The uptake of a fluorescently labelled antisense oligonucleotide in vitro and in vivo.
Antisense oligonucleotides have been used to target a range of different gene products in the CNS including neurotransmitter receptors. Previous studies using antisense oligonucleotides to target the rat alpha(2A/D)-adrenoceptor revealed changes in receptor expression in specific brain areas following i.c.v. administration but no reduction was observed following antisense treatment in primary cortical neurones. In order to resolve these discrepant results, the uptake and distribution of the antisense sequence has been determined. In vivo, the fluorescent signal was detected close to the site of injection (2-3 mm) and on the same side of the brain as the injection. Although the oligonucleotides (ODN) were distributed throughout the CSF, the ODN was not widely distributed within the mid or hindbrain parenchyma. In vitro uptake studies revealed the antisense was poorly taken up into primary cortical neurones but a higher level of fluorescence was detected in a small sub-population of cells. These studies demonstrate that antisense is rapidly taken up into cells in vivo but poorly taken up into primary cortical neurones in culture. These data provide further evidence for the uptake and distribution of antisense oligonucleotides in neuronal tissue in vivo.


Beware of Neurotoxins in Common Plants: Water Hemlock Poisoning Presenting as Convulsive Status Epilepticus.
Pediatric status epilepticus occurs in about 44/100.000 children per year with an unknown cause in about a third of patients. One cause can be the ingestion of plants containing toxins that target the central nervous system. Here we describe an ingestion of water hemlock resulting in a status epilepticus. We studied in detail the clinical, laboratory, electrophysiological, and radiological features of a patient with status epilepticus. A 9-year-old boy presented to the pediatric emergency department for sudden onset of nausea, vomiting, and status epilepticus approximately one hour after the patient had bitten into the root of a water plant in an inner-city park. Bilateral tonic-clonic seizures could only be terminated after administration of midazolam, lorazepam, and finally propofol. Cranial MRI, cerebrospinal fluid, and EEG findings were largely unremarkable. The ingested plant was identified as water hemlock through a detailed search with the help of a drawing issued by the patient with the help of the medical team. The specific toxicological analysis for water hemlock verified the presence of cicutoxin and cicudiol in the blood sample. The patient was discharged, levetiracetam was weaned off four weeks later, and he has remained seizure free since. Given the considerable percentage of cases of unknown etiology in new-onset pediatric status epilepticus, it is important to consider plant intoxication as a possible cause.


Overall Survival among Patients with Cancer and Pressure Injury and Its Association with Braden Scale Score.
Background: The overall survival (OS) of hospitalized cancer patients with pressure injury (PI) has not been studied in a large cohort. Objective: To assess risk factors associated with OS of hospitalized cancer patients with PI. Methods: After IRB approval, charts of 445 hospitalized cancer patients with PI were reviewed. Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the OS time and log-rank test was used to assess the association between OS and other variables. Results: Stage 1, 2, 3, 4, deep tissue injury, unstageable, and unknown stage were 79 (17.8%), 91 (20.4%), 24 (5.4%), 3 (0.7%), 144 (32.4%), 36 (8.1%), and 68 (15.3%), respectively. The OS rate is 55.3% at one month. OS is significantly associated with Braden Scale (BS) Score. The OS time is significantly shorter in patients with advanced disease. Conclusion: Cancer patients with PI have limited OS, especially those with ≤14 BS and advanced diseases.


The influence of tricuspid annuloplasty prostheses on ovine annular geometry and kinematics.
Surgical repair of functional tricuspid regurgitation is centered on annular reduction with artificial rings; however, the precise effect of prosthesis implantation on annular geometry, dynamics, and strain is unknown. Forty healthy sheep had sonomicrometry crystals implanted around the tricuspid annulus and onto right ventricle free wall. Ten animals underwent tricuspid annuloplasty with a flexible Duran AnCore ring (Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minn) (28 ± 1 mm), 10 with Contour 3D rigid ring (Medtronic) (29 ± 1 mm), 10 with hybrid Tri-Ad Adams band (Medtronic) (28 ± 1 mm), and 10 had no prosthesis (control group). Pressure sensors were inserted in the left ventricle, right ventricle, and right atrium. Data were acquired with open chest after weaning off cardiopulmonary bypass and hemodynamic stabilization. Annular area, global and regional contraction, height, and strain were calculated based on cubic spline fits to crystal locations. Tricuspid annular area contraction during the cardiac cycle was 11% ± 3% in the control group. The Contour 3D ring significantly impaired annular contraction (2% ± 1%) whereas the Duran AnCore ring and Tri-Ad Adams band (9% ± 3% and 8% ± 4%, respectively) permitted dynamic area change. Global perimeter reduction was 6% ± 1% in the control group and decreased in the Duran AnCore (3% ± 1%), Contour 3D (0.4% ± 0.2%), and Tri-Ad Adams (3% ± 1%) groups (all P values < .001 vs control). Annular height was 6.2 ± 2.0 mm in the control group, unchanged in the Contour 3D (4.9 ± 1.1 mm) but reduced in the Duran AnCore (3.1 ± 1.3 mm) and Tri-Ad Adams (3.1 ± 1.0 mm) groups (P < .001 Duran AnCore and Tri-Ad Adams vs control). Rings perturbed systolic global annular strain (control, 5.3% ± 1.8%; Duran AnCore, 2.3% ± 1.0%; Contour 3D, 0.6% ± 0.2%; and Tri-Ad Adams, -2.6% ± 0.7%) with Contour 3D inducing the biggest change (P < .05 vs other groups). In healthy ovine hearts, flexible and hybrid rings better preserved annular dynamics and strain, whereas the rigid ring maintained 3-dimensional geometry. These data may aid the design of optimal tricuspid annular prostheses and improve durability of valve repair.


Short communication: Tissue-specific transcript expression of P-glycoprotein isoforms abcb1a and abcb1b in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) following induction with clotrimazole.
P-glycoprotein (P-gp) plays a pivotal role in cellular defense, aimed at reducing xenobiotic accumulation. As a member of the ABC family of proteins, expression of this protein confers the multixenobiotic resistant (MXR) phenotype in aquatic organisms, including fish. To identify tissues protected by or contributing to the elimination of xenobiotics via P-gp, tissue-specific P-gp isoforms abcb1a and abcb1b transcript expression were measured in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Tissues investigated included the proximal and distal intestines, liver, head kidney, gills, gonads, and 5 regions of the brain: olfactory lobe, cerebrum, optic lobe, cerebellum and medulla. Abcb1a transcript was more widely expressed across tissues and generally showed higher transcript expression than abcb1b. Deviation from this trend occurred in the gills, cerebrum and head kidney, where transcript levels were relatively equal between abcb1a and abcb1b. Intestinal tissues had greater abcb1a expression than abcb1b (3 orders of magnitude). Abcb1b was absent from liver tissue indicating that abcb1a is relied upon for hepatic defense. This study suggests that abcb1b acts to protect sensitive organs from compounds in the systemic circulation (brain and gonad), whereas abcb1a acts primarily in an elimination role in organs such as liver and intestine. To determine if P-gp induction alters transcript responses, the antifungal mammalian Pregnane-X-Receptor (PXR) agonist clotrimazole (CTZ) was used. CTZ-treated rainbow trout showed significantly increased abcb1b transcript expression in the optic lobe and distal intestine, providing evidence that trout PXR exhibits a similar substrate base as mammalian PXR, albeit selectively in regions of the brain and intestine.


Improving EGSB reactor performance for simultaneous bioenergy and organic acid production from cheese whey via continuous biological H2 production.
To evaluate the influence of hydraulic retention time (HRT) and cheese whey (CW) substrate concentration (15 and 25 g lactose l-1) on the performance of EGSB reactors (R15 and R25, respectively) for H2 production. A decrease in the HRT from 8 to 4 h favored the H2 yield and H2 production rate (HPR) in R15, with maximum values of 0.86 ± 0.11 mmol H2 g COD-1 and 0.23 ± 0.024 l H2 h-1 l-1, respectively. H2 production in R25 was also favored at a HRT of 4 h, with maximum yield and HPR values of 0.64 ± 0.023 mmol H2 g COD-1 and 0.31 ± 0.032 l H2 h-1 l-1, respectively. The main metabolites produced were butyric, acetic and lactic acids. The EGSB reactor was evaluated as a viable acidogenic step in the two-stage anaerobic treatment of CW for the increase of COD removal efficiency and biomethane production.


Optimization of physico-chemical and membrane filtration processes to remove high molecular weight polymers from produced water in enhanced oil recovery operations.
Polymer flooding is an enhanced oil recovery technique to extract the large portion of leftover subsurface oil following conventional extraction methods. In the flooding process, a long-chain polymer, such as partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM), is added to the displacing fluid to increase the mobility and extraction of the oil phase. Nevertheless, the challenge of managing produced water from polymer flooding operations is high because residual HPAM results in significantly high viscosity and organic content in the stream. Commonly used methods for produced water treatment, such as gravity settling and flotation, cannot be applied to obtain a purified stream efficiently, while innovative techniques are not yet feasible in practical operations. In this work, a simple method of polymer precipitation prompted by divalent ions is evaluated, optimized, and compared to membrane ultrafiltration. The physico-chemical properties of the HPAM are investigated and polymer precipitation tests are conducted by varying the main operational parameters, including pH, salinity, temperature, calcium and/or magnesium concentration, and polymer concentration. Response surface developed by central composite design method is used to optimize the process and identify the correct dosage of divalent cations coagulants and pH, the two main factors promoting HPAM separation. The removal of HPAM is well-described and maximized (>85%) by the model, which is also validated on three synthetic samples representing real wastewaters from polymer flooding applications. Optimized ultrafiltration, using ceramic membranes with surface pore size of 15 kDa, also shows the ability to remove HPAM effectively from water, but the precipitation method seems to be more versatile and easier to apply. The two processes, precipitation and ultrafiltration, may potentially be used in sequence as they complement each other in several ways.


Capillary zone electrophoresis-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry for top-down characterization of the Mycobacterium marinum secretome.
Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with an electrokinetically pumped sheath-flow nanospray interface was coupled with a high-resolution Q-Exactive mass spectrometer for the analysis of culture filtrates from Mycobacterium marinum. We confidently identified 22 gene products from the wildtype M. marinum secretome in a single CZE-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) run. A total of 58 proteoforms were observed with post-translational modifications including signal peptide removal, N-terminal methionine excision, and acetylation. The conductivities of aqueous acetic acid and formic acid solutions were measured from 0.1% to 100% concentration (v/v). Acetic acid (70%) provided lower conductivity than 0.25% formic acid and was evaluated as low ionic-strength and a CZE-MS compatible sample buffer with good protein solubility.


Retracted: Research on the Evaluation Method of Enterprises' Independent Innovation Ability Based on Improved BP Neural Network and DQN Algorithm.
[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2022/8250879.].


Praziquantel treatment after Schistosoma japonicum infection maintains hepatic insulin sensitivity and improves glucose metabolism in mice.
Epidemiological studies in China have revealed that Schistosoma japonicum infection is inversely correlated with metabolic syndrome, even after repeated chemotherapy with praziquantel (PZQ). We investigated the effect of chronic S. japonicum infection, PZQ chemotherapy, and soluble egg antigen (SEA) treatment on whole-body metabolic homeostasis and hepatic insulin sensitivity in mouse models. Infection with S. japonicum was found to increase whole-body and hepatic insulin sensitivity in mice. PZQ chemotherapy significantly improved the physiological status of infected mice, maintaining Th2 immune-deviation and enhancing hepatic insulin sensitivity. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed positive correlations between anti-inflammatory cytokine expression and insulin signalling-related genes in the liver, as demonstrated by an in vitro stimulated hepatic cell line with IL-13 and IL-22. SEA treatment also improved the glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in Lepr db/db mice. This study indicated that chronic S. japonicum infection with PZQ chemotherapy and SEA treatment can regulate metabolic homeostasis and protect against metabolic syndrome by promoting Th2 and regulatory responses in the liver.


[Geriatric medicine in the academic world].
Acceptance of Geriatric Medicine in the academic world in Germany is still problematic. A WHO study on undergraduate training reveals a disastrous situation in Germany compared with other countries altogether and even in the subgroup "Old Population--Weak in Geriatric Education". This is due to the fact that there is little representation in universities and insufficient integration in training curricula. Subsequently research in Geriatric Medicine in Germany still needs to be increased. Academic acceptance is also reflected by positioning in the postgraduate training rules. In contrast to the opinion of specialists in national and international boards Geriatric Medicine is mostly implemented as sub-/supraspecialty with inadequately shortened duration of specialised training and requirements for the start of specialised training that lead to a shortage of Geriatric Specialists. European recommendations on duration and contents are followed only in two regional chambers. These would enable the specialty of Geriatric Medicine either as a lone-standing specialty or within the common trunk Internal Medicine.


Substrate Interaction Networks of the Escherichia coli Chaperones: Trigger Factor, DnaK and GroEL.
In the dense cellular environment, protein misfolding and inter-molecular protein aggregation compete with protein folding. Chaperones associate with proteins to prevent misfolding and to assist in folding to the native state. In Escherichia coli, the chaperones trigger factor, DnaK/DnaJ/GrpE, and GroEL/ES are the major chaperones responsible for insuring proper de novo protein folding. With multitudes of proteins produced by the bacterium, the chaperones have to be selective for their substrates. Yet, chaperone selectivity cannot be too specific. Recent biochemical and high-throughput studies have provided important insights highlighting the strategies used by chaperones in maintaining proteostasis in the cell. Here, we discuss the substrate networks and cooperation among these protein folding chaperones.


Electrophysiological evidence for interhemispheric connections in the anterior ectosylvian sulcus in the cat.
We report electrophysiological data regarding the contribution of the corpus callosum to visual responses in the cortex around the anterior ectosylvian sulcus (AES). The experiments were performed in cats in which the optic input from each eye was surgically restricted to the ipsilateral hemisphere (split-chiasm cats), and where neuronal responses to stimulation of the contralateral eye were mediated by interhemispheric connections. A very high proportion of cells were driven by stimuli presented to either eye indicating that they were activated not only through an intrahemispheric pathway from the ipsilateral eye, but also through an interhemispheric pathway from the contralateral eye. With few exceptions, both receptive fields (RFs) of each binocular neuron abutted or were in the vicinity of the vertical meridian. All neurons responded well to moving stimuli and most of them showed directional selectivity. A few cells were activated by stimuli moving in depth. Following an additional section of the posterior half of the corpus callosum, cells in AES responded only to stimulation of the ipsilateral eye, demonstrating thus that the input from the contralateral eye was conveyed by this part of the corpus callosum. By contrast following a section of the anterior half of the corpus callosum, all visually responsive AES neurons were binocularly activated. These results suggest that the interhemispheric visual input to this ectosylvian region is conveyed via a polysynaptic loop involving visual cortical areas that are connected through the posterior portion of the corpus callosum.


Occupational Safety and Health in a Community of Shellfish Divers: A Community-Based Participatory Approach.
In artisanal fishing communities in Chile, the access to occupational safety and health (OSH) is limited by factors such as the informality of employment. Our objective was to analyze the working and health conditions of workers in a coastal town in Southern Chile, under a community-based participatory approach. We carried out two independent social dialogue workshops within the community. The first one (N of participants = 25) was aimed to identify the strengths, weaknesses and challenges for preventing decompression sickness among divers. The second workshop (N of participants = 10) was set to identify the work processes and to map the occupational risks during seafood harvesting and processing in the community. Community members' training for handling and preventing decompression sickness among divers, and the collaboration between a local health representative, stakeholders and authorities, were identified as contributing factors in reducing fatalities and sequels among divers in the past. Technology and safety on board the vessels, training of healthcare personnel in OSH, and access to health programs, were identified as remaining challenges. Through risk mapping, the participants identified the relationship between working and health conditions in the community, reinforcing the necessity of improving access to health and social security. The community participation in identifying and analyzing working and health conditions could be the first step for a strategy to address OSH through primary health care in rural communities. Community empowerment and involvement in action plans, training on basic OSH for health care workers, and public policies are required.


Behavioural thermoregulation linked to foraging in blue sharks.
Large pelagic fishes often dive and surface repeatedly as if they were airbreathers, raising a question about the functions of these movements. Some species (e.g., bigeye tuna, ocean sunfish) apparently alternate foraging in deep cold waters and rewarming in shallow warm waters. However, it is unclear how prevalent this pattern is among species. Blue sharks are the widest-ranging pelagic shark with expanded vertical niches, providing a model for studying foraging-thermoregulation associations. We used electronic tags, including video cameras, to record the diving behaviour, muscle temperature, and foraging events of two blue sharks. During repeated deep dives (max. 422 m), muscle temperature changed more slowly than ambient water temperature. Sharks shifted between descents and ascents before muscle temperature reached ambient temperature, leading to a narrower range (8 °C) of muscle temperature than ambient temperature (20 °C). 2.5-h video footage showed a shark catching a squid, during which a burst swimming event was recorded. Similar swimming events, detected from the entire tag data (20 - 22 h), occurred over a wide depth range (5 - 293 m). We conclude that, instead of alternating foraging and rewarming, blue sharks at our study site forage and thermoregulate continuously in the water column. Furthermore, our comparative analyses showed that the heat exchange rates of blue sharks during the warming and cooling process were not exceptional among fishes for their body size. Thus, behavioural thermoregulation linked to foraging, rather than enhanced abilities to control heat exchange rates, is likely key to the expanded thermal niches of this ectothermic species. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00227-021-03971-3.


A Phase 1 Study to Evaluate the Pharmacokinetics and Safety of Cabotegravir in Patients With Hepatic Impairment and Healthy Matched Controls.
Cabotegravir is an investigational integrase inhibitor in development for the treatment and pre-exposure prophylaxis of HIV-1 infection. Liver disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected individuals and can impact the pharmacokinetics (PK) of HIV medications. This phase 1 study evaluated the PK of cabotegravir in individuals with moderate hepatic impairment (n = 8) versus healthy controls (n = 8). Participants received a single oral cabotegravir 30-mg tablet and underwent PK sampling to determine total and unbound plasma cabotegravir concentrations. Calculated geometric least-squares mean ratios (90% confidence intervals) for individuals with hepatic impairment versus healthy controls were 0.73 (0.50-1.06) for AUC0-∞ , 0.69 (0.51-0.93) for Cmax , 1.40 (0.80-2.46) for unbound concentration (CU) 2 hours postdose, 1.55 (0.82-2.94) for CU at 24 hours, 2.14 (1.57-2.90) for unbound fraction (FU) at 2 hours, and 1.90 (1.14-3.18) for FU at 24 hours. Adverse events (AEs) occurred in 2 individuals with hepatic impairment and 3 healthy controls and were grade 1/2 in severity. No participant discontinued because of AEs. Increased FU resulted in a modest decrease in total plasma exposure not considered clinically relevant. We conclude that cabotegravir may be administered without dose adjustment in patients with mild to moderate hepatic impairment.


Cell-free synthesis of hemocyanin from the scorpion Androctonus australis. Characterization of the translation products by monospecific antisera.
Translation of Androctonus australis poly(A)-RNA in vitro led to a number of polypeptides products (8-10) of 70-73 kDa analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and identified by immunoprecipitation with an anti-(dissociated hemocyanin) antiserum. The translated hemocyanin polypeptides have the same physico-chemical characteristics as authentic hemocyanin subunits. Subunits Aa 2 and Aa 4 have been identified with monospecific antisera characterized (a) by their capability of reacting with their homologous subunit and (b) by their inability of binding to cross-reacting subunits. Each polypeptide chain is coded by a different messenger without significant post-translational events. Hemocyanin could be detected among the translation products of the poly(A)-RNA isolated from the cuticle under the carapace.


Evidence for a novel phosphopantetheinyl transferase domain in the polyketide synthase for enediyne biosynthesis.
The polyketide synthase associated with the biosynthesis of enediyne-containing calicheamicin contains a putative phosphopantetheinyl transferase (PPTase) domain. By cloning and expressing the C-terminal region of the polyketide synthase and in vitro phosphopantetheinylation assay, we found that the PPTase domain exhibits preferred substrate specificity towards acyl and peptidyl carrier proteins in fatty acid and non-ribosomal peptide synthesis over its cognate partner. We also found evidence suggesting that the PPTase domain adopts a pseudo-trimeric structure, distinct from the pseudo-dimeric structure of type II PPTases. The results revealed a novel type of PPTase with unique structure and substrate specificity, and suggested that the polyketide synthase probably acquired the PPTase domain from a primary metabolic pathway in evolution.


Distribution of tachykinin- and enkephalin-immunoreactive fibers in the human thalamus.
Sections at regular intervals through the human thalamus and alternating with those used for histochemical and cytoarchitectonic analysis in the companion paper, were stained immunocytochemically with a monoclonal antibody that recognizes tachykinins, including substance P, and with an antiserum against metenkephalin-arg-gly-leu (MERGL). Immunoreactivity for both types of molecule is found in fiber systems that enter the thalamus: (a) anteromedially, from the hypothalamus and prethalamic regions; (b) posterolaterally, from the midbrain tegmentum. No immunoreactive somata were observed in the thalamus. The chief nuclei in which dense, apparently terminal, ramifications of both sets of immunoreactive fibers are found include the posterior complex (Po, L and Sg), the intralaminar nuclei except the centre median, and a small nucleus tentatively identified as the nucleus submedius. It is significant that many of these nuclei have been implicated in pain phenomena, that most of them receive spinothalamic inputs, and that spinal cells at the origins of the tract are immunoreactive for substance P or metenkephalin. This study provides further evidence for the close similarity between nuclear delineation in the human and monkey thalami.


Factors related to patients' nutritional state after orthognathic surgery.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate patients' nutritional state after orthognathic surgery. The subjects were 40 female patients with dentofacial deformity aged 17-33 years who were undergoing bilateral sagittal splitting ramus osteotomy. Twenty patients were treated with intermaxillary fixation, and 20 patients were treated without intermaxillary fixation. Age and body mass index (kg/m2) were assessed as physical factors, operation time, blood loss, and amount of mandibular movement with or without intermaxillary fixation were assessed as operation stress factors, and the following laboratory data, total protein, serum albumin, total cholesterol, total lymphocytes, and cholinesterase were assessed as nutritional state factors at 1 and 2 weeks after surgery. Statistical analysis was performed for body weight loss and relationship between body weight loss and examination factors. Body weight significantly decreased 2.3% at 1 week and 3.9% at 2 weeks after surgery rather than preoperation. All laboratory data except total lymphocyte were decreased at 1 week after surgery and still remained significantly decreased at 2 weeks after surgery. There was a statistically significant relationship between body weight loss at 1 week after surgery and operation time. These results indicate that long operation time caused body weight loss in orthognathic surgery.


Cervical Stabilization in Patients with Instability Resulting from Osteoradionecrosis with Subsequent Spondylodiscitis After Radiotherapeutic Treatment for Head- and Neck Carcinoma.
High dose of radiation to bone may cause necrosis. Osteoradionecrosis of the cervical vertebrae is a rare adverse event of radiotherapy in patients treated for head and neck cancer. The risk on osteoradionecrosis will increase with doses exceeding 60 Gy. Minimal trauma of the overlying mucosa of the heavily irradiated cervical spine causes subsequent infections or instability may cause neck pain and severe neurological disability. In four patients the cervical spine received up to 100 Gy due to reirradiation. Clinically the patients presented with neck pain. All patients had defects in the pharyngeal posterior wall and cervical instability due to osteoradionecrosis of several cervical vertebrae. Despite optimal conservative treatment the patients developed sensory and motor function loss of the upper extremities. Laminectomies were performed and the cervical spine was stabilized. The pharyngeal posterior wall defects could not be reconstructed. All patients received lifelong antibiotic treatment. Pain and neurological deficits declined after surgery and initiating antibiotics. Eventually all patients could take up their daily activities. Three patients died between 6 months and 2 years after surgery. The cause of death was not related to the osteoradionecrosis. In case of cervical osteoradionecrosis, with secondary infections, stability of the spine should be restored even when the integrity of the pharyngeal posterior wall cannot be restored. Our cases demonstrate that even when an anterior approach is impossible, due to irradiation changed tissue structures of the pharyngeal posterior wall, a combination of lifelong antibiotic treatment and posterior stabilization is a good alternative. The vertebrae affected by osteoradionecrosis and secondary infection can be left in situ. This intervention leads to improvement in quality of life.


Investigation of the strontium (Sr(II)) adsorption of an alginate microsphere as a low-cost adsorbent for removal and recovery from seawater.
In this paper, we investigated alginate microspheres as a low-cost adsorbent for strontium (Sr(II)) removal and recovery from seawater. Alginate microspheres have demonstrated a superior adsorption capacity for Sr(II) ions (≈110 mg/g). A Freundlich isotherm model fits well with the Sr(II) adsorption of an alginate microsphere. The mechanism of Sr(II) adsorption is inferred as an ion exchange reaction with Ca(II) ions. The effects of the solution pH and co-existing ions in seawater are also investigated. Except for a pH of 1-2, Sr(II) adsorption capacity is not affected by pH. However, increasing the seawater concentration of metal cations seriously decreases Sr(II) uptake. In particular, highly concentrated (15,000 mg/L) Na(I) ions significantly interfere with Sr(II) adsorption. Sr(II) desorption was performed using 0.1 M HCl and CaCl2. Both regenerants show an excellent desorption efficiency, but the FTIR spectrum reveals that the chemical structure of the microsphere is destroyed after repeated use of HCl. Conversely, CaCl2 successfully desorbed Sr(II) without damage, and the Sr(II) adsorption capacity does not decrease after three repeated uses. The alginate microsphere was also applied to the adsorption of Sr(II) in a real seawater medium. Because of inhibition by co-existing ions, the Sr(II) adsorption capacity was decreased and the adsorption rate was retarded compared with D.I. water. Although the Sr(II) adsorption capacity was decreased, the alginate microsphere still exhibited 17.8 mg/g of Sr(II) uptake in the seawater medium. Considering its excellent Sr(II) uptake in seawater and its reusability, an alginate microsphere is an appropriate cost-effective adsorbent for the removal and recovery of Sr(II) from seawater.


Oxygen-derived free radicals mediate endothelium-dependent contractions to acetylcholine in aortas from spontaneously hypertensive rats.
Experiments were designed to investigate whether or not oxygen-derived free radicals mediate endothelium-dependent contractions to acetylcholine in the aorta of spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). Isometric tension was measured in aortic rings taken from adult male SHR and Wistar-Kyoto rat (WKY) in the presence of NG-nitro-L-arginine. Endothelium-dependent contractions to acetylcholine were significantly greater in rings from SHR compared to WKY. Oxygen-derived free radicals, generated from xanthine plus xanthine oxidase, induced contractions that were larger in aortas from SHR than from WKY. Contractions to acetylcholine and free radicals were abolished by a selective TP-receptor antagonist, S 18886, and a preferential inhibitor of cyclo-oxygenase-1, valeryl salicylate, but not by a preferential inhibitor of cyclo-oxygenase-2, NS-398. Allopurinol, deferoxamine and the combination of superoxide dismutase plus catalase inhibited the contractions to oxygen-derived free radicals but did not significantly affect those to acetylcholine. In contrast, diethyldithiocarbamic acid, an inhibitor of superoxide dismutase, or Tiron, a scavenger of superoxide anion, reduced endothelium-dependent contractions to acetylcholine in aortas from SHR. The effect of these two drugs was additive. In SHR chronically treated with dimethylthiourea endothelium-dependent contractions to acetylcholine were decreased, and reduced further by acute in vitro exposure to deferoxamine or the combination of superoxide dismutase plus catalase. These results suggest that in the SHR aorta acetylcholine-induced endothelium-dependent contractions involve endothelial superoxide anion production and the subsequent dismutation into hydroxyl radicals and/or hydrogen peroxide. The free radicals activate cyclo-oxygenase-1, most likely to produce endoperoxides. Activation of TP-receptors is required to observe endothelium-dependent contractions to acetylcholine or endothelium-independent contractions in response to free radical generation.


A hydrophobic three-dimensionally networked boron-doped diamond electrode towards electrochemical oxidation.
A boron-doped diamond electrode with a three-dimensional network was fabricated on a mesh titanium substrate. Properties such as higher surface area, enhanced mass transfer and a hydrophobic surface endowed the prepared electrode with excellent electrochemical oxidation ability towards contaminants.


Effects of traxanox sodium on blood pressure and serum uric acid in hypertensive patients: a preliminary study.
The effects of chronic administration of traxanox sodium (traxanox) on blood pressure and serum uric acid level were investigated in 15 patients who had mild to moderate hypertension. Traxanox or its placebo was orally administered in a single-blind protocol. Blood pressure was significantly reduced from baseline after treatment with traxanox. The serum uric acid level after drug administration was significantly lower than with placebo whereas urinary uric acid excretion was significantly greater and uric acid clearance tended to be greater. These results indicate that chronic administration of traxanox reduces serum uric acid level as well as blood pressure in patients with mild to moderate hypertension. This reduction in serum uric acid is due in part to a traxanox-induced elevation of urinary uric acid excretion.


Phosphoglycerate kinase and fructose bisphosphate aldolase of Candida albicans as new antigens recognized by human salivary IgA.
Candida albicans is an opportunistic dimorphic fungus commonly present in the human oral cavity that causes infections in immunocompromised patients. The antigen variability, influenced by growth conditions, is a pathogenicity factor. To determine the effect of nutritional and heat stress on the antigen expression of C. albicans, and to identify major antigens recognized by human salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA). Under various different nutritional conditions, heat shock was induced in C. albicans cells in stationary and exponential growth phases. The expression of protein determinants of C. albicans was assessed by Western blot analysis against human saliva. The antigens were purified and characterized by two-dimensional electrophoresis and identified by protein microsequencing. Five antigens recognized by salivary IgA were characterized as mannoproteins due to their reactivity with concanavalin A. They did not show reactivity with anti-heat shock protein monoclonal antibodies. Two of them (42 and 36 kDa) were found to be regulated by heat shock and by nutritional stress and they were identified as phosphoglycerate kinase and fructose bisphosphate aldolase, respectively. These glycolytic enzymes are major antigens of C. albicans, and their differential expression and recognition by the mucosal immune response system could be involved in protection against oral infection.


Production of paclitaxel-loaded PEG-b-PLA micelles using PEG for drug loading and freeze-drying.
A new approach named PEG-assist is introduced for the production of drug-loaded polymeric micelles. The method is based on the use of PEG as the non-selective solvent for PEG-b-PLA in the fabrication procedure. Both hydration temperature and PEG molecular weight are shown to have a significant effect on the encapsulation efficiency of PTX in PEG4kDa-b-PLA2kDa micelles. The optimal procedure for fabrication includes the use of PEG1kDa as the solvent at 60 °C, cooling the mixture to 40 °C, hydration at 40 °C, freezing at -80 °C and freeze-drying at -35 °C, 15 Pa. No significant difference (p > 0.05) in PTX encapsulation, average particle size and polydispersity index is observed between the samples before freeze-drying and after reconstitution of the freeze-dried cake. The prepared PTX formulations are stable at room temperature for at least 8 h. Scaling the batch size to 25× leads to no significant change (p > 0.05) in PTX encapsulation, average particle size and polydispersity index. PEG-assist method is applicable to other drugs such as 17-AAG, and copolymers of varied molecular weights. The use of no organic solvent, simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency makes PEG-assist a very promising approach for large scale production of drug-loaded polymeric micelles.


Is There a Typical Doppler Pattern in Patients With Apical Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy With Aneurysm?
Nineteen consecutive patients with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and apical aneurysm underwent a comprehensive echo-Doppler including continuous wave Doppler at midventricular level. Three different flow patterns, pattern A (more frequent), pattern B, and pattern C, and expression of different intracavitary pressure gradients were defined. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.).


Three new species of Scolytoplatypus Schaufuss from China, and notes on the movement and functions of the prosternal processes (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae).
Three new species from China (Yunnan), Scolytoplatypus costatus Gebhardt Beaver, S. geminus Gebhardt Beaver and S. peniculatus Gebhardt Beaver, are described and compared with related species of the genus. The male prosternum of Asian Scolytoplatypus species shows species-specific characters, and frequently bears a pair of processes on or close to the anterior margin. We comment here for the first time on the movement of the processes and their likely functions, and survey their occurrence in Asian species of Scolytoplatypus.


Unblock of the slow inward current induces the arrhythmogenic transient inward current in isolated guinea-pig myocytes.
This study investigated whether abrupt changes in extracellular Ca2+ concentration or washout of the Ca2+ antagonists Mn2+ or verapamil, could induce transient inward current (ITI) in enzymatically disaggregated guinea-pig myocytes. Single electrode voltage-clamp techniques were used. ITI was elicited upon repolarization to various voltage steps from an activating step to +20 mV. The holding potential was -80 mV. Slow inward current (ICa) was induced by steps to -10 mV. Continuous exposure to either 2.5 or 6.0 mM Ca2+ did not induce ITI; however, following exposure of cells to 0.5 mM Ca2+ for 20 min which decreased ICa, return to 2.5 or 6.0 mM Ca2+ induced ITI. ITI could be observed for 10 to 20 min following sudden elevations of Ca2+. Similar effects also were seen when Ca2+ was increased from 2.5 to 6.0 mM. Exposure to 2.0 mM Mn2+ or 2.0 microM verapamil blocked ICa. Washout of either blocker induced ITI, particularly in 6.0 mM Ca2+. Peak ITI occurred upon repolarization at c. -70 mV; a reversal potential could not be demonstrated. Thus, abrupt changes in Ca2+ influx, produced either by sudden changes in external Ca2+ or by washout of Ca2+ antagonists, induced ITI with characteristics similar to those described for ITI induced by toxic concentrations of cardiac glycosides.


General principles of retrovirus vector design.
An understanding in the life cycle of γ-retroviruses has led to significant progress in the development of murine leukemia virus (MLV)-based vectors for gene delivery and human gene therapy. An MLV-based vector consists of the cis-acting sequences important for viral replication and gene expression. The sequence that encodes viral proteins is replaced with the gene of interest. To generate infectious retroviral vectors, viral-encoded proteins are supplied in trans for virion assembly. Here, we describe a method to rapidly generate MLV vectors from transiently transfected human 293T cells. The strategies to purify and titer the vector and to detect the presence of replication competent retrovirus (RCR) in the vector harvest are also described.


[Food- and water- intake, urinary and fecal output, and urinalysis in the wild-originated cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) under the indoor individually-caged conditions].
Daily food- and water- intake, and urinary and fecal output were determined with 253 wild-originated cynomolgus monkeys kept in individual cages. In addition, urinalysis was done for freshly collected urine. A statistically significant correlation was observed between total water intake and urinary output as well as between urinary output and urinary specific gravity (p less than 0.01).


Purification and characterization of a lectin with antiproliferative activity toward cancer cells from the dried fruit bodies of Lactarius flavidulus.
The isolation of a dimeric 29.8-kDa lectin (LFL) from dried Lactarius flavidulus fruit bodies is reported herein. The chromatographic procedure utilized comprised anion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, cation-exchange chromatography on CM-cellulose, anion-exchange chromatography on SP-Sepharose, and gel filtration by fast protein liquid chromatography on Superdex 75. The hemagglutinating activity of LFL was inhibited by a variety of simple sugars, such as lactose, p-nitrophenyl α-D-glucopyranoside, p-nitrophenyl β-D-glucopyranoside and inositol, and by the polysaccharide inulin. The activity of LFL was stable up to 40°C. There was a precipitous drop in activity when the temperature was elevated to 50°C. Hemagglutinating activity was retained when LFL was exposed to 6.25-12.5 mM HCl and NaOH. The activity was potently inhibited by Fe(2+) and Fe(3+) ions, and slightly inhibited by Al(3+) and Mn(2+) ions. LFL suppressed the proliferation of hepatoma (HepG2) and leukemic (L1210) cells with an IC(50) of 8.90 and 6.81 μM, respectively. It inhibited the activity of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT) with an IC(50) of 5.68 μM. However, LFL did not exhibit antifungal activity.


Simultaneous dynamic R2 R2', and R2* measurement using periodic π pulse shifting multiecho asymmetric spin echo sequence moving estimation strategy: A feasibility study for lower extremity muscle.
The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of simultaneous dynamic R2 , R2', and R2* measurement of lower extremity muscle by means of a new method in which the periodic π pulse shifting multiecho asymmetric spin echo (psMASE) sequence is adopted together with a moving estimation (ME) strategy. The psMASE sequence is a modification of the multiecho asymmetric spin echo sequence determined by shifting the 180 ° refocusing pulse periodically. ME strategy is introduced to improve the temporal resolution of the simultaneous dynamic measurement of R2 , R2', and R2*. Reproducibility measurements and comparison with reference methods were conducted. Furthermore, this method was tested on 10 healthy volunteers with the dynamic imaging of lower extremity muscles during a cuff occlusion release paradigm. Both phantom and in vivo comparisons demonstrated that psMASE-ME-based R2 and R2* had good agreement with those calculated by multiecho spin echo and gradient echo sequences. Scan-rescan tests showed good reproducibility. Moreover, muscle R2 , R2', and R2* increased obviously from rest to cuff occlusion and decreased significantly after cuff release. It is feasible to obtain high temporally resolved R2 , R2', and R2* simultaneously with the proposed psMASE-ME method. Magn Reson Med 77:766-773, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.


Evaluating the impact of gabapentinoids on sleep health in patients with chronic neuropathic pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Chronic neuropathic pain (NP) is debilitating and impacts sleep health and quality of life. Treatment with gabapentinoids (GBs) has been shown to reduce pain, but its effects on sleep health have not been systematically evaluated. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the relationship between GB therapy dose and duration on sleep quality, daytime somnolence, and intensity of pain in patients with NP. Subgroup comparisons were planned for high- vs low-dose GBs, where 300 mg per day or more of pregabalin was used to classify high-dose therapy. Trial data were segregated by duration less than 6 weeks and 6 weeks or greater. Twenty randomized controlled trials were included. Primary outcome measures included pain-related sleep interference and incidence of daytime somnolence. Secondary outcomes included daily pain scores (numerical rating scale 0-10) and patient global impression of change. Significant improvement in sleep quality was observed after 6 weeks of GB treatment when compared with placebo (standardized mean difference 0.39, 95% confidence interval 0.32-0.46 P < 0.001). Increased daytime somnolence was observed among all GB-treated groups when compared with placebo. Treated patients were also more likely to report improvement of patient global impression of change scores. Pain scores decreased significantly in patients both after 6 weeks of treatment (P < 0.001) and in trials less than 6 weeks (P = 0.017) when compared with placebo. Our data demonstrate that GBs have a positive impact on sleep health, quality of life, and pain in patients with NP syndromes. However, these benefits come at the expense of daytime somnolence.


Involvement of ACTH and MSH in active and passive avoidance behavior.
Intracerebroventricular injection of antiserum to alpha--MSH induces a weak reduction of passive avoidance latencies after administration prior to retention testing. Administration of antiserum to ACTH 1--24 induces a more marked effect in this respect, whereas injection of a combination of these antisera results in the strongest reduction of passive avoidance retention. No effect of this treatment is observed when these antisera are injected immediately after the learning trial. In active avoidance behavior a facilitation of extinction of the response is observed after intracerebroventricular administration of the antisera prior to each extinction session. This effect is comparable with the one observed in passive avoidance behavior. From these data it is suggested that ACTH and alpha-MSH play an important role in processes related to the retrieval of information stored in the brain.


Acral synovial chondrosarcoma.
Acral chondrosarcoma is rare. Synovial chondrosarcoma is even rarer. Synovial chondrosarcoma arising without evidence of pre-existing or concurrent synovial chondromatosis is exceedingly rare. We present a case of acral synovial chondrosarcoma involving both sides of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb in a 69-year-old man. Radiographically, the lesion mimicked gout. On MR imaging, the lobulated contours of the soft tissue mass suggested synovial chondromatosis. Histological examination revealed a chondrosarcoma, which on the basis of imaging findings we present as having arisen from the synovium. The tumor invaded a portion of the cartilage of the metacarpophalangeal joint and equally destroyed the bones of the distal metacarpal and base of the proximal phalanx of the thumb, while sparing the bony joint surfaces.


Evaluating pedestrian vehicle interaction dynamics at un-signalized intersections: A proactive approach for safety analysis.
The present research demonstrates the use of advanced trajectory based data to analyze road user interactions at an un-signalized intersection under heterogeneous traffic complexities. This study demonstrates an improvement over the conventional grid-based analysis to estimate surrogate safety measures (SSM). An advanced pattern-based approach to categorize pedestrian-vehicle interactions based on the road user behavior is proposed in the study. A concept of a two-interaction pattern has been applied, which deals with the responsive and non -responsive behavior of the road users, respectively. The behavior-based patterns were categorized based on the SSM like Speed, Time to Collision, and Gap Time profiles of the pedestrian and vehicle interacting on an un-signalized intersection. On conducting a variable importance test, i.e., k-fold test, it was comprehended that, for pattern-1, Time to collision (TTC), and for pattern-2 both TTC and Post Encroachment Time (PET) were showing required importance. Further, Import Vector Machine (IVM) approach was used to classify the severity levels based on selected indicators computed from 1486 events, occurring at three Un-Signalized intersections in India. The proposed severity levels will help to test and evaluate various infrastructure and control improvements for making urban intersections safe for road users. It was observed from the severity levels of both the patterns that, events involving non-evasive behavior can also result in critical interaction. Overall, the research provides an advanced framework for evaluating and improving the safety of the uncontrolled intersections.


Evaluation of how a curriculum change in nurse education was managed through the application of a business change management model: A qualitative case study.
Curriculum changes are a regular feature of nurse education, yet little is known about how such changes are managed. Research in this arena is yet to emerge. Evaluation of how a curriculum change in nurse education was managed through the application of a business change management model. A qualitative case study: the single case was the new curriculum, the Primary Care Pathway. One executive, three senior managers, two academics and nineteen students participated in this study in one faculty of health and social care in a higher education institution. The findings suggest that leadership was pivotal to the inception of the programme and guiding teams managed the change and did not take on a leadership role. The vision for the change and efforts to communicate it did not reach the frontline. Whilst empowerment was high amongst stakeholders and students, academics felt dis-empowered. Short-term wins were not significant in keeping up the momentum of change. The credibility of the change was under challenge and the concept of the new programme was not yet embedded in academia. Differences between the strategic and operational part of the organisation surfaced with many challenges occurring at the implementation stage. The business change model used was valuable, but was found to not be applicable during curriculum changes in nurse education. A new change model emerged, and a tool was developed alongside to aid future curriculum changes.


Self-reported sexually-transmitted infections and criminal justice involvement among women who use drugs.
Women involved in the criminal justice system in the United States have high rates of sexually transmitted infections (STI). It is unknown whether criminal justice involvement is a marker for other risk behavior, such as sex exchange or drug use, or criminal justice involvement itself increases risk directly. This study examines the relationship between STI and the frequency and duration of arrest, probation, and incarceration in a sample of women who use drugs (n = 394) in Oakland, California who reported having been tested for STI in the past six months. Logistic regression models of STI using criminal justice measures as independent variables were used, and subsequent estimates were adjusted for demographics, sex exchange, specific drugs used, and number of sexual partners. Any time spent in jail in the past year was associated with higher odds of recent STI (UOR = 2.28, 95%CI [1.41-3.51]), and short incarcerations (2-3 weeks) in jail most substantially increased the odds of an STI diagnosis (UOR = 7.65, 95%CI [1.03, 56.68]). Arrest and probation were not significantly associated with STI. After adjusting for the covariates, particularly sex exchange and opioid use, none of the criminal justice-related variables were significantly associated with STI. A substantial portion of the increased risk of STI that is associated with criminal justice involvement for women who use drugs is likely due to sex exchange. Longitudinal studies are needed to temporally separate criminal justice exposures, drug use, sex exchange, and STI outcomes.


[The assessment of the regularity of the nephron anlage tubule formation on the basis of provisionality principle].
The study of the definitive kidneys of 94 human embryos and fetuses at 4.5 to 12 weeks of gestation, has demonstrated that the formation of the proximal nephron tubules resulted from the cellular proliferation in the area of transition of the capsule of the renal corpuscle into the tubular part of the nephron that occurs only after the completion of the segregation of the renal corpuscle and the distal tubule within the nephron anlage. The formation of the renal tubules in the nephron anlage seems to be determined phylogenetically, while the initial differentiation of the distal tubule is a provisional feature.


Comparison of reversed-phase and weak anion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatographic methods for peptide separations.
Weak anion-exchange and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic methods for peptide separations were compared using a tryptic digest of "rat small myelin basic protein". In these experiments, a number of tryptic peptides that were not resolved on the reversed-phase column could be separated on the weak anion-exchange column, and in other instances, as might be expected, reversed-phase chromatography provided better resolution of certain peptides than did the weak anion-exchange method. The results obtained strongly suggest that the combined use of these two methods of separation, which utilize different selectivities, can provide an excellent improvement in resolving power for a number of peptide separations.


Novel nicotine analogues with potential anti-mycobacterial activity.
Tuberculosis (TB) is the second leading lethal infectious disease in the world after acquired immuno deficiency (AIDs). We have developed a series of twenty-five novel nicotine analogues with de-addiction property and tested them for their activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). In an effort to increase the specificity of action and directing nicotine analogues to target MTB, four promising compounds were further optimized via molecular docking studies against the Dihydrofolate reductase of MTB. After lead optimization, one nicotine analogue [3-(5-(3fluorophenyl)nicotinoyl)-1-methylpyrrolidin-2-one] exhibited minimum inhibitory concentration of 1 μg/mL (2.86 nM) against M. tuberculosis (H37Rv strain), a human pathogenic strain of clinically significant importance. Pharmacokinetic analysis of [3-(5-(3fluorophenyl)nicotinoyl)-1methylpyrrolidin-2-one] with lowest MIC value via oral route in Wistar rats revealed that at a dosage of 5 mg/kg body weight gave a maximum serum drug concentration (Cmax) of 2.86 μg/mL, Tmax of one hour and a half-life (T1/2) of more than 24 h and Volume of distribution (Vd) of 27.36 L. Whereas the parenteral (intra venous) route showed a Cmax of 3.37 μg/mL, Tmax of 0.05 h, T1/2 of 24 h and Vd equivalent to 23.18 L. The acute oral toxicity and repeated oral toxicity studies in female Wistar rats had an LD50>2000 mg/kg body weight. Our data suggests that nicotine derivatives developed in the present study has good metabolic stability with tunable pharmacokinetics (PK) with therapeutic potential to combat MTB. However, further in vivo studies for anti-tuberculosis activity and elucidation of mode of action could result in more promising novel drug for treating MTB. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report revealing the anti-mycobacterial potential of nicotine analogue at potential therapeutic concentrations.


Operationalizing a patient engagement plan for health research: Sharing a codesigned planning template from a national clinical trial.
Engaging with patients about their lived experience of health and illness and their experience within the healthcare system can help inform the provision of care, health policies and health research. In the context of health research, however, operationalizing the levels of patient engagement is not straightforward. We suggest that a key challenge to the routine inclusion of patients as partners in health research is a lack of tangible guidance regarding how this can be accomplished. In this article, we provide guidance on how to codesign and operationalize a concrete patient engagement plan for any health research project. We illustrate a seven-step approach using the example of a national clinical trial in Canada and provide a patient engagement planning template for use in any health research project. Such concrete guidance should improve the design and reporting of patient engagement in health research. The De-Implementing Wisely Research group is informed by a national 9-member patient partner council (PPC). The research team includes three lead patient partners who are coinvestigators on the grant that funds the program of research. Members of the council advise on all aspects of the study design and implementation. The ideas presented in this paper were informed by regular communication and planning with the PPC; specific contributions of lead patient partner authors are outlined as follows: Brian Johnston, Susan Goold and Vanessa Francis are patient partners with a wide breadth of experience in the healthcare system and health research projects. The guidance in this article draws on their lived and professional expertise. All patient partner authors contributed to the planning of the manuscript, participated in meetings to develop content and provided critical manuscript edits and comments on drafts.


Radioiodine therapy for patients with differentiated thyroid cancer after thyroidectomy: direct comparison and network meta-analyses.
The effective dose of radioiodine 131 (I-131) ablation for patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) after thyroidectomy was unclear, so we tried to find out which activity is the best using the methods of direct comparison and network meta-analyses. Direct comparison and network meta-analyses were conducted with ADDIS software. Randomized controlled trials (RCT) which compared different activities of I-131 after thyroidectomy for adult patients with DTC were included. The outcomes we evaluated were successful remnant ablation rate, duration of stay in an isolation unit, the number of subsequent I-131 treatments required, recurrence rate, and adverse effects. Thirteen RCT (3352 patients) were included. Our network meta-analysis demonstrated that there were not any statistical differences in successful ablation rates among all comparisons except 100 mCi vs 15 mCi. However, rank probability plot suggested 60 mCi might be the best in successful ablation rate. For recurrence rate, both direct comparison and network meta-analyses showed no statistical differences among 100 mCi, 60 mCi, and 30 mCi; 100 mCi was associated with a smaller number of patients who required subsequent I-131 treatments and longer stay in an isolation unit than 30 mCi without any more adverse events. Because of conflicting results between direct comparison and network meta-analyses, we failed to conclude which activity of I-131 is the best in successful ablation rates.


Identification and validation of a six-gene signature associated with glycolysis to predict the prognosis of patients with cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer (CC) is one of the most common gynaecological cancers. The gene signature is believed to be reliable for predicting cancer patient survival. However, there is no relevant study on the relationship between the glycolysis-related gene (GRG) signature and overall survival (OS) of patients with CC. We extracted the mRNA expression profiles of 306 tumour and 13 normal tissues from the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) Database. Then, we screened out differentially expressed glycolysis-related genes (DEGRGs) among these mRNAs. All patients were randomly divided into training cohort and validation cohort according to the ratio of 7: 3. Next, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were carried out to select the GRG with predictive ability for the prognosis of the training cohort. Additionally, risk score model was constructed and validated it in the validation cohort. Six mRNAs were obtained that were associated with patient survival. The filtered mRNAs were classified into the protective type (GOT1) and the risk type (HSPA5, ANGPTL4, PFKM, IER3 and PFKFB4). Additionally, by constructing the prognostic risk score model, we found that the OS of the high-risk group was notably poorer, which showed good predictive ability both in training cohort and validation cohort. And the six-gene signature is a prognostic indicator independent of clinicopathological features. Through the verification of PCR, the results showed that compared with the normal cervial tissuses, the expression level of six mRNAs were significantly higher in the CC tissue, which was consistent with our findings. We constructed a glycolysis-related six-gene signature to predict the prognosis of patients with CC using bioinformatics methods. We provide a thorough comprehension of the effect of glycolysis in patients with CC and provide new targets and ideas for individualized treatment.


Approach to the Seamless Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Considering Special Situations, Shared Decision-Making, and Disease Burden.
While the number of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients has been steadily increasing, a lot of effective treatments have become available, including biological drugs. However, there still exists no effective treatment universally for all types of IBD patients. We have continuously discussed "Total Care" for IBD patients in the 3 consecutive annual meetings of the Japanese Gastroenterological Association from the 14th meeting to the 16th meeting in 2018-2020. In the 14th meeting, we summarized cross-sectional issues under the title "From Total Care to Microbiota" as for their subthemes. In the 15th meeting, under the title of "Consensus and Pitfalls in Special Situations," we discussed the thiopurine treatment for the patients in their childhood or pregnancy and lactation period as well as the cytapheresis treatment for elderly patients. In the 16th meeting, under the title "Future Issues in Special Situations: Including Disease Burden," we discussed about the issues in childhood-onset IBD, including transitional care and the new option of combination of treatments in their adulthood and their disease burdens. Key Messages: "Total Care" for IBD patients should be considered from a broad perspective with shared decision-making. It is imperative to involve medical staff members for careful handling of a wide range of disease burdens.


Effects of Doxycycline Treatment on Hematological Parameters, Viscosity, and Cytokines in Canine Monocytic Ehrlichiosis.
This study aimed to analyze the hematological parameters, blood viscosity, and cytokines of dogs infected by Ehrlichia canis untreated and treated with doxycycline. Initially, 47 dogs were examined, and 36 were suspected to have canine monocytic ehrlichiosis, which was confirmed through molecular polymerase chain reaction tests. This study consisted of 25 dogs, with 11 being healthy and 14 testing positive for E. canis. The dogs were divided into experimental groups based on their test results, including a control group of healthy dogs (N = 11), a group of infected dogs without treatment (N = 7), and a group of infected dogs treated with doxycycline (N = 7) at a 10 mg/kg dose every 12 h for 28 days. Blood samples were taken to determine hematological parameters, viscosity, and cytokine levels. It was observed that, regardless of doxycycline treatment, there was a reduction in total leukocytes and lymphocytes in infected dogs with Ehrlichia canis. The eosinophils and platelets decreased in dogs with Ehrlichia canis infections without treatment. Monocytes, eosinophils, and platelets increased when the dogs were treated with doxycycline. Regardless of treatment, infected dogs' blood viscosity was lower than uninfected dogs. Infected dogs showed lower TNF-α and increased IL-1β. There was a correlation between the blood viscosity with the cytokines IL-10 and IL-12 in the infected dogs. The eosinophil count correlated with TNF-α in the group of infected and untreated dogs. In conclusion, treating dogs with monocytic ehrlichiosis using doxycycline can increase platelet and eosinophil levels but may also increase IL-1β and monocyte levels, exacerbating inflammation. Therefore, evaluating viscosity and cytokine levels is important when treating dogs with this condition.


Reducing extreme weather impacts in greenhouses: the effect of a new passive climate control system on nutritional quality of pepper fruits.
Environmental conditions affect the quality of the fruits and their organoleptic properties. In low-tech greenhouses, these environmental conditions are frequently not optimal for crops. Therefore, the present study demonstrates the effects of the use of an integrated passive heating and cooling system in a greenhouse located in the Mediterranean area on the quality of pepper fruits. The results indicate that the passive system utilized (i) improved many parameters, such as average weight of fruits, °Brix, glucose and fructose content, and P and K content; (ii) increased the values of b* and hab *; and (iii) reduced total phenolic compounds, total amino acids content, and Fe and Zn content. However, the degree of the effect of the climatic factors on these parameters was also affected by harvest time. This novel study highlights the possibility of improving the nutritional quality of pepper fruits by modifying the environmental conditions through the use of passive heating and cooling systems at the same time as reducing the carbon footprint. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.


Nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry of Schima superba under nitrogen deposition.
In this study, leaf nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry were used as indicators of nitrogen saturation and to assess ecosystem nutrient limitations. Schima superba, a representative and widely distributed dominant evergreen broadleaf tree species of the subtropical forests in southern China, was used for this purpose. A nutrient-addition experiment and a field survey were conducted to test the responses of trees from different provenances to N deposition. The relationships between leaf N and P stoichiometry and biomass, nutrient limitation, and soil N:P were analyzed. There was a relationship between leaf N, P, N:P, soil N:P and plant dry biomass. A threshold leaf N:P ratio (16.3) divided the five provenances into different nutrient-limitation classes that were related to the soil N:P ratio or N deposition. The leaf N:P ratio provided an indication of P limitation. A higher soil P level reduced the N deposition effect on plant growth. The leaf N:P ratio of individuals from different provenances can be used as a predictor of nutrient limitation, and this was related to the soil N:P ratio.


Predictors of mortality, hospital utilization, and the role of race in outcomes in head and neck trauma.
A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was undertaken to determine the impact of race and insurance status on trauma outcomes in patients admitted to a Level I trauma center following head and neck fractures. Putative predictive factors, including injury mechanism, hemorrhagic shock, injury severity score (ISS), race, gender, and insurance status, were used in a multivariate outcome analysis to determine their influence on length of hospital stay, number of procedures performed, discharge status, and mortality; P < .05 was significant. Proportionately more male patients (76.5%) sustained head and neck fractures compared with females (23.5%). Blacks and Hispanics sustained proportionately more gunshot wounds (GSWs) compared with Whites, 16:1 and 7:1, respectively. There were no significant differences in length of hospital stay and mortality based on race or insurance status. Mortality was related to age, GSW as a mechanism of injury, increasing ISS, and shock on admission. Minority race and insurance status did not correlate with worse outcomes. Treatment biases in the acutely injured patient with head and neck injuries may be less prevalent than thought, if we consider mortality and utilization of care as primary outcome measures.


Effect of defects on reaction of NiO surface with Pb-contained solution.
In order to understand the role of defects in chemical reactions, we used two types of samples, which are molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) grown NiO(001) film on Mg(001) substrate as the defect free NiO prototype and NiO grown on Ni(110) single crystal as the one with defects. In-situ observations for oxide-liquid interfacial structure and surface morphology were performed for both samples in water and Pb-contained solution using high-resolution X-ray reflectivity and atomic force microscopy. For the MBE grown NiO, no significant changes were detected in the high-resolution X-ray reflectivity data with monotonic increase in roughness. Meanwhile, in the case of native grown NiO on Ni(110), significant changes in both the morphology and atomistic structure at the interface were observed when immersed in water and Pb-contained solution. Our results provide simple and direct experimental evidence of the role of the defects in chemical reaction of oxide surfaces with both water and Pb-contained solution.


Extracting diffusion tensor fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity from 3-direction DWI scans using deep learning.
To develop and evaluate machine-learning methods that reconstruct fractional anisotropy (FA) values and mean diffusivities (MD) from 3-direction diffusion MRI (dMRI) acquisitions. Two machine-learning models were implemented to map undersampled dMRI signals with high-quality FA and MD maps that were reconstructed from fully sampled DTI scans. The first model was a previously described multilayer perceptron (MLP), which maps signals and FA/MD values from a single voxel. The second was a convolutional neural network U-Net model, which maps dMRI slices to full FA/MD maps. Each method was trained on dMRI brain scans (N = 46), and reconstruction accuracies were compared with conventional linear-least-squares (LLS) reconstructions. In an independent testing cohort (N = 20), 3-direction U-Net reconstructions had significantly lower absolute FA error than both 3-direction MLP (U-Net3-dir : 0.06 ± 0.01 vs. MLP3-dir : 0.08 ± 0.01, P < 1 × 10-5 ) and 6-direction LLS (LLS6-dir : 0.09 ± 0.03, P = 1 × 10-5 ). The MD errors were not significantly different among 3-direction MLP (0.06 ± 0.01 × 10-3 mm2 /s), 3-direction U-Net (0.06 ± 0.01 × 10-3 mm2 /s), and 6-direction LLS (0.07 ± 0.02 × 10-3 mm2 /s, P > .1). The proposed U-Net model reconstructed FA from 3-direction dMRI scans with improved accuracy compared with both a previously described MLP approach and LLS fitting from 6-direction scans. The MD reconstruction accuracies did not differ significantly between reconstructions.


An improved integrative GFP-based vector for genetic engineering of Parageobacillus thermoglucosidasius facilitates the identification of a key sporulation regulator.
Parageobacillus thermoglucosidasius is a thermophilic Gram-positive bacterium, which is a promising host organism for sustainable bio-based production processes. However, to take full advantage of the potential of P. thermoglucosidasius, more efficient tools for genetic engineering are required. The present study describes an improved shuttle vector, which speeds up recombination-based genomic modification by incorporating a thermostable sfGFP variant into the vector backbone. This additional selection marker allows for easier identification of recombinants, thereby removing the need for several culturing steps. The novel GFP-based shuttle is therefore capable of facilitating faster metabolic engineering of P. thermoglucosidasius through genomic deletion, integration, or exchange. To demonstrate the efficiency of the new system, the GFP-based vector was utilised for deletion of the spo0A gene in P. thermoglucosidasius DSM2542. This gene is known to be a key regulator of sporulation in Bacillus subtilis, and it was therefore hypothesised that the deletion of spo0A in P. thermoglucosiadius would produce an analogous sporulation-inhibited phenotype. Subsequent analyses of cell morphology and culture heat resistance suggests that the P. thermoglucosidasius ∆spo0A strain is sporulation-deficient. This strain may be an excellent starting point for future cell factory engineering of P. thermoglucosidasius, as the formation of endospores is normally not a desired trait in large-scale production.


Determination of imidazole antimycotics in creams by supercritical fluid extraction and derivative UV spectroscopy.
A supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) method was developed for the isolation of imidazole antimycotic drugs (miconazole, econazole, clotrimazole and bifonazole) from cream preparations. The SFE process involved static (1 min) and dynamic (4 min) extraction steps using pure and 10% methanol modified carbon dioxide. The SFE step was then followed by derivative UV spectrophotometric analysis. The method proved to be suitable for quality control assays of the examined antimycotics in commercial cream formulations.


Awe: A direct pathway from extravagant displays to prosociality.
Whereas Norenzayan et al. describe extravagant displays as a reliable means of belief transmission, this commentary reviews three emerging hypotheses about a direct connection between the awe elicited by extravagant displays and prosocial behaviour. If some of these hypotheses are correct, extravagant displays enhanced prosociality even among nonbelievers. Methodological suggestions are made for future experimental research on the awe-prosociality pathway.


Trypanosome infections in naturally infected horses and donkeys of three active sleeping sickness foci in the south of Chad.
Equine trypanosomiases are complex infectious diseases with overlapping clinical signs defined by their mode of transmission. Despite their economic impacts, these diseases have been neglected by the scientific community, the veterinary authorities and regulatory organizations. To fill the observed knowledge gap, we undertook the identification of different trypanosome species and subspecies naturally infecting horses and donkeys within the Chadian sleeping sickness focus. The objective of the study was to investigate the potential role of these domestic animals as reservoirs of the human-infective Trypanosoma brucei gambiense. Blood samples were collected from 155 donkeys and 131 horses in three human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) foci in Chad. Rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and capillary tube centrifugation (CTC) test were used to search for trypanosome infections. DNA was extracted from each blood sample and different trypanosome species and subspecies were identified with molecular tools. From 286 blood samples collected, 54 (18.9%) and 36 (12.6%) were positive for RDT and CTC, respectively. PCR revealed 101 (35.3%) animals with trypanosome infections. The Cohen's kappa coefficient used to evaluate the concordance between the diagnostic methods were low; ranging from 0.09 ± 0.05 to 0.48 ± 0.07. Trypanosomes of the subgenus Trypanozoon were the most prevalent (29.4%), followed by T. congolense forest (11.5%), Trypanosoma congolense savannah (4.9%) and Trypanosoma vivax (4.5%). Two donkeys and one horse from the Maro HAT focus were found with T. b. gambiense infections. No significant differences were observed in the infection rates of different trypanosomes between animal species and HAT foci. This study revealed several trypanosome species and subspecies in donkeys and horses, highlighting the existence of AAT in HAT foci in Chad. The identification of T. b. gambiense in donkeys and horses suggests considering these animals as potential reservoir for HAT in Chad. The presence of both human-infective and human non-infective trypanosomes species highlights the need for developing joint control strategies for HAT and AAT.


First evidence of human-to-dog transmission of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.160 variant in France.
Since the start of the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, several episodes of human-to-animal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission have been described in different countries. The role of pets, especially domestic dogs, in the COVID-19 epidemiology is highly questionable and needs further investigation. In this study, we report a case of COVID-19 in a French dog living in close contact with its owners who were COVID-19 patients. The dog presented rhinitis and was sampled 1 week after its owners (a man and a woman) were tested positive for COVID-19. The nasal swabs for the dog tested remained positive for SARS-CoV-2 by reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) 1 month following the first diagnosis. Specific anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were detectable 12 days after the first diagnosis and persisted for at least 5 months as tested using enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) and automated western blotting. The whole-genome sequences from the dog and its owners were 99%-100% identical (with the man and the woman's sequences, respectively) and matched the B.1.160 variant of concern (Marseille-4 variant), the most widespread in France at the time the dog was infected. This study documents the first detection of B.1.160 in pets (a dog) in France, and the first canine genome recovery of the B.1.160 variant of global concern. Moreover, given the enhanced infectivity and transmissibility of the Marseille-4 variant for humans, this case also highlights the risk that pets may potentially play a significant role in SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks and may transmit the infection to humans. We have evidence of human-to-dog transmission of the Marseille-4 variant since the owners were first to be infected. Finally, owners and veterinarians must be vigilent for canine COVID-19 when dogs are presented with respiratory clinical signs.


Programmatic access to bacterial regulatory networks with regutools.
RegulonDB has collected, harmonized and centralized data from hundreds of experiments for nearly two decades and is considered a point of reference for transcriptional regulation in Escherichia coli K12. Here, we present the regutools R package to facilitate programmatic access to RegulonDB data in computational biology. regutools gives researchers the possibility of writing reproducible workflows with automated queries to RegulonDB. The regutools package serves as a bridge between RegulonDB data and the Bioconductor ecosystem by reusing the data structures and statistical methods powered by other Bioconductor packages. We demonstrate the integration of regutools with Bioconductor by analyzing transcription factor DNA binding sites and transcriptional regulatory networks from RegulonDB. We anticipate that regutools will serve as a useful building block in our progress to further our understanding of gene regulatory networks. regutools is an R package available through Bioconductor at bioconductor.org/packages/regutools.


The effect of thiol functional group incorporation into cationic helical peptides on antimicrobial activities and spectra.
Antimicrobial peptides (AMP) have been proposed as blueprints for the development of new antimicrobial agents for the treatment of drug resistant infections. A series of synthetic AMPs capable of forming α-helical structures and containing free-sulfhydryl groups are designed in this study ((LLKK)(2)C, C(LLKK)(2)C, (LLKK)(3)C, C(LLKK)(3)C). In particular, the AMP with 2 cysteine residues at the terminal ends of the peptide and 2 repeat units of LLKK, i.e., C(LLKK)(2)C, has been demonstrated to have high selectivity towards a wide range of microbes from Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis, Gram-negative Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aerogenosa, and yeast Candida albicans over red blood cells. At the MIC levels, this peptide does not induce significant hemolysis, and its MIC values occur at the concentration of more than 10 times of their corresponding 50% hemolysis concentrations (HC(50)). Microscopy studies suggest that this peptide kills microbial cells by inducing pores of ∼20-30 nm in size in microbial membrane on a short time scale, which further develops to grossly damaged membrane envelope on a longer time scale. Multiple treatments of microbes with this peptide at sub MIC concentration do not induce resistance, even up to passage 10. However, the same treatment with conventional antibiotics penicillin G or ciprofloxacin easily develop resistance in the treated microbes. In addition, the peptides are shown not to induce secretion of IFN-γ and TNF-α in human monocytes as compared to lipopolysaccharide, which implies additional safety aspects of the peptides to be used as both systemic and topical antimicrobial agents. Therefore, this study provides an excellent basis to develop promising antimicrobial agents that possess a broad range of antimicrobial activities with less susceptibility for development of drug resistance.


Determining the Orientation of Porins in Planar Lipid Bilayers.
Single-channel planar lipid bilayer (PLB) recording of bacterial porins has revealed molecular details of transport across the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, including antibiotic permeation and protein translocation. To explore directional transport processes across cellular membranes, the orientation of porins or other pore-forming proteins must be established in a lipid bilayer prior to experimentation. Here, we describe a direct method for determining the orientation of porins in a PLB-with a focus on E. coli OmpF-by using targeted covalent modification of cysteine mutants. Each of the two possible orientations can be correlated with the porin conductance asymmetry, such that thereafter an I-V curve taken at the start of an experiment will suffice to establish orientation.


Predictors of mortality among initially stable adult pelvic trauma patients in the US: Data analysis from the National Trauma Data Bank.
Pelvic fractures are associated with increased risk of death among trauma patients. Studies show independent risks predicting mortality among patients with pelvic fractures vary across different geographic regions. This study analyses national data to determine predictors of mortality in initially stable adult pelvic trauma patients in the US. This study is a retrospective analysis of the US National Trauma Data Bank from January 2003 to December 2010 among trauma patients ≥18 years of age with pelvic fractures (including acetabulum). Over 150 variables were reviewed and analysed. The primary outcome was all-cause in-hospital mortality. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine independent risk factors predictive of in-hospital mortality in stable pelvic fracture patients. 30,800 patients were included in the final analysis. Overall in-hospital mortality rate was 2.7%. Mortality increased twofold in middle aged patients (age 55-70), and increased nearly fourfold in patients with advanced age ≥70. We found patients with advanced age, higher severity of injury, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) <8, GCS between 9 and 12, prolonged mechanical ventilation, and/or in-hospital blood product administration experienced higher mortality. Patients transported to level 1 or level 2 trauma centres experienced lower mortality while concomitantly experiencing higher associated internal injuries. Geriatric and middle aged pelvic fracture patients experience higher mortality. Predictors of mortality in initially stable pelvic fracture patients are advanced age, injury severity, mental status, prolonged mechanical ventilation, and/or in-hospital blood product administration. These patients might benefit from transport to local level 1 or level 2 trauma centres.


Dextrose prolotherapy versus radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy in the treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis: A randomized, controlled clinical trial.
In the recent years, prolotherapy is increasingly being used in the field of musculoskeletal medicine. However, few studies have investigated its effectiveness in plantar fasciitis (PF). The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided dextrose prolotherapy with radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) in the treatment of chronic PF. This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 59 patients with chronic PF. Patients were randomly assigned into two groups receiving three sessions of radial ESWT (29 patients) vs. two sessions of ultrasound-guided intrafascial 2 cc dextrose 20% injection (30 patients). The following outcome measures were assessed before and then six weeks and 12 weeks after the treatments: pain intensity by visual analog scale (VAS), daily life and exercise activities by Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM), and the plantar fascia thickness by ultrasonographic imaging. The VAS and FAAM scales showed significant improvements of pain and function in both study groups 6 weeks and 12 weeks after the treatments. A significant reduction was noted for plantar fascia thickness at these intervals (all p < .05). The inter-group comparison revealed that except for the FAAM-sport subscale which favored ESWT, the interaction effects of group and time were not significant for other outcome measures. Dextrose prolotherapy has comparable efficacy to radial ESWT in reducing pain, daily-life functional limitation, and plantar fascia thickness in patients with PF. No serious adverse effects were observed in either group. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I, randomized controlled trial.


Influence ofMyriophyllum aquaticum cover onAnopheles mosquito abundance, oviposition, and larval microhabitat.
The surface cover produced by aquatic macrophytes is the primary habitat for immature stages (eggs, larvae, and pupae) ofAnopheles mosquitoes. We hypothesized that both the abundance of immatureAnopheles and the recruitment ofAnopheles (from oviposition or larval movement) is positively related to the amount of surface cover present. Field sampling documented a positive correlation betweenAnopheles egg and larval abundance and the amount of vegetative cover present (measured as the number of emergent stems m-2) in monospecific beds ofMyriophyllum aquaticum in a California, USA, wetland. Experiments conducted to determine the influence ofMyriophyllum stem density on selection of oviposition sites by adultAnopheles females clearly indicate that oviposition rate (eggs m-2 d-1) increases as stem density increases from 0 to 1000 stems m-2 but decreases as stem density approaches 2000 stems m-2. In selecting microhabitats,Anopheles larvae preferred patches with high stem densities over patches with few or no plant stems; this preference correlates with differences in habitat quality (e.g., increased refuge from predation and enriched food sources). The optimal habitat for anopheline mosquitoes apparently occurs above a threshold plant density of approximately 500Myriophyllum stems m-2. Habitat heterogeneity produced by variability in the distribution and structure of aquatic vegetation strongly influences the local distribution and abundance of anopheline mosquitoes.


A comparison of the mitochondrial genomes from two families of Solifugae (Arthropoda: Chelicerata): Eremobatidae and Ammotrechidae.
Arachnids are an ancient and diverse group of arthropods, yet few representative mitochondrial genomes have been published for most of the 11 orders. Here, we present and compare sequence and genomic data from two complete mitochondrial genomes from the arachnid order Solifugae (the camel spiders or wind scorpions), representing two families, Ammotrechidae and Eremobatidae. We also make genome-level and sequence comparisons between these taxa and the horseshoe crab, a chelicerate from the sister group to arachnids. In their organization, the two solifuge mitochondrial genomes are similar to that of the horseshoe crab, although both of the solifuges possess a region of repeated sequence. All 13 protein-coding genes and the two ribosomal RNA genes are of similar sizes to those found in the horseshoe crab. The ammotrechid and the eremobatid each have one tRNA gene that differs in location from those of other chelicerates, suggesting that these translocations occurred after the divergence of Solifugae from other arachnid lineages. All 22 tRNA genes in both solifuges are inferred to form secondary structures that are typical of those found in other metazoan mt genomes. However, in the eremobatid, the tRNA(Ser(UCN)) gene in the repeat region appears to have undergone partial duplication and loss of function, and a new tRNA(Ser(UCN)) gene has been created de novo. Our divergence data, in conjunction with the fossil record, indicate that these two solifuge families diverged more than 230 million years ago. Thus, despite several gene rearrangements and duplications, these data indicate a remarkable degree of evolutionary stasis.


[Specific gravity of the dried biomass of pure bacterial cultures].
The weight of wet and dry biomass taken from colonies after growth on MPA was determined in pure bacterial cultures of Pseudomonas denitrificans and Brevibacterium imperiale, and the number and dimensions of bacterial cells in dry preparations of the same colonies were measured by means of membrane filters. The average specific weight of dry biomass was found to be 1.68 and 1.62. In calculating the weight of bacterial biomass in pure cultures and natural cenoses, its volume should be assayed taking into account the number and dimensions of the cells in dry preparations on membrane filters and multiplying by a coefficient 1.6.


An adaptation-focused evaluation of Canada's first competency-based medical education implementation in radiology.
Systematic program evaluation of the Queen's University diagnostic radiology residency program following transition to a competency-based medical education (CBME) curriculum. Rapid Evaluation methodology and the Core Components Framework were utilized to measure CBME implementation. A combination of interviews and focus groups were held with program leaders (n = 6), faculty (n = 10), both CBME stream and traditional stream residents (n = 6), and program staff (n = 2). Interviews and focus groups were transcribed and analyzed abductively. Study team met with program leaders to review common themes and plan potential adaptations. Strengths of CBME implementation included more frequent and timely feedback as well as the role of the Academic Advisor. However, frontline faculty felt insufficiently supported with regards to the theory and practical implementation of the new curriculum and found assessment tools unintuitive. The circumstances surrounding the curricular implementation also resulted in some negative sentiment. Additional faculty and resident education workshops were identified as areas for improvement as well as changes to assessment tools for increased clarity. Residents overall viewed the changes favorably, with traditional stream residents indicating that they also had a desire for increased feedback. Rapid Evaluation is an effective method for program assessment following curricular change in diagnostic radiology. A departmental champion driving enthusiasm for change from within may be valuable. Adequate resident and faculty education is key to maximize change and smooth the transition. Advances in knowledge: This study provides insights for other radiology training programs transitioning to a CBME framework and provides a structure for programmatic assessment.


Survey of antibiotic residues in Canadian slaughter animals.
Kidneys and urine of cattle, swine, sheep and chickens were tested for bacterial growth inhibitors using Bacillus subtilis and Sarcina lutea as test organisms. Results were as follows: 211 beef kidneys four positive, 611 swine kidneys five positive, 27 sheep and 120 chicken kidneys all negative, 2108 beef urine 76 positive, 2409 swine urine 186 positive, 176 sheep urine 17 positive. Strongest reactions were obtained with B. subtilis on phosphate buffered pH 6.0 plates. Larger zones were produced by urine from injected animals than by tissue samples.


A prediction model of masticatory performance change in 50- to 70-year-old Japanese: The Suita study.
Declines in masticatory performance might be a risk factor for worsening nutritional intake and result in general frailty. The present study constructed and investigated a method to predict the extent to which objective masticatory performance declines with age in cases with poor oral health status. Participants comprised 1201 participants in the Suita study with dental checkup at both baseline and follow-up (500 men and 701 women; age at baseline, 65.6 ± 7.8 years; mean follow-up, 5.1 ± 1.1 years). First, multiple linear regression analysis was performed with masticatory performance at follow-up as the dependent variable and sex as well as baseline age, number of functional teeth, maximum bite force, occlusal support, periodontal status, salivary flow rate, and masticatory performance as independent variables. Scores were assigned to each factor based on the standardized partial regression coefficient obtained from multiple linear regression analysis. Participants were divided into quintile groups (Q1-Q5) based on total scores for factors, and rates of masticatory performance change for each group were calculated and compared. Mean rates of masticatory performance change in groups Q1-Q5 from the model to predict declining masticatory performance were: Q1, -9.7%; Q2, -12.7%; Q3, -18.0%; Q4, -19.9%; and Q5, -29.8%.Thus there was a trend for masticatory performance to decrease with decreasing score. The model developed in this study quantitatively predicted declines in masticatory performance after approximately 5 years. We developed a model for predicting the extent to which masticatory performance will change over the next 5 years. This model may offer a useful tool when taking measures to prevent declines in masticatory performance with aging.


[Primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Stepchild of internal medicine].
Preventive medicine has not been adequately established in our health care system. Despite growing in-sight into the causes underlying arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, half of the population dies and even more suffer from it. Generally the correction of risk factors is regarded as causal therapy. Modification of the lipid and carbohydrate metabolism or the blood pressure are certainly effective, however, intervention trials have also demonstrated the limitations. Mostly an unhealthy lifestyle underlies these risk factors so that correction of the lifestyle is the causal therapy in the true sense. That is the principle basis for primary prevention, while pharmacotherapy can only be an adjunct. Inadequate nutrition, physical inactivity and smoking are considered the true major risk factors in our society. Changes in nutrition in favor of plant products, some physical activity and refraining from smoking can serve an effective contribution to health. In the future not only medical, but also economic requirements will increasingly force us to establish prevention on the basis of lifestyle changes as a mainstay of medicine.


Effect of constant light and darkness on pituitary and serum gonadotropin and sex hormone levels of parturient rats.
Exposure of rats to continuous darkness throughout gestation produced a threefold increase in their serum prolactin and a moderate one in their serum LH levels on the day preceding delivery. Parallel decreases in pituitary prolactin and LH contents were experienced indicating enhanced release of the hormones. In the animals kept in constant light only prolactin release was increased before delivery, their LH levels were unaffected, although diminished pituitary contents due to decreased synthesis were evident. Following parturition the photo-induced prolactin levels in serum and pituitary disappeared, but the LH values of the rats exposed to both extremes of illumination persisted, in contrast to those of the control animals kept in alternating light (12 L : 12 D) whose values fell abruptly. Serum oestradiol was affected neither by darkness nor light but serum progesterone concentrations were depressed before delivery in the rats kept in darkness even more than in the control animals. Exposure to continuous darkness shortened the duration of gestation. The marked tendency to deliver during the daytime hours was not influenced by exposure to continuous darkness but was completely abolished by constant light. It is suggested that the strongly decreased serum progesterone levels--possibly brought about by the high prolactin concentrations observed before parturition--may be contributing to the earlier onset of delivery in the rats exposed to continuous darkness.