantly older ( P<0.0002) and more likely to have required a home visit ( P<0.002). Twenty-seven (18%) were considered at risk of a future hip fracture: again they were older and more likely to have required a home visit ( P<0.0005). Ninety-one subjects (61%) had a calcaneal ultrasound attenuation T-score below -2.0, and were referred for bone densitometry: again, they were older ( P<0.0002) and more likely to have required a home visit ( P<0.05). Bone densitometry demonstrated osteoporosis in 47 (52%) of those with low attenuation, osteopenia in 31 and normal bone density in 13. Of 76 subjects deemed to be at risk of falls, 31 (41%) had osteoporosis demonstrated on bone densitometry and of those at risk of future hip fracture, 12 (44%) had osteoporosis. Only nine (22%) subjects who received home visits had no risk factors for falls or hip fracture and normal bone density, compared to 45 (42%) of those who attended hospital. This study has demonstrated that the efficiency of a program to assess additional risk of future fracture in a population who have already fractured may be influenced by where the assessment is delivered: it may be that the patients at greatest risk did not avail of the service.


Enhancement of the large stokes-shifted fluorescence emission from the 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole core in a dendrimer.
The photochemical properties of a series of newly synthesized dendrimers, 4-6, having a 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole (HBO) core, were studied in benzene. The fluorescence quantum yields (Phi(f)) were determined to be 0.022, 0.030, and 0.038 for 4, 5, and 6, respectively, increasing in higher generation dendrimers. With transient absorption spectroscopy, the quantum yields of the isomerization from the (E)-keto form ((1)K(E)*) to the (Z)-keto form ((1)K(Z)) (Phi(E)(-->)(Z)) and those of intersystem crossing (Phi(isc)) can be estimated. Whereas Phi(E)(-->)(Z) values decreased in higher generation dendrimers, Phi(isc) values were almost the same among 4-6. The quantum yields of nonradiative decay (Phi(nr)) increased in higher generation dendrimers. The dendrimer structure also affected the reverse tautomerization process.


A rapid and simple method for the simultaneous determination of four endogenous monoamine neurotransmitters in rat brain using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry.
Endogenous monoamine neurotransmitters play an essential role in neural communication in mammalians. Many quantitative methods for endogenous monoamines have been developed during recent decades. Yet, matrix effect was usually a challenge in the quantification, in many cases asking for tedious sample preparation or sacrificing sensitivity. In this work, a simple, fast and sensitive method with no matrix effect was developed to simultaneously determine four endogenous monoamines including serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine in rat brain tissues, using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Various conditions, including columns, chromatographic conditions, ion source, MS/MS conditions, and brain tissue preparation methods, were optimized and validated. Pre-weighed 20mg brain sample could be effectively and reproducibly homogenized and protein-precipitated by 20 times value of 0.2% formic acid in cold organic solvents (methanol-acetonitrile, 10:90, v/v). This method exhibited excellent linearity for all analytes (regression coefficients>0.998 or 0.999). The precision, expressed as coefficients of variation, was less than 3.43% for intra-day analyses and ranged from 4.17% to 15.5% for inter-day analyses. Good performance was showed in limit of detection (between 0.3nM and 3.0nM for all analytes), recovery (90.8-120%), matrix effect (84.4-107%), accuracy (89.8-100%) and stability (88.3-104%). The validated method was well applied to simultaneously determine the endogenous serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine in four brain sections of 18 Wistar rats. The quantification of four endogenous monoamines in rat brain performed excellently in the sensitivity, high throughput, simple sample preparation and matrix effect.


Ethnic diversity and cord blood banking: satisfying the unmet need.
In this study, the authors sought to assess whether cord blood units (CBUs) collected from donors of non-European ethnic backgrounds are utilized for umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) at a different rate than those of European ethnic backgrounds. The authors also examined potential methods of enriching these under-represented ethnic backgrounds in cord blood bank (CBB) inventories without increasing financial overheads and without compromising total inventory utilization or post-transplant outcomes. Data from N = 6506 searchable or shipped Anthony Nolan Cell Therapy Centre grafts were used in this study. Banked grafts were graded from A+ to D based on total nucleated cell and CD34+ cell content. Utilizations of each grade group were further stratified by graft ethnic background. The Mantel-Cox log-rank test was performed in conjunction with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis to compare utilization rates and post-transplant outcomes. For shipped grafts, levels of HLA matching at HLA-A, HLA-B and HLA-DR loci were also analyzed by graft ethnic background and grade using data from the Eurocord/EBMT registry. Overall utilization of non-European grafts did not significantly differ from that of European grafts (2.5% versus 2.2%, P = 0.23). However, significant differences were found when stratifying utilization rates by cell content. The probability of non-European D grade grafts being utilized was 3-fold higher than that of European D grade grafts (1.1% versus 0.4%, P = 0.03) and comparable to that of European C grade grafts (1.1% versus 0.9%, P = 0.90). No significant differences were found between D and C grade grafts in terms of overall survival (OS) (P = 0.12), in part due to a disproportionate utilization of D grade grafts for pediatric UCBT (74% versus 39%, age difference P < 0.001). Furthermore, non-European graft shipments were 4-fold less likely to be a 6/6 HLA match to their recipients relative to European graft shipments (7% versus 29%). The authors have identified a niche for CBUs of low cell content collected from donors of non-European ethnic backgrounds that has been overlooked by previous studies. Banking of these CBUs for pediatric UCBT instead of CBUs from European donors containing modestly higher cell content is an ethical approach to increasing the ethnic diversity of CBB inventory-and, consequently, the probability of non-European recipients finding a 6/6 HLA-matched graft-without compromising post-transplant OS or overall rate of inventory utilization.


Liposomes as adjuvants with immunopurified tetanus toxoid: the immune response.
Immune responses of BALB/c mice to immunopurified tetanus toxoid entrapped in dehydration-rehydration vesicles composed of equimolar egg phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol were compared to those of free toxoid. Animals were injected intramuscularly with the free or liposomal toxoid and identical injections were repeated 4 weeks and, in some experiments, 24 weeks later. Analysis of IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b, IgG3 and IgM in the sera by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay suggested that adjuvanticity of liposomes is reflected in most antibody subclasses and that there is no shift in subclasses compared to the response obtained with the free antigen, thus establishing liposomes as a type I adjuvant. In other, appropriately designed experiments, the relative importance of events following the first and second injections in determining the adjuvant effect of liposomes was investigated. It was found that liposome adjuvanticity is the outcome of events following primary immunization.


Primary Graft Dysfunction After Zero-Mismatch Kidney Transplantation Secondary to Early Biopsy-Proven Acute Cell-Mediated Rejection: Case Report.
We report a case of primary renal allograft dysfunction and early acute cell-mediated rejection after a 12/12 HLA antigen zero-mismatch (0MM) transplant. The recipient was a 40-year-old white man who was highly allosensitized, with a calculated panel reactive antibody score of 100%. In posteroperative day 1 the recipient remained anuric and underwent dialysis because of hyperkalemia. Graft biopsy showed early acute cellular rejection, Banff grade 2B. No evidence of antibody-mediated rejection was observed. To our knowledge, this case is the 1st to report early cell-mediated rejection after 12/12 HLA antigen 0MM kidney transplantation. This case suggests that highly sensitized candidates are at high immunologic risk even in the context of 0MM kidney transplantation.


A critical role for Pin1 in allergic pulmonary eosinophilia in rats.
Infiltration, accumulation, and degranulation of eosinophils in the lung are hallmarks of active allergic asthma. The pulmonary response to inhaled allergen triggers the secretion of eosinophil chemoattractants and antiapoptotic cytokines, including GM-CSF, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, and eotaxin, among others. We recently showed that in vitro Pin1 regulated eosinophil production of and response to GM-CSF. We sought to determine the effect of Pin1 inhibition on pulmonary eosinophilia after allergen challenge. The Pin1 inhibitor juglone (5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) was administered to allergen-sensitized and allergen-challenged Brown Norway rats. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lungs were assessed for inflammation, cytokine expression, and Pin1 activity. Juglone-treated rats showed a dramatic reduction (approximately 75%) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and pulmonary eosinophilia but no change in lymphocyte, monocyte/macrophage, or neutrophil numbers. GM-CSF and IL-5 expression were also significantly reduced, whereas Pin1-independent cytokines, such as eotaxin or IL-4, as well as housekeeping mRNAs and proteins, including actin, were unaffected by juglone. The eosinophils present in the lung in juglone-treated rats showed significantly greater apoptosis. These data suggest that in vivo Pin1 blockade attenuates GM-CSF and IL-5 production and can selectively reduce eosinophilic allergic inflammation. Eosinophils can be selectively reduced by Pin1 blockade, despite allergen challenge.


Vaccination Against SARS-CoV-2 Is Associated With a Lower Viral Load and Likelihood of Systemic Symptoms.
Data conflict on whether vaccination decreases severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral load. The objective of this analysis was to compare baseline viral load and symptoms between vaccinated and unvaccinated adults enrolled in a randomized trial of outpatient coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment. Baseline data from the first 433 sequential participants enrolling into the COVID-OUT trial were analyzed. Adults aged 30-85 with a body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m2 were eligible within 3 days of a positive SARS-CoV-2 test and <7 days of symptoms. Log10 polymerase chain reaction viral loads were normalized to human RNase P by vaccination status, by time from vaccination, and by symptoms. Two hundred seventy-four participants with known vaccination status contributed optional nasal swabs for viral load measurement: median age, 46 years; median (interquartile range) BMI 31.2 (27.4-36.4) kg/m2. Overall, 159 (58%) were women, and 217 (80%) were White. The mean relative log10 viral load for those vaccinated <6 months from the date of enrollment was 0.11 (95% CI, -0.48 to 0.71), which was significantly lower than the unvaccinated group (P = .01). Those vaccinated ≥6 months before enrollment did not differ from the unvaccinated with respect to viral load (mean, 0.99; 95% CI, -0.41 to 2.40; P = .85). The vaccinated group had fewer moderate/severe symptoms of subjective fever, chills, myalgias, nausea, and diarrhea (all P < .05). These data suggest that vaccination within 6 months of infection is associated with a lower viral load, and vaccination was associated with a lower likelihood of having systemic symptoms.


Statistical modelling of mitochondrial power supply.
By experiment and theory, formulae are derived to calculate the response of mitochondrial power supply, in flux and potential, to an ATP consuming enzyme load, incorporating effects of varying amounts of (i) enzyme, (ii) total circulating adenylate, and (iii) inhibition of the ATP/ADP translocase. The formulae, which apply between about 20% and 80% of maximum respiration, are the same as for the current and voltage of an electrical circuit in which a battery with potential, linear in the logarithm of the total adenylate, charges another battery whose opposing potential is also linear in the same logarithm, through three resistances. These resistances produce loss of potential due to dis-equilibrium of (i) intramitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, (ii) the ATP/ADP translocase, and (iii) the ATP-consuming enzyme load. The model is represented geometrically by the following configuration: when potential is plotted against flux, the points lie on two pencils of lines each concurrent at zero respiration, the two pencils describing the respective characteristics of the mitochondrion and enzyme. Control coefficients and elasticities are calculated from the formulae.


Feeding Patterns of Healthy Term Newborns in the First 5 Days-The Glucose in Well Babies Study (GLOW).
The feeding patterns of healthy newborns have been poorly described. To determine the feeding patterns of healthy term newborns soon after birth, and if these differed with sex, gestation, and mode of birth. This study was a prospective, longitudinal observational cohort study. Term, appropriately grown newborns (N = 66) were fed according to maternal choice and details were recorded. Data were analyzed using generalized Poisson regression for feeding frequencies, and mixed model regression of log-transformed data for durations. The participants completing the study had a M = 3589 g (SD = 348 g) birthweight, with a gestation age of M = 40.1 (1.2) weeks. All participants were breastfed; 23 (35%) also received expressed human milk and 10 (15%) received formula. Participants had fewer feeding sessions on Day 1, (M = 7.3 [1.9] sessions/day) increasing to (M = 9.4 [2.4] sessions/day) by Day 3, then reducing to (M = 9.0 [2.2] sessions/day) on Day 5, p < .001. The overall duration of breastfeeding sessions varied widely (Mdn = 29 [range = 1-447] min). Feed frequency but not duration was higher in males than females (M = 8.9, SE = 0.2 vs. 8.1, 02, sessions/day, p = .03), in newborns born ≥ 40 weeks' gestation (M = 8.9, SE = 0.3 vs. 8.2, 02, sessions/day, p = .04), and in newborns born by Caesarean section (M = 9.4, SE = 0.3 vs. 8.4, 02, sessions/day, for vaginal birth, p = .003). Feeding patterns of healthy term newborns vary widely, but frequency increases during the first 3 days, and is greater in males, newborns born late term, and born by Caesarean section. The Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry Ref: ACTRN12615000986572. The study protocol is available online: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/32066.


Bis(benzo-15-crown-5-κ5 O)barium tetra-kis-(iso-thio-cyanato-κN)cobaltate(II).
The title compound, [Ba(C14H20O5)2][Co(NCS)4], is formed by discrete anions and cations. The molecular packing is controlled by weak C-H⋯π inter-actions.


Does Primary Tumor Side Matter in Patients with Metastatic Colon Cancer Treated with Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy?
Primary tumor location has been shown to be prognostic of overall survival (OS) in patients with both locally advanced and metastatic colorectal cancer. The impact of sidedness on prognosis has not been evaluated in the setting of peritoneal-only metastases treated with cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). A retrospective review of prospectively maintained databases of patients with peritoneal surface malignancy undergoing CRS/HIPEC from three high-volume centers was performed. A total of 115 patients with metastatic colon cancer to the peritoneum who underwent CRS/HIPEC with mitomycin C were identified. Fifty-one patients (45%) had left-sided primary tumors, and 64 (55%) had right-sided primary tumors. Patients with right-sided tumors were more likely to be older (median age 56 vs. 49 years, p = 0.007) and to have signet ring cell histology (17% vs. 4%, p = 0.026). Patients with right-sided tumors had median disease-free survival (DFS) and OS of 14 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 10.5-17.5) and 36 months (95% CI 27.4-44.6), respectively, versus 16 months (95% CI 11.0-21.0) and 69 months (95% CI 24.3-113.7) for those patients with left-sided tumors. On multivariate analysis, primary tumor side was an independent predictor of both DFS and OS. In this study, there was a dramatic, clinically significant difference in OS between patients with right- and left-sided tumors, and primary tumor side was an independent predictor of DFS and OS. Primary tumor side should be considered in patient selection for CRS with or without HIPEC.


Mucus-producing epithelial models for investigating the activity of gene delivery systems in the lung.
Inhaled transfection particles have to penetrate the mucus layer lining the airways to successfully deliver their therapeutic nucleic acid payload to target cells in the underlying epithelium. However, the in vitro models used for evaluating gene carrier efficiency often disregard this viscous defensive barrier. In this study, the two mucus-secreting cell lines NCI-H292 and Calu-3 were selected to develop a series of epithelial models displaying gradual mucus production. In NCI-H292 models, a gradual increase in the MUC5AC mucin was obtained after cell exposure to inducers. In Calu-3 models, MUC5AC production increased as a function of culture duration (3, 7, 14 days) at the air-liquid interface (ALI). Six DOPC-derived cationic lipids were designed and their pDNA delivery activity was evaluated to validate these cellular models. The strongest impairment of the lipid delivery activity was observed in the Calu-3 14-d ALI model. The MUC5AC production in this model was the greatest and the mucus layer was 20 µm thick. The mucus exhibited a solid viscoelastic behavior, and represented a major hindrance to lipoplex diffusion. The Calu-3 14-d ALI model will be highly useful for accurate evaluation of gene carriers intended for airway administration and characterization of their interactions with the mucus.


Ovarian function following pelvic irradiation in prepubertal and pubertal girls and young adult women.
To analyze the effect of pelvic radiotherapy on ovarian function in prepubertal and pubertal girls and young adult women. In a retrospective monoinstitutional analysis, patients < 30 years of age at diagnosis were included who had been irradiated between 1979 and 1998. The main tumor types were Hodgkin's disease (38%), Ewing's sarcoma (20%) and nephroblastoma (11%). Patients were classified into three groups according to the position of the ovary in relation to the radiation portals. Group 1 was defined by direct irradiation of both ovaries. Group 2 patients were included with both ovaries potentially located in the radiation portals. In group 3, at least one ovary was not directly irradiated. The median follow-up was 128 months. 16 of 55 analyzed patients were categorized in group 1. In ten of these patients, hormone status was evaluable. The ovarian doses were >/= 15 Gy. Except for one patient treated with 15 Gy all developed hormone failure. Eight of 14 patients of group 2 were evaluable. Seven of these patients developed ovarian failure. 19 of 24 patients in group 3 were evaluable. Nine of these patients developed ovarian failure. The observed difference in the rate of ovarian failure between the groups is statistically significant (p = 0.045). All patients receiving > 15 Gy to the ovaries developed hormone failure. In one case of a patient receiving an ovarian dose of 15 Gy, hormone failure was not found. In case of pelvic irradiation excluding at least one ovary, approximately half of the patients developed ovarian dysfunction, probably also due to the effects of polychemotherapy.


Utility of biochemical tests in prediction, diagnostics and clinical management of preeclampsia: a review.
The most widely accepted theory for the development of preeclampsia is the "two-stage theory". An imbalance between antiangiogenic and proangiogenic factors is considered the link between the two stages. Nowadays, an increasing amount of data is available on the use of measurements of serum concentrations of these factors in the prediction, diagnosis and management of preeclampsia. The most useful, modern biochemical test that may help in making crucial clinical decisions in patients with preeclampsia is the sFlt-1/PlGF (soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1/placental growth factor) ratio. The aim of this review is to present the current use of different biochemical tests in the prediction, diagnosis and management of preeclampsia. Development of these diagnostic methods in recent years and a belief in their ground-breaking role in modern management of preeclampsia make this review especially important.


Utilization of Cardiovascular Drugs in the Aged in a Long-Term-Care Institution for the Aged over a 5-Year Period 1987--1992.
A comparative study was made of the utilization of cardiovascular drugs in a long-term-care facility for the aged for 1987 and 1992 during which the age and sex distributions and incidence of usage were similar. There were statistically significant declines in the usage of diuretics and potassium supplementation, digoxin, antihypertensives, antiarrhythmics, and beta blockers and a rise in the use of calcium-channel blockers. There was a slight fall in the use of antianginal drugs. The ACE inhibitors introduced after 1987 were taken by 6.1%. The dosages of digoxin and diuretics decreased as management was adequate and toxicity avoided and usage of digoxin reduced in accordance with the concept that digoxin is useful in failure only when left ventricular output is impaired.


QTc Prolongation in the Critically Ill: Tread with Caution!
How to cite this article: Elangovan A. QTc Prolongation in the Critically Ill: Tread with Caution! Indian J Crit Care Med 2020;24(4):220-221.


Laser microprobe analysis of brain aluminum in Alzheimer's disease.
Aluminum (Al) levels were measured in the cytoplasm and nucleus of 241 neurofibrillary tangle (NFT)-bearing neurons, in 217 NFT-free neurons and adjacent neuropil from 7 autopsy-confirmed Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, and in 316 normal neurons from 5 control subjects, by laser microprobe mass spectrometry. Grand mean Al levels (dry weight basis) in AD samples were 2.93 +/- 1.24 micrograms/gm for NFT-bearing neuron cytoplasm, 3.54 +/- 1.39 micrograms/gm for NFT-bearing neuron nuclei, 2.31 +/- 1.09 micrograms/gm for NFT-free neuron cytoplasm, and 3.23 +/- 1.09 micrograms/gm for NFT-free neuron nuclei. Control values were 1.85 +/- 0.78 micrograms/gm for cytoplasm and 2.01 +/- 0.93 micrograms/gm for nuclei. The differences between corresponding regions of AD NFT-bearing, AD NFT-free, and control neurons were not significant (p > 0.05, analysis of variance). Al levels in neuropil were identical for AD and control samples at 2.16 +/- 0.93 micrograms/gm. In contrast to some literature reports, we found very few (< 2.5%) extremely high Al values (> 20 micrograms/gm, dry weight) on a cellular basis in AD samples. AD neurons did exhibit a higher number of Al values (9.6-14.3%) that were > 3 sigma above the corresponding control means, than did control neurons (1.3-1.6%), indicating that small elevations of Al may exist in patients with AD. Our data suggest that any Al accumulation in patients with AD is small and generalized in both NFT-free and NFT-bearing neurons and that analyses of large bulk brain samples are likely to have AD/control differences masked by the large amount of unaffected neuropil sampled.


Effect of an acute increase of the intravascular pressure on the blood-brain barrier: a comparison between conscious and anesthetized rats.
Conscious rats and rats under nitrous oxide anesthesia were subjected to blood pressure elevations by injection of epinephrine, bicuculline and amphetamine. Mean arterial pressure was measured from a chronic indwelling cannula in the aorta in awake rats. The protein leakage in the brains was studied using Evans blue and 125IHSA. Conscious animals developed less blood-brain barrier dysfunction than anesthetized ones. The largest difference was obtained with amphetamine and the smallest with epinephrine. Possible explanations to the results are discussed.


Heterotopic heart transplantation: a radiographic review.
Heterotopic heart transplantation can be performed in the presence of high pulmonary vascular resistance. The authors call attention to a rare, but potentially life-saving procedure.


(Z)-N'-[(E)-4-Meth-oxy-benzyl-idene]-2-(meth-oxy-imino)-2-{2-[(2-methyl-phen-oxy)meth-yl]phen-yl}acetohydrazide.
The title compound, C25H25N3O4, crystallizes with two mol-ecules in the asymmetric unit. In both mol-ecules, the central ethane hydrazide moiety is almost planar. In the crystal, asymmetric, bifurcated N-H⋯(N,O) hydrogen bonds link the mol-ecules into [100] chains. The packing is consolidated by weak C-H⋯O inter-actions.


Imaging of Central Nervous System Parasitic Infections.
Parasitic infections of the central nervous system (CNS) constitute a wide range of diseases, some quite prevalent across the world, some exceedingly rare. Causative parasites can be divided into two groups: unicellular protozoa and multicellular helminthic worms. This includes diseases such as neurotoxoplasmosis and neurocysticercosis, which represent a major cause of pathology among certain populations, and some more uncommon diseases, as primary amebic meningoencephalitis and neuroschistosomiasis. In this review, we focus on imaging manifestation and some helpful clinical and epidemiologic features of such conditions, providing radiologists with helpful information to identify and correctly diagnose the most common of those pathologies.


Inhibition of avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase and virus inactivation by metal complexes of isonicotinic acid hydrazide.
The cupric and ferric complexes of isonicotinic acid hydrazide (INH) inhibit the DNA synthesis catalysed by avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) reverse transcriptase. The inhibition was to the extent of 95% by 50 microM of cupric-INH complex and 55% by 100 microM of ferric-INH complex. These complexes have been found to bind preferentially to the enzyme than to the template-primer. Kinetic analysis showed that the cupric-INH complex is a non-competitive inhibitor with respect to dTTP. The time course of inhibition has revealed that the complexes are inhibitory even after the initiation of polynucleotide synthesis. In vivo toxicity studies in 1-day-old chicks have shown that the complexes are not toxic up to a concentration of 500 microgram per chick. Infection of the 1-day-old chicks with AMV pretreated with 150 microgram of either of the complexes prevented symptoms of leukemia due to virus inactivation.


Ethyl 7-methyl-2-phenyl-pyrazolo-[1,5-a]pyrimidine-5-carboxyl-ate.
The fused pyrazole and pyrimidine rings in the title compound, C16H15N3O2, are almost coplanar, being inclined to one another by 1.31 (12)°. The mean plane of this fused ring system is nearly coplanar with the phenyl ring, as indicated by the dihedral angle between their planes of 1.31 (12)°. The fused-ring system and the phenyl ring are nearly coplanar, as indicated by the dihedral angle of 1.27 (10)°. In the crystal, mol-ecules form inversion dimers via pairs of C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds. C-H⋯N inter-actions connect the dimers into a three-dimensional network. In addition, π-π contacts are observed, with centroid-centroid distances of 3.426 (2) Å.


Dual antithrombotic therapy with oral anticoagulant and P2Y12 inhibitors in patients with atrial fibrillation after percutaneous coronary intervention.
The efficacy and safety of dual antithrombotic therapy (DAT) with oral anticoagulant and P2Y12 inhibitors (P2Y12i) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have not been well investigated. The purpose of this study was first to evaluate clinical outcomes of DAT with P2Y12i compared with triple antithrombotic therapy (TAT), and then to compare DAT with low-dose prasugrel and DAT with clopidogrel, in patients with AF undergoing PCI. This study was a multicenter, non-interventional, prospective and retrospective registry. A total of 710 patients with AF undergoing PCI between January 2015 and March 2021 at 15 institutions were analyzed. Clinical outcomes within 1 year, including major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and major bleeding events (BARC 3 or 5) were compared between patients receiving DAT (n = 239) and TAT (n = 471), and then, compared among prasugrel-DAT (n = 82), clopidogrel-DAT (n = 157), and TAT. The DAT group showed significantly lower incidence of MACE and major bleeding events compared with the TAT group (log-rank p = 0.013 and 0.047). In the multivariable Cox regression analyses, DAT (p = 0.028), acute coronary syndrome (p = 0.025), and anemia (p = 0.015) were independently associated with MACE. In addition, anemia (p = 0.022) was independently associated with, and DAT (p = 0.056) and thrombocytopenia (p = 0.051) tended to be associated with, major bleeding events. When analyzed among the prasugrel-DAT, clopidogrel-DAT, and TAT groups, there were no significant differences in clinical outcomes between the prasugrel-DAT and clopidogrel-DAT groups, and similar trends were observed for both 2 groups in comparison with the TAT group. In AF patients undergoing PCI, DAT was associated with lower incidence of MACE and major bleeding events compared with TAT. In comparison of P2Y12i, there might be no significant difference in the incidence of MACE and bleeding events between prasugrel-based DAT and clopidogrel-based DAT.


Complete genome sequence and characterization of four Decapod iridescent virus 1 isolates from crab and shrimp.
Decapod iridescent virus 1 (DIV1) is an emerging viral pathogen that infects diverse freshwater and marine crustacean species and causes considerable economic losses that seriously threaten crustacean farming and has caused enormous financial losses in recent years. In this study, we detected DIV1 from diseased crabs, with clinical symptoms such as loss of vitality and white gill filaments with edema, in a Marsupenaeus japonicus and Portunus trituberculatus polyculture pond. Four DIV1 isolates from crab samples (two isolates) and shrimp samples (two isolates) were sequenced and assembled successfully. Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of the four DIV1 isolates were conducted. The DIV1 isolates from crab samples have a close genetic relationship with shrimp DIV1s, indicating the viruses share the same ancestor with those from shrimps. Our study provides valuable insights into disease prevention and control of the shrimp-crab polyculture system.


Influence of accelerated ageing on the physical properties of CAD/CAM restorative materials.
This study aims to investigate the influence of thermocycling on the physical properties of different CAD/CAM restorative materials and assess their ability to maintain energy dissipation capacities and damping effects. The results of a 3-point bending test were used to calculate flexural strength (FS), modulus of elasticity (ME), modulus of toughness (MT) and elastic recovery (ER) for three ceramic, twelve composite and five polymer-based materials. Specimens (n = 10, 4.0 × 1.5 × 17.0 mm3) were loaded until rupture after water storage (24 h; 37.0 ± 1.0 °C) or thermocycling (5000 cycles; 5-55 °C). Statistical data analysis was performed using parametric statistics (p = 0.05). Thermocycling had no significant influence on any investigated properties of ceramic materials (p > 0.05). Hybrid composites showed significant differences between water storage and thermocycling (p < 0.05), with the exception of FS of Tetric CAD. Similarly, ME with AMBARINO High-Class, CERASMART, Tetric CAD and Vita Enamic and MT and ER with Paradigm and Tetric CAD were not affected. For polymer-based materials, significant differences were found with the exceptions of FS (PEEK-OPTIMA, Telio CAD), ME (M-PM Disc, PEEK-OPTIMA, Telio CAD, Vita CAD-Temp), MT (Telio CAD) and ER (Telio CAD). The material properties of composite and polymer-based CAD/CAM materials were susceptible to degradation processes induced by thermocycling. Only Telio CAD and Tetric CAD showed no significant effects like all ceramic materials, thus preserving their inherent ability to elastically and plastically dissipate energy. A careful material selection is advisable when planning CAD/CAM restorations as remarkable differences may exist in the durability of physical characteristics through the impact of water.


Dynamic analysis of EEG signals during spatial working memory used for either perception discrimination or planning of action.
We analysed multi-channel electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings during a spatial Working Memory (WM) task in order to test the hypothesis that segmentation of perception and action is present when the visual stimulus has been stored in spatial WM. To detect the interactions between different regions of the brain depending on the task we employed both Short Time Fourier Transformation (STFT) and the concept of Granger Causality (GC). Our computational analysis supports evidence that the Parietal Cortex (PC) is involved in WM processing.


Pyrolysis of polyethylene mixed with paper and wood: Interaction effects on tar, char and gas yields.
In the present study the interactions between the main constituents of the refuse derived fuel (plastics, paper, and wood) during pyrolysis were studied. Binary mixtures of polyethylene-paper and polyethylene/sawdust have been transformed into pellets and pyrolyzed. Various mixtures with different composition were analyzed and pyrolysis products (tar, gas, and char) were collected. The mixtures of wood/PE and paper/PE have a different behavior. The wood/PE mixtures showed a much reduced interaction of the various compounds because the yields of pyrolysis products of the mixture can be predicted as linear combination of those of the pure components. On the contrary, a strong char yield increase was found at a low heating rate for paper/PE mixtures. In order to explain the results, the ability of wood and paper char to adsorb and convert the products of PE pyrolysis into was studied. Adsorption and desorption tests were performed on the char obtained by paper and wood by using n-hexadecane as a model compound for the heavy products of PE pyrolysis.


The effect of education and written material on compliance of pediatric clients.
One hundred and fifty babies and their mothers, presenting to the Well Baby Clinic of the Pediatric Outpatient Department were studied for compliance. They were divided randomly into three groups, one serving as a control (n = 55) and two as experimental groups (n = 48 and 47). The latter were exposed to two different intervention methods; teaching and written material respectively, in addition to the routine care given to the control group. The three groups were compared in terms of compliance and improvement in knowledge. The results showed that reinforcement of the doctor's advice by a nurse, or written instructions to the patients, did not improve knowledge or compliance. Possible explanations for such results are given and suggestions for other modes of intervention are made.


Occipital repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation does not affect multifocal visual evoked potentials.
To identify mechanisms of cortical plasticity of the visual cortex and to quantify their significance, sensitive parameters are warranted. In this context, multifocal visual evoked potentials (mfVEPs) can make a valuable contribution as they are not associated with cancellation artifacts and include also the peripheral visual field. To investigate if occipital repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can induce mfVEP changes. 18 healthy participants were included in a single-blind crossover-study receiving sessions of excitatory, occipital 10 Hz rTMS and sham stimulation. MfVEP was performed before and after each rTMS session and changes in amplitude and latency between both sessions were compared using generalized estimation equation models. There was no significant difference in amplitude or latency between verum and sham group. We conclude that occipital 10 Hz rTMS has no effect on mfVEP measures, which is in line with previous studies using full field VEP.


Implantation of the Freehand System during initial rehabilitation using minimally invasive techniques.
Series of four single subjects with and without intervention design. To describe a minimally invasive surgical technique used to implant the Freehand System during initial spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation and to report rehabilitation outcomes of four recently injured adolescents using the Freehand System. Nonprofit children's hospital specializing in orthopedic and SCI care. Four subjects with C5 tetraplegia between 13 and 16 years of age and between 9 and 16 weeks following traumatic SCI underwent implantation of the Freehand System using minimally invasive surgical techniques. Outcomes on muscle strength, pinch force, hand function, performance of activities of daily living and satisfaction with and without the Freehand System were collected. Each subject was successfully implanted with the Freehand System without perioperative complications and employed the Freehand System during therapy services and ad lib on the rehabilitation floor. At the last follow-up, every subject remained a motor candidate for the Freehand System. With the Freehand System, average lateral and palmar pinch force was 1.8 and 1.6 kg respectively; average pinch force without functional electrical stimulation (FES) was 0.29 kg. With the Freehand System, three subjects improved their rate of performance on The Upper Extremity Capabilities Questionnaire. All subjects increased their level of independence on The Quadriplegia Index of Function. On the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) with the Freehand System, average performance and satisfaction scores improved for every patient. Three of the four subjects continued to use the system at home. This case series demonstrates that the Freehand System can vastly improve hand function and performance of rehabilitation activities within days after a minimally invasive implant procedure during initial SCI rehabilitation. Satisfaction with the Freehand System beyond initial rehabilitation is evidenced by continued use at home.


The binding of decomposition products of UDP-galactose to the microsomes and polyribosomes isolated from rat liver.
UDP-D-[U-14C]galactose is decomposed to [U-14C]galactose-1-phosphate and [U-14C]galactose by rat liver microsomal and crude polyribosomal fractions, under conditions commonly used to assay of glycosyltransferase activities. UDP-D-[U-14C]galactose, at neutral pH, is also chemically degraded to the [U-14C]galactose-1,2-cyclic phosphate. The 1,2-cyclic phosphate derivative of galactose also exists in the commercial UDP-D-[U-14C]galactose. It is a very important finding that products of the UDP-D-[U-14C]galactose decomposition are tightly, although nonenzymatically, bound to tested subcellular fractions and may create a false impression of protein glycosylation. The application of controls containing all radioactive substances present in suitable samples is recommended in order to avoid incorrect interpretations of the results.


Relationship between snake size and clinical, epidemiological and laboratory aspects of Bothrops atrox snakebites in the Western Brazilian Amazon.
In the Brazilian Amazon, snakebites are a significant problem, especially for populations in rural areas, particularly in forests, where victims are a considerable distance from hospital care. Several factors are associated with the severity of the accident, such as the size and age of the snake. This study aims to compare the clinical, epidemiological and laboratory aspects of envenomation to the size of Bothrops atrox snakes. Clinical, epidemiological and laboratory variables were collected from patients bitten by B. atrox and who were admitted to a hospital in the city of Cruzeiro do Sul (western Brazilian Amazon). When the two punctures of the teeth were present in the bite sign, the distance between these was measured. When taken to the hospital, the snake was measured; otherwise, its size was estimated via interviews with patients. In 92 cases, the size of the snake was estimated, and most of these were caused by small snakes. Bites of small snakes occur mainly on the feet, while larger specimens reach the legs or higher regions. Small snakes were associated primarily with mild and moderate snakebites, with more presence of hemorrhagic manifestations, while larger snakes were responsible for severe cases and characterized by local effects (necrosis, edema, flictena, compartment syndrome, and infection) and patients were treated with a higher amount of antivenom and for a longer period of hospitalization. The distance of the punctures was related to the size of the snake and the severity of the local envenomation. The observation of the distance between puncture marks when present, which is correlated with the length of the specimen, as well as the estimation of the snake size by the patient, may provide more support for the health professional on the prognosis of envenomation. The use of boots in activities in rural areas and forests could contribute to a lower rate of cases of snakebites, and health education on preventive measures and first aid for populations is fundamental.


Differential analysis of core-fucosylated glycoproteomics enabled by single-step truncation of N-glycans.
Alpha-1,6 fucosylation of N-glycans (core fucosylation, CF) represents a unique form of N-glycans and is widely involved in disease progression. In order to accurately identify CF glycoproteins, several approaches have been developed based on sequential cleavage with different glycosidases to truncate the N-glycans. Since multi-step sample treatments may introduce quantitation bias and affect the practicality of these approaches in large-scale applications. Here, we systematically evaluated the performance of the single-step treatment of intact glycopeptides by endoglycosidase F3 for CF glycoproteome. The single-step truncation (SST) strategy demonstrated higher quantitative stability and higher efficiency compared with previous approaches. The strategy was further practiced on both cell lines and serum samples. The dysregulation of CF glycopeptides between preoperative and postoperative serum from patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma was revealed, and the CF modifications of BCHE_N369, CDH5_N112 and SERPIND1_N49 were found to be potential prognostic markers. This study thus provides an efficient solution for large-scale quantitative analysis of the CF glycoproteome.


Coronary artery disease and risk of major vascular events after cerebral infarction.
The impact of asymptomatic coronary artery disease on the risk of major vascular events in patients with cerebral infarction is unknown. Four hundred five patients with acute cerebral infarction underwent carotid, femoral artery, thoracic, and abdominal aorta ultrasound examination. Of 342 patients with no known coronary heart disease, 315 underwent coronary angiography. We evaluated the 2-year risk of major vascular events (myocardial infarction, resuscitation after cardiac arrest, hospitalization for unstable angina or heart failure, stroke, or major peripheral arterial disease events) in patients with known coronary heart disease (n=63), and in the no known coronary heart disease group (n=315) as a function of coronary angiographic status (n=315). At 2 years, the estimated risk of major vascular events was 11.0% (95% confidence interval, 8.2-14.7). According to baseline coronary angiography, estimated risk was 3.4% in patients with no coronary artery disease (n=120), 8.0% with asymptomatic coronary artery stenosis <50% (n=113), 16.2% with asymptomatic coronary artery stenosis ≥ 50% (n=81), and 24.1% with known coronary heart disease (P<0.0001). Using no coronary artery disease as the reference, the age- and sex-adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of vascular events was 2.10 (0.63-6.96) for asymptomatic coronary stenosis <50%, 4.36 (1.35-14.12) for asymptomatic coronary stenosis ≥ 50%, and 6.86 (2.15-21.31) for known coronary artery disease. In patients with nonfatal cerebral infarction, presence and extent of asymptomatic stenoses on coronary angiography are strong predictors of major vascular events within 2 years.


Immunopathology of the lens. II. 86Rb efflux and protein leakage from normal lenses exposed to antilens and antiuveoretina antibodies.
Normal rabbit lenses exposed in vitro to heterologous antilens and antiuveoretina antibodies lose control of the intracellular 86Rb and this effect is followed by a late leakage of lenticular proteins; both phenomena take place only in the presence of complement. This antibody-induced complement-dependent membrane damage might be involved in the pathogenesis of complicated cataracts in uveitis and in the self-maintenance of recurrent uveal inflammations.


The simian virus 40 T antigen double hexamer assembles around the DNA at the replication origin.
An initial step in the replication of simian virus (SV40) DNA is the ATP-dependent formation of a double hexamer of the SV40 large tumor (T) antigen at the SV40 DNA replication origin. In the absence of DNA, T antigen assembled into hexamers in the presence of magnesium and ATP. Hexameric T antigen was stable and could be isolated by glycerol gradient centrifugation. The ATPase activities of hexameric and monomeric T antigen isolated from parallel glycerol gradients were identical. However, while monomeric T antigen was active in the ATP-dependent binding, untwisting, unwinding, and replication of SV40 origin-containing DNA, hexameric T antigen was inactive in these reactions. Isolated hexamers incubated at 37 degrees C in the presence of ATP remained intact, but dissociated into monomers when incubated at 37 degrees C in the absence of ATP. This dissociation restored the activity of these preparations in the DNA replication reaction, indicating that hexameric T antigen is not permanently inactivated but merely assembled into a nonproductive structure. We propose that the two hexamers of T antigen at the SV40 origin assemble around the DNA from monomer T antigen in solution. This complex untwists the DNA at the origin, melting specific DNA sequences. The resulting single-stranded regions may be utilized by the T antigen helicase activity to initiate DNA unwinding bidirectionally from the origin.


Investigating Neural Correlates of Behavior Through In Vivo Electrophysiology.
Behavioral neuroscience has long relied on in vivo electrophysiology to provide spatially and temporally precise answers to complex questions about the neural dynamics underlying sensory processing and action execution. Investigating the neural correlates of behavior can be challenging in freely behaving animals, especially when making inferences related to internal states that are temporally or conceptually ambiguous, such as decision-making or motivation. This necessitates careful creation of appropriate and rigorous controls and awareness of the many potential confounds when attributing neural signals to animal behavior. This article discusses fundamental considerations for the optimal design and interpretation of in vivo rodent electrophysiological recording experiments and focuses on the different optimization strategies required when investigating neural encoding of external stimuli versus free behavior. The first protocol offers suggestions specific to intracranial surgical implantation of multielectrode arrays. The second protocol delves into optimization strategies and tips useful for designing and interpreting recording experiments conducted in freely behaving rodents. © 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Surgical implantation of the multielectrode array Basic Protocol 2: Optimizing experimental design and parameters.


Glucocorticoid therapy suppresses abnormal secretion of big IGF-II by non-islet cell tumours inducing hypoglycaemia (NICTH)
To assess the relative efficacy of hGH and glucocorticoids in the treatment of non-islet cell tumour hypoglycaemia (NICTH) by examination of their influence on the composition of the various molecular species involving tumour and mature forms of IGF-II in association with IGFBP-3. Two groups each of 4 patients, all diagnosed as cases of NICTH, were treated with either hGH or glucocorticoids. Through the use of acidic size exclusion chromatography serum levels of tumour (big) and mature IGF-II were evaluated. Neutral size exclusion chromatography was used in the separation of molecular species before assay for immunoreactive IGF-II and IGFBP-3 content. High-dose hGH treatment produced increases in serum levels of big and mature IGF-II and IGFBP-3 but without generation of high molecular weight complexes. Glucocorticoid treatment suppressed big IGF-II permitting re-establishment of normal IGF/IGFBP association patterns. Glucocorticoid therapy has been demonstrated to consistently reverse the biochemical abnormalities caused by tumour-derived big IGF-II compared with the potentially adverse stimulatory effects of hGH treatment in causing increases in serum levels of big IGF-II.


Antisense-Mediated Lowering of Plasma Apolipoprotein C-III by Volanesorsen Improves Dyslipidemia and Insulin Sensitivity in Type 2 Diabetes.
To determine the effects of volanesorsen (ISIS 304801), a second-generation 2'-O-methoxyethyl chimeric antisense inhibitor of apolipoprotein (apo)C-III, on triglyceride (TG) levels and insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed in 15 adult patients with type 2 diabetes (HbA1c >7.5% [58 mmol/mol]) and hypertriglyceridemia (TG >200 and <500 mg/dL). Patients were randomized 2:1 to receive volanesorsen 300 mg or placebo for a total of 15 subcutaneous weekly doses. Glucose handling and insulin sensitivity were measured before and after treatment using a two-step hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp procedure. Treatment with volanesorsen significantly reduced plasma apoC-III (-88%, P = 0.02) and TG (-69%, P = 0.02) levels and raised HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) (42%, P = 0.03) compared with placebo. These changes were accompanied by a 57% improvement in whole-body insulin sensitivity (P < 0.001). Importantly, we found a strong relationship between enhanced insulin sensitivity and both plasma apoC-III (r = -0.61, P = 0.03) and TG (r = -0.68, P = 0.01) suppression. Improved insulin sensitivity was sufficient to significantly lower glycated albumin (-1.7%, P = 0.034) and fructosamine (-38.7 μmol/L, P = 0.045) at the end of dosing and HbA1c (-0.44% [-4.9 mmol/mol], P = 0.025) 3 months postdosing. Volanesorsen reduced plasma apoC-III and TG while raising HDL-C levels. Importantly, glucose disposal, insulin sensitivity, and integrative markers of diabetes also improved in these patients after short-term treatment.


A systematic study of the antimicrobial mechanisms of cold atmospheric-pressure plasma for water disinfection.
Waterborne diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms pose a severe threat to human health. Cold atmospheric-pressure plasma (CAP) has recently gained much interest as a promising fast, effective, economical and eco-friendly method for water disinfection. However, the antimicrobial mechanism of CAP in aqueous environments is still not clearly understood. Herein, we investigate the role of several short-lived reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cellular responses in the CAP inactivation of yeast cells in water. The results show that singlet oxygen (1O2), hydroxyl radical (OH) and superoxide anion (O2-) are generated in this plasma-water system, and O2- served as the precursor of OH. The 5-min plasma treatment resulted in the effective inactivation (more than 2-log reduction) of yeast cells in water. The ROS scavengers significantly increased the survival ratio in the following order: water < D-Man (scavenging OH) < SOD (scavenging O2-) < L-His (scavenging 1O2), indicating that 1O2 contributes the most to the yeast inactivation. In addition, the acidic pH had a synergetic antimicrobial effect with ROS against the yeast cells. During the CAP inactivation process, yeast cells underwent apoptosis in the first 3 min due to the accumulation of intracellular ROS, mitochondrial dysfunction and intracellular acidification, later followed by necrosis under longer exposure times, attributed to the destruction of the cell membrane. Additionally, L-His could switch the cell fate from necrosis to apoptosis through mitigating plasma-induced oxidative stress, indicating that the level of oxidative stress is a critical factor for cell death fate determination. These findings provide comprehensive insights into the antimicrobial mechanism of CAP, which can promote the development of CAP as an alternative water disinfection strategy.


Role of licochalcone C in cardioprotection against ischemia/reperfusion injury of isolated rat heart via antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic activities.
This study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of licochalcone C against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats. Left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) and its maximum up/down rate (±dp/dtmax) were recorded as myocardial function. Levels of creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione/glutathione disulfide (GSH/GSSG) ratio, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were determined by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cell morphology was observed and mitochondrial damage was assessed by HE coloration and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. Cardiomyocyte apoptosis was determined by using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferased UTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL). Pretreatment with licochalcone C significantly improved the recovery of LVDP and ±dp/dtmax, and increased the levels of SOD and GSH/GSSG ratio. However, pretreatment with licochalcone C not only decreased the TUNEL-positive cell ratio and morphological changes, but also weaken the mitochondrial injury and the levels of CK, LDH, MDA, and TNF-α. These results suggested an important function of licochalcone C extracted from traditional Chinese medicine in the cardioprotection via antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic activities.


High-throughput sequencing: a roadmap toward community ecology.
High-throughput sequencing is becoming increasingly important in microbial ecology, yet it is surprisingly under-used to generate or test biogeographic hypotheses. In this contribution, we highlight how adding these methods to the ecologist toolbox will allow the detection of new patterns, and will help our understanding of the structure and dynamics of diversity. Starting with a review of ecological questions that can be addressed, we move on to the technical and analytical issues that will benefit from an increased collaboration between different disciplines.


The effects of aprotinin and tranexamic acid on thrombin generation and fibrinolytic response after cardiac surgery.
Thrombin formation during cardiac surgery could result in disordered hemostasis and thrombosis. The aim of the study was to examine the effects of aprotinin and tranexamic acid on thrombin generation and fibrinolytic activity in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Data were collected prospectively from 60 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). In a randomized sequence, 20 patients received aprotinin, 20 patients received tranexamic acid, and in 20 patients placebo was used. Significant thrombin activity was found in all the studied patients. Thrombin generation was less in the aprotinin group than in the tranexamic acid and the placebo group (thrombin/anti-thrombin III complexes 33.7 +/- 3.6, 53.6 +/- 7.0 and 44.2 +/- 5.3 microg/l 2 h after CPB and F1 + 2 fragment 1.50 +/- 0.10, 2.37 +/- 0.37 and 2.04 +/- 0.20 nmol/l 6 h after surgery, respectively). The inhibition of fibrinolysis was significant with both anti-fibrinolytic drugs (D-dimers 0.427 +/- 0.032, 0.394 +/- 0.039 and 2.808 +/- 0.037 mg/l 2 h after CPB, respectively). The generation of d-dimers was inhibited until 16 h after CPB in the aprotinin group. The plasminogen activation was significantly less in the aprotinin group (plasmin/anti-plasmin complexes 0.884 +/- 0.095, 2.764 +/- 0.254 and 1.574 +/- 0.185 mg/l 2 h after CPB, respectively). Thrombin formation is inevitable in coronary artery bypass surgery when CPB is used. The suppression of fibrinolytic activity, either with aprotinin or with tranexamic acid interferes with the hemostatic balance as evaluated by biochemical markers. Further investigations are needed to define the role of hemostatic activation in ischemic complications associated with cardiac surgery.


Artificial intelligence algorithm for detecting myocardial infarction using six-lead electrocardiography.
Rapid diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI) using electrocardiography (ECG) is the cornerstone of effective treatment and prevention of mortality; however, conventional interpretation methods has low reliability for detecting MI and is difficulty to apply to limb 6-lead ECG based life type or wearable devices. We developed and validated a deep learning-based artificial intelligence algorithm (DLA) for detecting MI using 6-lead ECG. A total of 412,461 ECGs were used to develop a variational autoencoder (VAE) that reconstructed precordial 6-lead ECG using limb 6-lead ECG. Data from 9536, 1301, and 1768 ECGs of adult patients who underwent coronary angiography within 24 h from each ECG were used for development, internal and external validation, respectively. During internal and external validation, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of the DLA with VAE using a 6-lead ECG were 0.880 and 0.854, respectively, and the performances were preserved by the territory of the coronary lesion. Our DLA successfully detected MI using a 12-lead ECG or a 6-lead ECG. The results indicate that MI could be detected not only with a conventional 12 lead ECG but also with a life type 6-lead ECG device that employs our DLA.


The adult clubfoot (congenital pes cavus).
Clubfoot occurs in approximately 1 of every 1000 live births, with multiple theories proposed regarding the cause. The pathologic anatomy of the adult clubfoot consists of four components (cavus, adductus, varus, and equinus) and the specific soft tissue and bony procedures indicated for correction depend completely on the constellation of residual deformity that may exist. If the patient was successfully treated at a younger age and has only limited deformity, all that may be required is symptomatic treatment or bracing. Flexible deformities may be treated with a combination of soft tissue procedures and osteotomies or limited fusions, which will not compromise the essential joints of the ankle, subtalar, and talonavicular joints. More rigid deformities require fusions with their associated functional loss, in an attempt to obtain a plantigrade foot.


Sleep deficiency as a driver of cellular stress and damage in neurological disorders.
Neurological disorders encompass an extremely broad range of conditions, including those that present early in development and those that progress slowly or manifest with advanced age. Although these disorders have distinct underlying etiologies, the activation of shared pathways, e.g., integrated stress response (ISR) and the development of shared phenotypes (sleep deficits) may offer clues toward understanding some of the mechanistic underpinnings of neurologic dysfunction. While it is incontrovertibly complex, the relationship between sleep and persistent stress in the brain has broad implications in understanding neurological disorders from development to degeneration. The convergent nature of the ISR could be a common thread linking genetically distinct neurological disorders through the dysregulation of a core cellular homeostasis pathway.


Rehydration characteristics of milk protein concentrate powders monitored by electrical resistance tomography.
Electrical resistance tomography (ERT) is a robust and low-cost method offering real-time visualization of processes. In this work, we developed an ERT-based method to characterize the rehydration behavior of milk protein concentrate (MPC) powders. Circular-type and linear configurations were used to achieve high resolution in the radial and axial directions, respectively. To evaluate the rehydration profile, MPC powders were reconstituted to 2.5% (wt/wt) total solids at room temperature, and the rehydration behavior of the MPC powders [MPC with 85% protein (MPC85) and milk protein isolate with 90% protein (MPI90)] was monitored for a dissolution time of 30 min using the ERT system. The MPC powders were characterized in terms of overall mean conductivity, area under the mean conductivity curve, slope at a dissolution time of 3 min, and the relative dissolution index. Additionally, the focus beam reflectance measurement (FBRM) was used as a reference method to follow rehydration characteristics. Particle count changes from the FBRM measurements showed that MPI90 had higher larger particle counts and more resistance to dispersing in water. As the dissolution time proceeded, mineral ions and proteins were released and consequently increased the overall conductivity, confirming the transfer of water into MPC particles. At lower protein contents, the particle dispersion rate was higher and an increase in overall mean conductivity was observed, indicating better powder dissolution. Both configurations were able to effectively monitor differences in the dissolution behavior of MPC powders. In the ERT circular configuration, MPC85 and MPI90 showed maximum conductivity of 0.201 ± 0.006 and 0.162 ± 0.001 mS/cm, respectively. In the linear probe configuration, MPC85 and MPI90 showed maximum conductivity of 0.161 ± 0.001 and 0.136 ± 0.001 mS/cm, respectively, suggesting increasingly inhibited water transfer as the protein content of the powder increased. In this study, we demonstrated the capability of ERT using the circular and linear probe configurations to offer, in addition to qualitative tomographic images, reliable quantitative data by which to characterize the dissolution behavior of high-protein dairy powders.


Higher Serum Asprosin Level is Associated with Urinary Albumin Excretion and Renal Function in Type 2 Diabetes.
We detected whether serum asprosin levels play a role in the occurrence and development of albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which has not been previously discussed. Based on urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR), 207 T2DM patients were divided into T2DM patients with normoalbuminuria (UACR<30 mg/g), microalbuminuria (30≤UACR<300 mg/g), and macroalbuminuria (UACR≥300 mg/g). Serum asprosin levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Comparatively, the serum asprosin levels in T2DM patient groups with macroalbuminuria [2.37 (1.63-3.57)] and microalbuminuria [2.10 (1.60-2.90)] were significantly increased than the normoalbuminuria group [1.59 (1.18-2.09)] (P<0.001). Importantly, the serum level of asprosin was positively correlated with UACR (r=0.304, P<0.001), creatinine (r=0.157, P=0.024), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (r=0.244, P<0.001), and negatively with glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (r=-0.159, P=0.022). Furthermore, multiple stepwise regression analyses showed that asprosin was significantly and independently related to UACR, BUN, DBP, and LDL-C (P<0.05). Besides, after adjustment for the confounders, the serum asprosin level was constantly and independently associated with the development of albuminuria in T2DM patients [OR (95% CI): 2.003 (1.37~2.928), P <0.001]. Obviously, the serum asprosin level was independently correlated with UACR in T2DM patients, which implies circulating asprosin may play an essential role in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy.


The tenacious brain: How the anterior mid-cingulate contributes to achieving goals.
Tenacity-persistence in the face of challenge-has received increasing attention, particularly because it contributes to better academic achievement, career opportunities and health outcomes. We review evidence from non-human primate neuroanatomy and structural and functional neuroimaging in humans suggesting that the anterior mid cingulate cortex (aMCC) is an important network hub in the brain that performs the cost/benefit computations necessary for tenacity. Specifically, we propose that its position as a structural and functional hub allows the aMCC to integrate signals from diverse brain systems to predict energy requirements that are needed for attention allocation, encoding of new information, and physical movement, all in the service of goal attainment. We review and integrate research findings from studies of attention, reward, memory, affect, multimodal sensory integration, and motor control to support this hypothesis. We close by discussing the implications of our framework for educational achievement, exercise and eating disorders, successful aging, and neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression and dementia.


Analysis of the positions of anterior teeth in orthodontically treated and untreated population: A proof of uniqueness.
To compare the uniqueness of human dentition in both orthodontically treated and untreated populations and evaluate the reliability of bitemark analysis. A total of 1464 maxillary and mandibular casts were fabricated from orthodontically treated and nontreated population. After careful examination of the study teeth, 326 nontreated maxillary cast (Group 1), 333 nontreated mandibular cast (Group 2), 336 orthodontically treated maxillary cast (Group 3), and 320 orthodontically treated mandibular casts (Group 4) were selected for the analysis. For uniformity, the sample size of 320 was selected from each group for comparison. The arch width was a major cause of variance. In Group 1, only 6.87% of similarity rate was seen, whereas in Group 3, the match rate increased to 55% showing similarity. In Group 2, only 1.87% similarity and Group 4 showed 42.7% match rate. The human dentition may be unique, but it loses its uniqueness once any dental treatment is carried out.


Association between persistent symptoms and long-term quality of life after laparoscopic total fundoplication.
We investigated which factors are significantly associated with long-term quality of life after laparoscopic total fundoplication in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Patients (n = 144) were given a standardized frequency-intensity symptoms questionnaire and the Short-Form 36 Health Survey for quality-of-life evaluation before and after laparoscopic total fundoplication. At follow-up evaluation (n = 102), patients had a significant reduction in their symptoms score and no deterioration in quality of life. A significant association with postoperative dysphagia for solids and/or liquids was found in the physical component summary score of the Short-Form 36 administered to patients postoperatively (P = .003). In this study, laparoscopic total fundoplication was a safe and effective surgical treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease, generally offering an improved long-term quality of life, with the exception of a minority of patients (6 of 102 patients; 5.8%) who experienced persistent severe dysphagia.


Accuracy of genomic selection for alfalfa biomass yield in different reference populations.
Genomic selection based on genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) data could accelerate alfalfa yield gains, if it displayed moderate ability to predict parent breeding values. Its interest would be enhanced by predicting ability also for germplasm/reference populations other than those for which it was defined. Predicting accuracy may be influenced by statistical models, SNP calling procedures and missing data imputation strategies. Landrace and variety material from two genetically-contrasting reference populations, i.e., 124 elite genotypes adapted to the Po Valley (sub-continental climate; PV population) and 154 genotypes adapted to Mediterranean-climate environments (Me population), were genotyped by GBS and phenotyped in separate environments for dry matter yield of their dense-planted half-sib progenies. Both populations showed no sub-population genetic structure. Predictive accuracy was higher by joint rather than separate SNP calling for the two data sets, and using random forest imputation of missing data. Highest accuracy was obtained using Support Vector Regression (SVR) for PV, and Ridge Regression BLUP and SVR for Me germplasm. Bayesian methods (Bayes A, Bayes B and Bayesian Lasso) tended to be less accurate. Random Forest Regression was the least accurate model. Accuracy attained about 0.35 for Me in the range of 0.30-0.50 missing data, and 0.32 for PV at 0.50 missing data, using at least 10,000 SNP markers. Cross-population predictions based on a smaller subset of common SNPs implied a relative loss of accuracy of about 25% for Me and 30% for PV. Genome-wide association analyses based on large subsets of M. truncatula-aligned markers revealed many SNPs with modest association with yield, and some genome areas hosting putative QTLs. A comparison of genomic vs. conventional selection for parent breeding value assuming 1-year vs. 5-year selection cycles, respectively, indicated over three-fold greater predicted yield gain per unit time for genomic selection. Genomic selection for alfalfa yield is promising, based on its moderate prediction accuracy, moderate value of cross-population predictions, and lack of sub-population structure. There is limited scope for searching individual QTLs with overwhelming effect on yield. Some of our results can contribute to better design of genomic selection experiments for alfalfa and other crops with similar mating systems.


The needs of hearing impaired children's parents who attend to auditory verbal therapy-counseling program.
Exploring the information and support needs of parents with hearing impairment in habilitation process. The effects of variables such as duration of hearing aid use and habilitation (duration of intervention) and the number of hearing impaired individuals in family are also considered during the evaluation. Sixty-five parents of children between 24 and 348 months of age (median: 80) participated in this study by returning the completed in The Family Needs Survey. Age at diagnosis of deafness varied from 1 to 84 months of age (median: 16). The duration of hearing aid use was 8-252 months (median: 24) and the duration of intervention was 2-176 months (median: 36). In view of the fact that the family dynamics might have effects on the type and amount of the needs of parents, the number of siblings (none, two or more siblings) and the presence of hearing impaired individuals apart from their child was also explored. The parental needs with regard to different topics such as general information, hearing loss, communication-services and educational resources, family and social support, childcare and community services, financial were evaluated separately. The needs of parents participating in a multi-dimensional Auditory-Verbal intervention program differed by their preferential demands. The duration of intervention was found significantly correlated with the amount of information needs related with other conditions their children may have, explaining their children's hearing problem to others, locating good baby-sitters and day-care programs for their children and transportation (p< or =0.05). It was also found that the long-termed continuing intervention generates additional psychotherapeutic, social and financial needs for the parents. No significant correlation was found between hearing impaired individuals existence with the type and amount of family needs (p>0.05). These findings support the positive effect of persistent and long-term Auditory-Verbal therapy and Counseling approach which incorporates parents as inalienable members in all rehabilitation process. Creating an adequate and appropriate educational environment by considering individualized needs and family dynamics in a long term and persistent Auditory-Verbal therapy and Counseling approach are all equally important. In addition to a team approach to management, with parents taking a major role in the habilitation process, and all these will lead to a much better outcome.


TRPV1 receptors augment basal synaptic transmission in CA1 and CA3 pyramidal neurons in epilepsy.
Temporal lobe epilepsy in human and animals is attributed to alterations in brain function especially hippocampus formation. Changes in synaptic activity might be causally related to the alterations during epileptogenesis. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) as one of the non-selective ion channels has been shown to be involved in synaptic transmission. However, the potential role of TRPV1 receptors in synaptic function in the epileptic brain needs to be elucidated. In the present study, we used quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), western blotting, and immunohistochemistry to assess hippocampal TRPV1 mRNA expression, protein content, and distribution. Moreover, the effects of pharmacologic activation and inhibition of TRPV1 receptors on the slope of evoked field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) were analyzed in CA1 and CA3 pyramidal neurons, after 3months of pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE). SE induced an upregulation of TRPV1 mRNA and protein content in the whole hippocampal extract, as well as its distribution in both CA1 and CA3 regions. Activation and inhibition of TRPV1 receptors (via capsaicin 1μM and capsazepine 10μM, respectively) did not influence basal synaptic transmission in CA1 and CA3 regions of control slices, however, capsaicin increased and capsazepine decreased synaptic transmission in both regions in tissues from epileptic animals. Taken together, these findings suggest that a higher expression of TRPV1 in the epileptic condition is accompanied by alterations in basal synaptic transmission.