Electronic cigarettes versus nicotine-replacement therapy for smoking cessation: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Nicotine-replacement therapy (NRT) and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have been frequently used for smoking cessation. The aim of this review is to investigate the effectiveness and safety of e-cigarettes versus NRT for smoking cessation. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library from inception to 10 October 2021. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing e-cigarettes versus NRT for smoking cessation. Two authors independently screened titles, abstracts and full texts for eligibility. Paired authors extracted data, assessed risk of bias, and used GRADE (Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) to rate the certainty of evidence. The study included five RCTs with 1748 participants. The meta-analysis suggested the e-cigarettes versus NRT increased the ≥6 months continuous abstinence rate (RR=1.67; 95% CI: 1.21-2.28; 55 more per 1000 participants, low certainty), and 7-day point abstinence rate at ≥6 months follow-up (RR=1.43; 95% CI: 1.19-1.72; 84 more per 1000, low certainty). However, we found no evidence that e-cigarettes versus NRT increased 3-6 months continuous abstinence rate (RR=1.07; 95% CI: 0.73-1.57; 10 more per 1000, very low certainty) and <3 months continuous abstinence rate (RR=1.20; 95% CI: 0.90-1.60; 54 more per 1000, low certainty); similar results were found at <3 months follow-up (RR=1.19; 95% CI: 0.92-1.54; 55 more per 1000, very low certainty) and 3-6 months follow-up in 7-day point abstinence rate (RR=1.01; 95% CI: 0.70-1.44; 2 more per 1000, very low certainty). The adverse events were not significant between e-cigarettes and NRT other than throat irritation (RR=1.27; 95% CI: 1.13-1.42; 118 more per 1000, low certainty). E-cigarettes appeared to be superior to NRT in ≥6 months continuous abstinence rate and 7-day point abstinence rate. At short-term duration, we found no evidence that e-cigarettes compared to NRT increased the <6 months continuous abstinence rate and 7-day point abstinence rate.


Followup of irradiated prostatic carcinoma by aspiration biopsy.
Of 66 patients with irradiated prostatic carcinoma 53 were controlled regularly by repeat aspiration biopsy every 6 months. Local sterilization was achieved in 43 per cent but the results of combined radiotherapy (endocrine therapy plus irradiation) were only 8 per cent more favorable than those in patients treated by radiotherapy alone. Thus, endocrine therapy is not warranted before the radiation effect is evaluated. Post-radiation treatment should be determined by the clinical and bioptic findings.


Coexistence of high performance resistance and capacitance memory based on multilayered metal-oxide structures.
The Au/DyMnO₃/Nb:SrTiO₃/Au stack was demonstrated to be not only a high performance memristor but also a good memcapacitor. The switching time is below 10 ns, the retention is longer than 10(5) s, and the change ratio of resistance (or capacitance) is larger than 100 over the 10(8) switching cycles. Moreover, this stack has a broad range of intermediate states that are tunable by the operating voltages. It is indicated that the memory effects originate from the Nb:SrTiO₃/Au junction where the barrier profile is electrically modulated. The serial connected Au/DyMnO₃/Nb:SrTiO₃ stack behaves as a high nonlinear resistor paralleling with a capacitor, which raises the capacitance change ratio and enhances the memory stability of the device.


The incidence of abnormal pattern electroretinography in optic nerve demyelination.
This report describes the pattern electroretinogram (PERG) findings in 141 patients with optic nerve demyelination in one or both eyes. The overall incidence of PERG abnormality in the 199 eyes with abnormally delayed pattern visual evoked potential (PVEP) P100 component was 39.2%, with 84.6% of these PERG abnormalities being confined to the N95 component. The incidence of abnormal PERG was greater (53.3%) in those eyes with a history of retrobulbar neuritis than in those with sub-clinical demyelination (22.8%). The importance of stimulus parameters is noted. The value of the PERG in the improved interpretation of an abnormal PVEP is discussed.


"Heavy Eye" syndrome in the absence of high myopia: A connective tissue degeneration in elderly strabismic patients.
In axial high myopes with "heavy eye" syndrome, orbital MRI can be use to demonstrate degeneration of the lateral rectus-superior rectus (LR-SR) band, with the result that the lateral rectus muscle slips inferiorly and causes esotropia and hypotropia. We investigated whether this degeneration might also cause strabismus in nonmyopic elderly patients. Three elderly patients with strabismus, 3 strabismic high myopes, and 12 orthotropic elderly subjects underwent ophthalmic examinations and orbital MRI. The lateral rectus muscle position was determined relative to globe center from quasicoronal images and correlated with LR-SR band structure. MRI scans were compared with histology of 4 cadaveric orbits ranging in age from 17 months to 93 years. Two strabismic patients exhibited hypotropia; one exhibited esotropia. Mean axial length was 24.1 +/- 0.8 mm (mean +/- SD), compared with 31.6 +/- 1.4 mm for myopes. The lateral rectus muscle position of elderly strabismic subjects averaged 4.6 +/- 1.7 mm inferior to globe center, which was significantly lower than that of orthotropic elderly subjects (2.1 +/- 1.9 mm; p = 0.01) and similar to that of high myopes (5.1 +/- 3.2 mm). On MRI scanning, 100% of strabismic elderly orbits, 67% of strabismic myopic orbits, and 12.5% of control elderly orbits showed LR-SR band thinning, discontinuity, or displacement. LR-SR band degeneration was present histologically only in older cadavers. Age-related LR-SR band degeneration permits the lateral rectus muscle to slip inferiorly in elderly nonmyopes, a mechanism of strabismus similar to myopic "heavy eye" syndrome. Imaging may assist in diagnosing this mechanical cause of age-related strabismus.


Caspase-11: the noncanonical guardian of cytosolic sanctity.
Caspase-11 controls a noncanonical inflammasome that responds to Gram-negative bacteria and certain pore-forming toxins. Aachoui et al. (2013) and Case et al. (2013) identify a role for caspase-11 in rapid responses to bacterial pathogens that access the cytosol via vacuolar membrane disruption or the activity of specialized secretion systems.


[Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the prostate: a case report and review of the literature].
To discuss the diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) of the prostate. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of a case of IMT of the prostate and reviewed relevant literature. The patient was a 62-year-old man, who was twice referred to the local hospital for recurrence of dysuria. He was diagnosed as with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and twice underwent transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). But frequent recurrence of dysuria followed postoperatively, for which he came to our hospital and received another TURP and transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURBT). Pathological findings showed chronic inflammation of the bladder, papillary hyperplasia with mild dysplasia in regional urothelial and IMT of the prostate. Six months later, the patient came again to our hospital for recurrence of dysuria. Computed tomography revealed a large mass in the bladder. The patient underwent laparoscopic bladder radical resection and ileal conduit diversion, simultaneously with pelvic lymph node dissection. The pathological examination confirmed it to be an IMT of the prostate with the bladder but not regional lymph nodes involved. An 11-month follow-up showed neither local recurrence nor distant metastasis. IMT of the prostate is a rare borderline lesion, whose diagnosis is very difficult and mainly depends on pathological findings. IMT of the prostate is liable to recur and even invade the bladder. Radical resection is recommended for patients with large and recurrent tumors, and close follow-up is strongly warranted.


Ozone flux in Glycine max (L.) Merr.: Sites of regulation and relationship to leaf injury.
Hood and Dare cultivars of soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr., vary in their foliar response to ozone. The physiological basis of this variation was investigated as a function of leaf age through an analysis of ozone flux data, leaf developmental morphology, and analogue modelling techniques. At all concentrations (0.25-0.58 μl l-1) and exposure times (1-4 h), resistance to O3 flux in the gas phase of the diffusive pathway (i.e., boundary layer and stomate) did not account fully for variation in pollutant uptake rates into the leaf interior. Ozone molecules experienced a residual resistance to diffusion that is not shared by effluxing water vapor molecules. Residual resistance to O3 flux increased with pollutant concentration and exposure time and was associated with age-dependent differences in foliar O3 response. Leaf morphology data, including stomatal frequency and the ratio of internal to external surface area, did not help explain cultivar or age-dependent differences in O3 flux. The extent of foliar injury was not consistently related to the magnitude of O3 flux into the leaf interior. An analysis of the residual resistance to O3 flux suggests that the gas and liquid phase pathways for O3, water vapor, and carbon dioxide are not identical.


Cardiovascular risk factors in subjects with Helicobacter pylori infection.
It has been proposed that Helicobacter pylori infection is related to cardiovascular disease, although this has not been fully investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate whether H. pylori infection is associated with cardiovascular risk factors. One thousand six hundred and fifty people undergoing annual medical checks at Shimane Institute of Health Science between September 1998 and August 1999 were enrolled. Gender, age, body mass index, habitual smoking and drinking, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, serum level of total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), blood glucose, leukocyte count and hemoglobin were compared between H. pylori seropositive and seronegative cases. In H. pylori seropositive individuals, HDLC was significantly lower than that in seronegative individuals. After adjustment for possible confounding factors (gender, age, BMI, smoking and drinking habits), mean HDLC in H. pylori-seropositive and seronegative individuals were 56.1 and 58.2 mg/dl, respectively (p <.005). The percentage of the elderly (over 50 years old) individuals with HDLC < 35 mg/dl in H. pylori seropositive and seronegative groups were 7.4% and 4.7%, respectively (p <.001). In addition, the lower HDLC level was accompanied by an increased leukocyte count. Long-term infection with H. pylori may have an important role in decreasing the serum HDLC concentration.


A cross-sectional survey of parental attitudes towards Human papillomavirus vaccination exclusion categories in Brazil.
In 1988, Brazil established a constitutional right to health and universal access to health care for all Brazilians through the creation of the Unified Health System (SUS). As part of its efforts to fulfill this right, the quadrivalent Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine was introduced into the national immunization program in 2014. The non-discriminatory provision of healthcare goods, facilities, and services is a fundamental part of the right to health. Yet HPV vaccination was limited to females aged 9-13, despite the universal nature of SUS and scientific support for the vaccination of males and older females. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to describe parental attitudes regarding age- and gender-based HPV vaccination exclusions, as well as parental knowledge of HPV and the HPV vaccine. Data were gathered from parents with children aged 9-17 in a health post located in the municipality of Mauá (São Paulo, Brazil) through interviewer-administered questionnaires. We analyzed attitudes regarding HPV vaccination and its eligibility guidelines by comparing parents of HPV vaccine eligible and ineligible children. In this low-income population, the majority of the 219 parents surveyed supported the inclusion of males and females over 13 into the HPV vaccination program; support for the non-discriminatory provision of the HPV vaccine was high among parents - especially if financially accessible. Additionally, there were high levels of knowledge and positive parental attitudes regarding HPV vaccination safety and efficacy among both parent groups suggesting information accessibility - a key component of the right to health and informed decision-making. Support for the expansion of HPV vaccination for excluded populations exists, and is not based on current eligibility, or differential knowledge and attitudes about the vaccine. Moving forward, careful consideration of gender- based eligibility for vaccination, informed decision-making, and the importance of community participation in health policy development and implementation may be gleaned from the case of Brazil and beyond.


Change of heart: Reverse takotsubo's cardiomyopathy - A case report.
Reverse takotsubo's cardiomyopathy is a rare and relatively unknown variant of takotsubo's cardiomyopathy, also known as stress cardiomyopathy or broken heart syndrome. There are significant differences in the patient age and clinical profiles between classic and reverse takotsubo's cardiomyopathy. Classic takotsubo's cardiomyopathy has been extensively described. However, the little described literature related to reverse takotsubo's cardiomyopathy is limited to the cardiology speciality, with a relative paucity described in radiology. We describe a case report of a 73 year-old female who was diagnosed with reverse takotsubo's cardiomyopathy on the basis of Cardiac MRI. Herein, we hope to bring more awareness of this condition and describe its features on MRI.


Association between decreased plasma levels of soluble human leukocyte antigen-G and severe pre-eclampsia.
The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of different isoforms of soluble human leukocyte antigen-G (sHLA-G) in maternal plasma during early and late pregnancy, and to investigate the expression of sHLA-G isoforms in women with early or late-onset severe preeclampsia. This prospective, nested, case-control study was performed in 24 early-onset severe preeclamptic, 34 late-onset severe preeclamptic, and 74 uncomplicated pregnant women. Plasma levels of sHLA-G1/5 were measured using ELISA. Plasma sHLA-G1 levels in women with late-onset severe preeclampsia were markedly lower compared with normal controls (median: 0 vs. 1.22 ng/mL) at the first trimester, and plasma sHLA-G1 levels in women with early-onset severe preeclampsia were markedly lower compared with normal controls at the second (median: 0 vs. 1.24 ng/mL) and third (median: 0 vs. 1.34 ng/mL) trimesters. There was no difference between the late-onset and early-onset groups at three trimesters. As for sHLA-G5, there was no difference in concentrations among the three groups at any time point. However, compared with controls, more women with early- or late-onset severe preeclampsia had undetectable sHLA-G5 levels in the first (71.4% and 76.2% vs. 14.1%), second (75.0% and 73.3% vs. 19.0%), and third (100.0% and 70.4% vs. 14.8%, respectively) trimester (all P<0.05). sHLA-G1 levels in the first (odds ratio [OR]=0.254, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.109-0.591, P=0.010), second (OR=0.315, 95% CI=0.158-0.627, P=0.001), and third (OR=0.170, 95% CI=0.054-0.533, P=0.002) trimester was a risk factor for severe preeclampsia. Severe preeclampsia was associated with low/undetectable maternal plasma levels of sHLA-G. Low sHLA-G1 levels might be a risk marker for severe preeclampsia.


Communicating with Pet Owners About Obesity: Roles of the Veterinary Health Care Team.
Obesity continues to be the most prevalent nutritional problem of dogs and cats as well as one of the most frustrating conditions to treat successfully. Educating and assigning roles to all members of the health care team will improve staff engagement and the consistency and effectiveness of nutritional counseling for preventive care and weight loss treatment plans. Excellent communication skills can be used to assess the client's ability to change and implement a weight loss plan at the right time in the right way to achieve better adherence and improve patient health.


Childhood overweight in a New York City WIC population.
We estimated the prevalence of overweight in a population of young children enrolled in a New York City Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. Administrative and survey data were collected from a sample of enrolled families. Body mass index (BMI) of 557 children aged 2, 3, and 4 years was compared by sociodemographic and nutrition characteristics. Forty percent of the children were overweight or at risk for overweight (BMI >/= 85th percentile). Compared with other racial/ethnic groups combined, Hispanic children were more than twice as likely (odds ratio = 2.6; 95% confidence interval = 1.8, 3.8) to be overweight or at risk for overweight. Two-year-olds were less likely to be overweight than 3- and 4-year-olds. Interventions to address childhood overweight should be culturally specific and target very young children.


Improving quality and addressing the rising costs of cancer care: two birds, one stone.
The authors discuss the current state of Medicare reimbursement policy and outline their recently published model to link improvements in the quality of cancer care to reductions in overall cost.


Therapeutic efficiency of folated poly(ethylene glycol)-chitosan-graft-polyethylenimine-Pdcd4 complexes in H-ras12V mice with liver cancer.
Chitosan and chitosan derivatives have been proposed as alternative and biocompatible cationic polymers for nonviral gene delivery. However, the low transfection efficiency and low specificity of chitosan is an aspect of this approach that must be addressed prior to any clinical application. In the present study, folated poly(ethylene glycol)-chitosan-graft-polyethylenimine (FPCP) was investigated as a potential folate receptor-overexpressed cancer cell targeting gene carrier. The FPCP copolymer was synthesized in two steps. In the first step, folate-PEG was synthesized by an amide formation reaction between the activated carboxyl groups of folic acid and the amine groups of bifunctional poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). In the second step, FPCP was synthesized by an amide formation reaction between the activated carboxyl groups of folate-PEG and amine groups of CHI-g-polyethyleneimine (PEI). The composition of FPCP was characterized by ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance. FPCP showed low cytotoxicity in various cell lines, and FPCP-DNA complexes showed good cancer cell specificity as well as good transfection efficiency in the presence of serum. Further, FPCP-Pdcd4 complexes reduced tumor numbers and progression more effectively than PEI 25 kDa in H-ras12V liver cancer mice after intravenous administration. Our data suggest that FPCP, which has improved transfection efficiency and cancer cell specificity, may be useful in gene therapy for liver cancer.


Intervention strategies for treating traumatized siblings on a pediatric inpatient unit.
This article examines the course of treatment for 2 traumatized siblings in an acute inpatient child psychiatric unit following severe physical abuse by their mother. In treating these 2 boys, the authors used intervention strategies that can be applied to the treatment of other traumatized siblings in institutional settings. Issues of self-worth, survivor guilt, and conflictual sibling dynamics are illustrated as they relate to the treatment. In addition, transference-countertransference dynamics are examined.


Crucial role of the peroxyketal function for antimalarial activity in the G-factor series.
New endoperoxides, related to the natural phytohormones known as G factors (G1, G2, G3), were modified on the side chain and the ketalic position. An unexpected rearrangement, specific to one diastereoisomer was observed in the deprotection step of O-silylated compounds and attributed to a hexacoordinated fluorosilicon intermediate. The reduction potential of these new peroxides was determined. They exhibited good to moderate antimalarial activity, greatly related to the presence of peroxyketal function.


[Potentials and limits of aging cohort studies for geriatric psychiatry].
The sizeable number of population-based cohort studies of aging in Germany have provided highly valuable contributions for the specification of risk factors and predictors for frequent mental disorders in old age, especially dementia and depression. The results from these cohort studies enable the specification of mechanisms for the development of and preventative interventions for common mental disorders in old age. On the other hand, there is a significant paucity of clinical cohort studies investigating disease trajectories and possible markers for specific individualized interventions of frequent mental disorders in old age. In this article, we report selected key findings from cohort studies of aging and discuss novel approaches for the integration and harmonization of population-based and clinical cohort studies.


Implementing AORN recommended practices for sterilization.
Any hospital or facility in which surgery and other invasive procedures are performed should have accommodations for cleaning, decontaminating, disinfecting, and sterilizing instruments, equipment, and other essential supplies that are used for patient procedures. Sterilization is essential to reducing or preventing the risk of surgical site infections. This is a collaborative process and should include all health care providers who handle these instruments, including perioperative nurses. The revised AORN "Recommended practices for sterilization," which became effective June 15, 2012, includes updates on sterilizing single-use items, inspecting critical items before sterilization, using low-temperature hydrogen peroxide vapor sterilization methods, and immediate use steam sterilization. This RP document is the first AORN document to be evidence rated and accepted for inclusion in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality National Guideline Clearinghouse.


Midwifery students' perceptions of the modifiable organisational factors that foster bullying behaviours whilst on clinical placement. A qualitative descriptive study.
An increasing body of research suggests midwifery students experience bullying and harassment whilst on clinical placement. Little is known, however, about factors that foster bullying within this context and how they may be addressed. To explore and describe midwifery students' perceptions of what modifiable organisational factors foster bullying behaviours and to map the identified factors against the students' perceptions of a solution. A qualitative descriptive design was used. A total of 120 midwifery students from the United Kingdom and Australia participated in this study. Participants completed an online qualitative survey and data was thematically analysed. The midwifery students in this study perceive that several organisational factors exist that help foster bullying behaviours towards them whilst undertaking clinical placement. Three overarching themes were identified relating to ineffective midwifery mentorship, the high stress environment of the maternity unit, and challenges faced with transparency and whistleblowing. Students identified a range of potential structural responses to bullying. Recommendations are made that midwifery managers and academics acknowledge how students perceive several potentially modifiable organisational factors which either lead to or exacerbate the likelihood of them being the target of bullying whilst on clinical placement. Consideration should be given to solutions that from the student's perspective may help tackle bullying and subsequently lead to fewer students leaving midwifery education and further depleting the future workforce.


MiR-145 functions as a tumor suppressor by directly targeting histone deacetylase 2 in liver cancer.
Aberrant regulation of histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) plays a pivotal role in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but, the underlying mechanism leading to HDAC2 overexpression is not well understood. We performed microRNA (miRNA) profiling analysis in a subset of HCCs, and identified four down-regulated miRNAs that may target HDAC2 in HCC. Ectopic expression of miRNA mimics evidenced that miR-145 suppresses HDAC2 expression in HCC cells. This treatment repressed cancer cell growth and recapitulated HDAC2 knockdown effects on HCC cells. In conclusion, we suggest that loss or suppression of miR-145 may cause aberrant overexpression of HDAC2 and promote HCC tumorigenesis.


Initial empiric antibiotic therapy for community-acquired pneumonia in Chinese hospitals.
Studies on treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in China are scarce. We performed a study to investigate empiric antibiotic practices for patients hospitalized with CAP in China and the risk factors for treatment failure. Data were collected from a national Chinese hospitalization database. Adult patients who were diagnosed with CAP between 1 October 2014 and 30 September 2015 were identified. We studied initial empiric antibiotic regimens, microbiologic sampling, treatment failure, in-hospital mortality and length of hospital stay. We included 18 043 adult patients from 185 hospitals who met all the study inclusion criteria. The most common initial antibiotic regimen for CAP was monotherapy with a fluoroquinolone (14.8%, 2671/18 043). The most common initial antibiotic (used alone or in combination with other antibiotics) was levofloxacin (15.7%, 4597/29 278 (this denominator represents the total number of initial antibiotics)). The microbiologic sampling rate was 26.9% (4851/18 043). A total of 4050 (22.4%) of 18 043 patients experienced treatment failure. Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated that older age, male sex, coexisting lung cancer and use of regimens not covering atypical pathogens were risk factors for treatment failure. In-hospital mortality was 2.1% (380/18 043). The median hospital length of stay was 11 days (interquartile range, 8-15 days). Patients receiving Chinese guideline-adherent regimens had better outcomes, and atypical pathogen active regimens were associated with a lower treatment failure rate and shorter length of hospital stay.


Isolation and characterization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants with enhanced resistance to the anticancer drug bleomycin.
Bleomycin is an antitumor agent believed to act by damaging DNA. It is currently used for treating testicular carcinomas, but other types of cancers such as ovarian and colon are resistant to the drug from the outset. The mechanism involved in allowing cells to confer resistant to bleomycin is not known. We exploited the power of yeast genetics to isolate for the first time several bleomycin-resistant mutants derived from a strain deleted for the IMP2 gene encoding a transcriptional co-activator. imp2Delta mutants are known to be hypersensitive to bleomycin, monovalent and divalent cations, and high pH. The suppressors of imp2Delta showed extreme resistance to bleomycin and also either fully or partially rescued the phenotypes associated with the imp2Delta mutant, suggesting that bleomycin resistance is linked to other phenotypes. Using fluorescently labeled bleomycin, we demonstrated that two bleomycin-resistant variants, MAY1 and MAY2, were compromised for uptake of the drug, as compared with the parent. In contrast, the imp2Delta mutant showed a substantial increase in the uptake of fluorescently labeled bleomycin. We further showed that strains MAY1 and MAY2 contain a reduced amount of a plasma membrane protein, which binds to (57)Co-labeled bleomycin and is believed to mediate drug entry into the cell. We propose that the bleomycin-resistant mutants are likely defective in a process responsible for transporting the drug into the cell.


Efficacy, safety, and ethics of cosmetic neurology far from settled.
In this issue, Larriviere and colleagues discuss the emerging use of drugs to enhance cognitive function. Several cautions they raise warrant amplification. People have tried to pharmacologically improve cognitive function for millennia, but Larriviere and colleagues postulate that new, more effective drugs will lead to the emergence of "cosmetic neurology." The ethics of using drugs to improve performance, as opposed to treating disease or restoring normal function, are far from settled.


Three cases using platelet-rich plasma to cure chronic soft tissue lesions.
To report and discuss the three cases of patients with chronic non-healing wounds who underwent PRP therapy. After thorough debridement and necessary dressing changes, 30-50 ml of whole blood was drawn from the patient's vein, from which PRP was extracted and applied to the wound. Seven or ten days later the wound was rechecked and other successive treatments were carried out if needed. All three patients achieved complete recovery and no recurrence reported (Pictures of the whole therapies were enclosed). PRP is a novel way to cure the chronic wounds, which can be used as a substitution when a wound goes non-healing and responds badly to the conventional treatments, such as dressing changing and some recombinant growth factors.


Testicular Cancer: Contemporary Updates in Staging.
Testicular tumors are the most common solid tumors in young men, the vast majority of which are of germ cell origin. The staging of human cancers is paramount to correct patient management. Staging systems have passed through several developments leading to the release of the most recent 8th edition of the American Joint Committee for Cancer (AJCC) staging manual, which is based on the current understanding of tumor behavior and spread. In this review, the authors summarize the current AJCC staging of the germ cell tumors, highlight essential concepts, and provide insight into the most important parameters of testicular tumors.


Effect of anions on the cation selectivity of gramicidin-containing liposomes.
An osmotic method was used to study the salt permeability induced by gramicidin A in liposomes. Sequences of cation permeation were obtained for iodide, salycilate, acetate and formate salts in liposomes below and above their transition temperature. Salycilate and formate salts, unlike acetate and iodide salts, exhibit the same sequences for cation selectivity in liposomes below and above their transition temperature. These results can be explained by assuming three mechanisms for salt permeation across gramicidin-containing liposomes: (i) the anion moves by the lipid part of the membrane whereas the cation moves by the gramicidin channel, (ii) movement of the undissociated acid species occurs through the lipid part of the membrane followed by cation-proton exchange via the gramicidin channel and (iii) the cation and anion may move simultaneously via the gramicidin channel. When the movement of the anion or undissociated acid across the lipid part of the membrane is not rate limiting the permeation process, the cation selectivity obtained agrees with the cation selectivity of the gramicidin A channel, as determined by others using independent measurements.


Fish predation and offspring survival in the prosobranch snail Viviparus ater.
In this study we identified some of the predators of the freshwater snail Viviparus ater and estimated offspring survival to the end of the first summer in a natural population. Newborn V. ater were eaten by the fish Barbus barbus, Rutilus rutilus, Scardinius erythrophtalmus and Tinca tinca. Out of 137 guts of Abramis brama caught in Lake Zürich 1 contained shell fragments and an operculum of a newborn V. ater. On a 40×40 m grid near Goldbach, Lake Zürich, we counted 678 adult females of V. ater in June 1988, which together gave birth to approximately 13 300 offspring throughout the summer. In October we found 1348 V. ater of age class 0 on the grid, i.e. approximately 10% of the year's young had survived to the end of their first summer. The grid had been divided into two sections, A and B. In section A, 72 carthenware tiles had been placed as shelters for V. ater. Offspring survival was slightly but significantly higher here (10.9%) than in section B (9.6%). The observation that offspring survival in the natural habitat was 1 order of magnitude lower than in cages suggests that predation is an important cause of mortality of newborn V. ater. Average population density was 2 individuals m-2 There was a migration from shallow (1-4 m) to deeper water (5-9 m) in September. The average distance between weekly recordings of tagged V. ater was 4.7 m in males and 3.0 m in females.


Cholecystokinin and psychiatric disorders : role in aetiology and potential of receptor antagonists in therapy.
Cholecystokinin (CCK) is one of the most abundant neuropeptides in the brain. It is found in the highest levels in cortical and limbic structures and also in the basal ganglia. Two subtypes of CCK receptors have been described in the brain and gastrointestinal tissues. CCK(A) (alimentary subtype) receptors are mainly located in the gastrointestinal tract, regulating secretion of enzymes from the pancreas and emptying of the gallbladder. However, CCK(A) receptors are also found in several brain regions, with the highest densities in structures poorly protected by the haematoencephalic barrier (the area postrema, nucleus tractus solitarius and hypothalamus). The distribution of CCK(B) (brain subtype) receptors overlaps with the localisation of CCK and its mRNA in different brain areas, with the highest densities in the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, nucleus accumbens and forebrain limbic structures.Both subtype of CCK receptor belong to the guanine nucleotide-binding protein-(G protein)-linked receptor superfamily containing 7 transmembrane domains. Signal transduction at CCK receptors is mediated via G(q) protein-related activation of phospholipase C and the formation of inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP(3)) and 1,2-diacylglycerol (DAG). Recent cloning of CCK(A) and CCK(B) receptors has shown that mRNA for both receptors is distributed in the same tissues as established in radioligand binding and receptor autoradiography studies, with few exceptions.The existence of multiple CCK receptors has fuelled the development of selective CCK(A) and CCK(B) receptor antagonists. These antagonists belong to distinct chemical groups, including dibutyryl derivatives of cyclic nucleotides, amino acid derivatives, partial sequences and derivatives of the -COOH terminal sequence heptapeptides of CCK, benzodiazepine derivatives, 'peptoids' based on fragments of the CCK molecule, and pyrazolidinones. At the present time, the compounds of choice for blockade of the CCK(A) receptor are lorglumide, devazepide and lintitript (SR27897). L-365,260, CI-988, L-740,093 and LY288513 are the drugs most widely used to block CCK(B) receptors.Studies with CCK antagonists (and agonists) in animals and humans suggest a role for CCK in the regulation of anxiety and panic. The administration of CCK agonists [ceruletide (caerulein), CCK-4, pentagastrin] has an anxiogenic action in various animal models and in different animal species. However, the anxiogenic action of CCK agonists is restricted to nonconditioned (ethological) models of anxiety, with very limited activity in the 'classical' conditioned models. Pharmacological studies have revealed that CCK(B) receptors are the key targets in the anxiogenic action of CCK agonists. Nevertheless, CCK(B) antagonists displayed very little activity, if any at all, in these models, but strongly antagonised the effects of CCK(B) agonists. The anxiogenic/panicogenic action of CCK(B) agonists (CCK-4, pentagastrin) is even more pronounced in human studies, but the effectiveness of CCK(B) antagonists as anxiolytics remains unclear. Clinical trials performed to date have provided inconclusive data about the anxiolytic potential of CCK(B) receptor antagonists, probably because of limiting pharmacokinetic factors.The results of some animal experiments suggest a role for CCK in depression. The administration of CCK(B) antagonists causes antidepressant-like action in mouse models of depression. However, human studies replicating this result have yet to be carried out.A prominent biochemical alteration in schizophrenia is a reduction of CCK levels in the cerebral cortex. This change may be related to the loss of cortical neurons, due to the schizophrenic process itself. In animal studies (mainly in mice), administration of CCK agonists and antagonists has been shown to be effective in several models, reflecting a possible antipsychotic activity of these drugs. However, the data obtained in human studies suggest that CCK agonists and antagonists do not improve the symptoms of schizophrenia. Taking into account the reduced levels of CCK and its receptors found in schizophrenia, treatments increasing, but not blocking, brain CCK activity may be more appropriate.


The Use of Digital Impressions to Fabricate Tooth-Supported Partial Removable Dental Prostheses: A Clinical Report.
Impression making is a critical step in the fabrication of a partial removable dental prosthesis (RDP). A technique is described for making final impressions to fabricate partial RDPs for Kennedy class III patients using a computer-aided design and computer-assisted manufacturing digital impression system.


Blood-brain transport of thiamine monophosphate in the rat: a kinetic study in vivo.
To calculate the kinetic parameters of thiamine monophosphate transport across the rat blood-brain barrier in vivo, different doses of a [35S]thiamine monophosphate preparation with a specific activity of 14.8 mCi.mmol-1 were injected in the femoral vein and the radioactivity was measured in arterial femoral blood and in the cerebellum, cerebral cortex, pons, and medulla 20 s after the injection. This short experimental time was used to prevent thiamine monophosphate hydrolysis. Thiamine monophosphate was transported into the nervous tissue by a saturable mechanism. The maximal transport rate (Jmax) and the half-saturation concentration (Km) equaled 27-39 pmol.g-1.min-1 and 2.6-4.8 microM, respectively. When compared with that of thiamine, thiamine monophosphate transport seemed to be characterized by a lower affinity and a lower maximal influx rate. At physiological plasma concentrations, thiamine monophosphate transport rate ranged from 2.06 to 4.90 pmol.g-1.min-1, thus representing a significant component of thiamine supply to nervous tissue.


Structural basis for PRC2 engagement with chromatin.
The polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is a conserved multiprotein, repressive chromatin complex essential for development and maintenance of eukaryotic cellular identity. PRC2 comprises a trimeric core of SUZ12, EED and EZH1/2, which together with RBBP4/7 is sufficient to catalyse mono-methylation, di-methylation and tri-methylation of histone H3 at lysine 27 (H3K27me1/2/3). These histone methyltransferase activities of PRC2 are deregulated in several human cancers and certain developmental disorders, such as Weaver Syndrome. Core PRC2 associates with several accessory proteins, which organise to define two main subassemblies, PRC2.1 and PRC2.2. Here we review new biochemical and structural studies that are providing critical insights into how core and accessory PRC2 subunits coordinate the faithful deposition of H3K27 methylations genome-wide.


Tuberculosis diagnosis: algorithm that May discriminate latent from active tuberculosis.
Diagnosis of tuberculosis still faces a lot of challenges and is one of the priorities in the field of tuberculosis management. Deciphering the complex tuberculosis pathogenicity network could provide biomarkers for diagnosis. We discussed the distribution of HLA-B17, -DQB and -DRB together with QuantiFERON test results in tuberculosis infection. A case control study was done during which a total of 337 subjects were enrolled comprising 227 active tuberculosis (ATB), 46 latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and 64 healthy controls (HC). Sequence-specific primer polymerase chain reaction and immune epitope database were used to genotype samples and determine the epitope binding ability of the over-represented alleles respectively. QuantiFERON test was done according to manufacturer's instructions. The peptides HLA-B*5801 and HLA-DRB1*12 and the peptides HLA-B*5802 and HLA-DQB1*03 were found to be associated with latent tuberculosis while the haplotypes DRB1*10-DQB1*02 and DRB1*13-DQB1*06 were found to be associated with active tuberculosis (All p-values≤0.05). The association of HLA-B*5801 and HLA-B*5802 with latent tuberculosis was linked to their ability to bind or not mycobacterial antigens. DRB1*10-DQB1*02 haplotype was found to be over-represented in LTBI compared to ATB (p-value = 0.0015) while DRB1*13-DQB1*06 was found to be under-represented in LTBI compared to ATB (p-value = 0.0335). The DRB1*10-DQB1*02 haplotype was only found in the LTBI when compared with the ATB group. The present study suggests the following algorithm to discriminate LTBI from ATB: QuantiFERON+ and DRB1*10-DQB1*02 haplotype + may indicate LTBI; QuantiFERON+ and DRB1*10-DQB1*02 haplotype - may indicate ATB.


Low-Skilled Migrants and the Historical Reproduction of Immigration Injustice.
Low-skilled migrants in wealthy receiving states are routinely subordinated across a range of social contexts. There is a rich philosophical literature on the inferiorizing effects of "crimmigration"-that is, the growing criminalization of unauthorized migrants and the state's use of uniquely harsh law enforcement methods against them. Yet there is less interest in the existing racialized division of migrant labor. Low-skilled Latino/a/x migrants disproportionately perform "dirty" and "difficult" work that citizens do not wish to perform. Theoretically, this division of labor is compatible with a more permissive immigration system that legally admitted far larger numbers of low-skilled migrants to continue "doing the dirty work." Indeed, many have assumed the desirability of such a system. Against this, I argue that "crimmigration" and the racialized division of migrant labor cannot be conceptually disentangled. Rather, they are mutually constitutive in reproducing background conditions that constrain the social equality of low-skilled migrants, as well as others perceived to be such. "Crimmigration" has not only excluded migrants, but enabled states to include them on socially unequal terms: as an instrumental and fungible source of cheap labor. Drawing on Alasia Nuti's (2019) valuable observation that "banal" historical mechanisms like stereotypes and social scripts can play a crucial role in maintaining present-day injustice, I show that stereotypes of migrants as workers in low-skilled occupations, as well as the expectation that they continue to take on those jobs, also profoundly undermine immigration justice.


Oral exposure to polyethylene microplastics alters gut morphology, immune response, and microbiota composition in mice.
The ubiquitous and growing presence of microplastics (MPs) in all compartments of the environment raises concerns about their possible harmful effects on human health. Human exposure to MPs occurs largely through ingestion. Polyethylene (PE) is widely employed for reusable bags and food packaging and found to be present in drinking water and food. It is also one of the major polymers detected in human stool. The aim of this study was to characterize the effects of intestinal exposure to PE MPs on gut homeostasis. Mice were orally exposed for 6 weeks to PE microbeads of 2 different sizes, 36 and 116 μm, that correspond to those found in human stool. They were administrated either individually or as a mixture at a dose of 100 μg/g of food. Both PE microbead sizes were detected in mouse stool. Different parameters related to major intestinal functions were compared between control mice, mice exposed to each type of microbead, or co-exposed to the 2 types of microbeads. Intestinal disturbances were observed after individual exposure to each size of PE microbead, and the most marked deleterious effects were found in co-exposed mice. At the histomorphological level, crypt depth was increased throughout the intestinal tissues. Significant variations of gene expression related to epithelial, permeability, and inflammatory biomarkers were quantified. Defective recruitment of some intestinal immune cells was observed from the proximal portion of the small intestine to the colon. Several bacterial taxa at the order level were found to be affected by exposure to the MPs by metagenomic analysis of cecal microbiota. These results show that ingestion of PE microbeads induces significant alterations of crucial intestinal markers in mice and underscores the need to further study the health impact of MP exposure in humans.


Effects of Laser Power Level on Microstructural Properties and Phase Composition of Laser-Clad Fluorapatite/Zirconia Composite Coatings on Ti6Al4V Substrates.
Hydroxyapatite (HA) is one of the most commonly used materials for the coating of bioceramic titanium (Ti) alloys. However, HA has poor mechanical properties and a low bonding strength. Accordingly, the present study replaces HA with a composite coating material consisting of fluorapatite (FA) and 20 wt % yttria (3 mol %) stabilized zirconia (ZrO₂, 3Y-TZP). The FA/ZrO₂ coatings are deposited on Ti6Al4V substrates using a Nd:YAG laser cladding system with laser powers and travel speeds of 400 W/200 mm/min, 800 W/400 mm/min, and 1200 W/600 mm/min, respectively. The experimental results show that a significant inter-diffusion of the alloying elements occurs between the coating layer (CL) and the transition layer (TL). Consequently, a strong metallurgical bond is formed between them. During the cladding process, the ZrO₂ is completely decomposed, while the FA is partially decomposed. As a result, the CLs of all the specimens consist mainly of FA, Ca₄(PO₄)₂O (TTCP), CaF₂, CaZrO₃, CaTiO₃ and monoclinic phase ZrO₂ (m-ZrO₂), together with a small amount of θ-Al₂O₃. As the laser power is increased, CaO, CaCO₃ and trace amounts of tetragonal phase ZrO₂ (t-ZrO₂) also appear. As the laser power increases from 400 to 800 W, the CL hardness also increases as a result of microstructural refinement and densification. However, at the highest laser power of 1200 W, the CL hardness reduces significantly due to the formation of large amounts of relatively soft CaO and CaCO₃ phase.


Replicative difference in early-passage feline brain cells among feline immunodeficiency virus isolates.
The susceptibility of early-passage feline brain cells and Crandell feline kidney (CRFK) cells to infection with three isolates of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) was investigated. The Petaluma strain of FIV could well infect both the feline brain cells and CRFK cells. The KYO-1 strain could well infect the feline brain cells but the replication in CRFK cells was demonstrated only by coculturing fresh feline T-lymphoblastoid cells with the infected cells. On the other hand, the TM1 strain could infect the feline brain cells but not CRFK cells. Moreover, the replicative ability of the TM1 strain in the feline brain cells was much less than the KYO-1 and Petaluma strains. These results indicate that biological differences can be detected among the FIV isolates.


[Current problems in pediatric intensive care from the pathophysiologic viewpoint. I. Changes in body composition and fluid compartments in relation to age].
A sufficient intensive therapy for children requires an age related knowledge of the bodies composition and the connection between each individual part. A summary of the questions of body composition in relation to age and internal comparison size, especially in connection with the bodies surface will be given.


Hepatocellular carcinoma protein carbonylation in virus C and metabolic syndrome patients.
Metabolic syndrome (MS) is becoming the leading cause of chronic liver diseases worldwide. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in MS is peculiar compared to other chronic liver diseases. Carbohydrate and lipid metabolic imbalance in MS increase reactive oxygen species damaging proteins. In the present work we study the difference in protein oxidative damage (carbonylation) in human HCC derived from virus C infection (VHC) and from MS (MS_HCC) as the only subjacent cause. We selected a patient cohort containing of 10 non-tumoral and 10 tumoral liver resections in each study group (virus C and MS HCC) based on clinical patient history and histological parameters. Protein samples were labeled to saturation using CF 647-hydrazide™ dye. This approach allows us to perform carbonyl detection alongside with a DIGE experiment. We detected a total of 1184 spots with 36 differentially expressed proteins and 47 spots differentially carbonylated between VHC and MS_HCC (fold change >1.5, p<0.05). VHC up-regulated proteins are involved in signaling pathways related to cancer development such as signaling by EGFR, Wnt, Cdc20 and cell cycle. Further, up-regulated proteins in MS HCC, are implicated in metabolism of carbohydrates and amino acids. Differential carbonylation analysis between VHC and MS_HCC showed protein damage in proteins such as glucose phosphate isomerase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, and 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase. Higher protein carbonylation in MS_HCC samples was observed in proteins involved in redox response and lipid metabolism. In conclusion, the observed difference in protein oxidative damage between MS and Virus C derived carcinoma could account for the different cancer development pathway.


Evaluation of the effectiveness of pre-employment screening.
As pre-employment screening and selection is a main function in the protection of susceptible applicants from developing an occupational disease, we need insight into the effectiveness of this intervention under different exposure conditions. The aim of our study was to demonstrate the feasibility and usefulness of three indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of pre-employment examinations. We used a pre-employment medical evaluation table to gather the data needed for the indicators for effectiveness. The first indicator chosen is the predictive value of a positive test result (PPV) corresponding to the percentage of applicants who will develop an occupational disease after a positive test result. The second indicator is the number of pre-employment medical examinations needed to reduce the number of new cases of an occupational disease by one (number needed to test, NNT). The third is the number of rejections for the job, as the consequence of a positive test result, needed to reduce the number of new cases of an occupational disease by one (number needed to reject, NNR). To illustrate feasibility and usefulness, we used the example of potroom asthma in the primary-aluminium industry. We used data on personal risk factors and on the incidence of potroom asthma from a nested case-control study in the Netherlands. The three indicators for effectiveness could be applied. For high incidence rates, defined as 0.04 (40 cases/1000 employees per year), the PPV values for personal risk indicators varied from 5% to 27%. The NNT varied from 116 to 667. Finally, the NNR varied from 4 to 20. For low incidence rates, defined as 0.005 (5 cases/1000 employees per year), the PPV values were low (0.6% to 5%). The NNT were high (1111 to 5000). The NNR varied from 23 to 155. The three indicators for effectiveness are applicable under the condition of the availability of relevant empirical data. The indicators provided useful information for the evaluation of the effectiveness of specific tests, which might be added as selection criteria. The personal risk factors studied were far from effective as selection instruments, especially in situations where a low incidence of potroom asthma exists. Personal risk factors at the pre-employment stage should not be added to the standard procedure to select susceptible applicants. Under conditions, they may be taken into account in a workers' health surveillance programme. As a contribution to evidence-based occupational medicine, we recommend the use of the pre-employment medical evaluation table and the three chosen indicators for effectiveness as a standard tool to evaluate the effectiveness of pre-employment medical examinations.


The Effect of TLR Agonists and Myokines on Secretory Activity of Adipogenically Differentiated MSC Cultures.
We studied the effect of bacterial pathogen-associated molecular patterns and myokines on the secretion of adipokines by mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and products of their adipogenic differentiation. The secretion of adiponectin, adipsin, leptin, and insulin by adipogenically differentiated cell cultures was quantitatively determined using multiplex ELISA. MSC obtained from the stromal vascular fraction of human subcutaneous adipose tissue were shown to secrete a known adipokine adipsin. The ability of white adipocytes to secrete significant amounts of insulin (in vitro) has been shown for the first time. Control cultures of white adipocytes secreted much higher levels of adiponectin, leptin, and insulin when compared to other adipocytes cultures. On the other hand, beige and brown adipocyte cultures secreted more adipsin than white adipocyte cultures. The influence of myokine β-aminoisobutyric acid on the secretion of adipsin in MSC, white, beige, and brown adipocytes was also studied.


Flavone acetic acid (LM-975; NSC-347512) activation to cytotoxic species in vivo and in vitro.
Flavone acetic acid (FAA; LM 975; NSC 347512) is a new anticancer agent with unprecedented, broad antitumor activity in murine models. Although FAA is very effective in vivo against solid tumors, including colon 38 adenocarcinoma, it was not cytotoxic in vitro against colon 38 cells and human colon adenocarcinoma cells HCT116 at pharmacologically achievable concentrations and exposure times. For example, a concentration of 300 micrograms/ml for a 10-day exposure time was required to obtain less than 1 log cell kill. After the administration of an effective FAA dose (180 mg/kg, i.v.) to mice, plasma cytotoxicity against HCT116 cells attained a 2 log cell kill between 0.5 and 2 h, which decreased to 1 log cell kill at 4 h. No cytotoxicity was observed 6, 12 or 21 h after drug administration. The controls used comprised mouse plasma containing FAA concentrations similar to those assayed in the above plasma samples from in-vivo-dosed mice. These spiked plasma were not cytotoxic, indicating that other cytotoxic species, formed in vivo, were responsible for the increased cytotoxicity. Mouse hepatocytes co-cultured with HCT116 cells increased FAA cytotoxicity to 1 log cell kill at 30-100 micrograms/ml. The addition of phenobarbital-induced mouse liver supernatant S-9000xg also markedly increased FAA cytotoxicity to a 2 log cell kill at 300 micrograms/ml. We conclude that FAA can be activated both in vivo and in vitro to cytotoxic species that are more active than the parent compound.


Immunoscintigraphic localization of inflammatory lesions: pharmacokinetics and estimated absorbed radiation dose in man.
Five patients with inflammatory lesions received anti-granulocytes murine monoclonal antibody (Mabgc) infused over 5 to 15 min at doses between 3.4 and 5.4 mCi 123I (120 micrograms antibody). Clearance of 123I from blood pool closely fits a biexponential mathematical model with the two effective half-lives 0.73 h and 9.3 h. The spontaneous release of 123I was found to be relatively low in the blood pool. The cumulative urinary excretion of the 123I label over 120 h was in the range of 63% of the totally administered dose and is assumed to represent only a low molecular compound or 123I alone as iodide. Analysis of the label in spleen, liver and red marrow showed that the concentration of label in these tissues remains more or less constant over a period of 20 h after infusion. With data of liver, spleen, red marrow and whole body activity over a period of 24 h, an estimated radiation dose was calculated. Compared with 111In labelled leucocytes, especially in spleen, the absorbed dose is lower by a factor of ten per examination.


Deletion of GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes and lung cancer survival: a systematic review.
The mechanisms of lung carcinogenesis are not fully understood. Not all smokers develop lung cancer, indicating that genetic variations and other environmental factors may play an important role in its development. The human glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) have been associated with an increased risk of lung cancer. Glutathione S-transferases are phase II biotransformation enzymes that play a role in detoxifying a wide range of exogenous agents including carcinogens but also anticarcinogenic drugs. We assessed the effect of allelic deletions in the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotypes on lung cancer overall survival through a systematic review of the scientific literature after applying predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Most of the included studies found no effect or a tendency to worse survival for individuals with deletion of GSTs. Further studies are necessary to understand the magnitude of the effect of the deletion of both genes on lung cancer survival.


Comparison of the rheological properties of Advantage-S and Replens.
The rheological properties of Advantage-S and Replens were measured at body (37 degrees C) and room temperature (25 degrees C) over a range of physiologically relevant shear rates. The viscosity of Replens was found to differ from that of Advantage-S, particularly at room temperature. In addition, the two materials differed in their miscibility with a vaginal fluid simulant.


Using social media as e-Portfolios to support learning in higher education: a literature analysis.
Although e-Portfolio is acknowledged as one of the powerful pedagogical practices that enhance learning in higher education (HE), not much is known about the types of social media (SM) utilized as e-Portfolios and the benefits for students. This literature analysis, using directed content analysis, aims to explore the above vacuum. The research questions in this study are: (1) In what ways do the SM as e-Portfolios benefit students in HE? (2) To what extent are the benefits of SM as e-Portfolios comparable to those of conventional e-Portfolios? and (3) What are the drawbacks that practitioners and researchers need to be concerned with? Findings indicate that blogs are the most popular SM used as e-Portfolios to support learning, followed by social networking sites and collaborative projects. The study yields 13 advantages and 12 drawbacks when SM is manipulated as e-Portfolios. These findings conclude that the use of SM as e-Portfolios has a great potential in supporting students' learning and development by providing an environment for them to learn meaningfully from their experiences and engage in critical reflections and dialogues that allow them to gain new knowledge and valuable insights and thus, improve their skills. A pedagogical framework for the planning and implementation of SM as e-Portfolios is suggested based on the findings and aims of the papers that were reviewed. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12528-022-09344-z.


Emigration preferences and plans among medical students in Poland.
Migration and ethical recruitment of health care workers is receiving increased attention worldwide. Europe's aging population is creating new opportunities for medical doctors for finding employment in other countries, particularly those of a better standard of living. We conducted a survey among 1214 medical students in five out of eleven universities in Poland with medical schools in October 2008. A series of statistical tests was applied to analyse the characteristics of potential migrants. Projections were obtained using statistical analyses: descriptive, multifactorial logistic regression and other statistical methods . We can forecast that 26-36% of Polish medical students will emigrate over the next few years; 62% of respondents estimated the likelihood of emigration at 50%. Students in their penultimate year of study declared a stronger desire to migrate than those in the final year. At the same time, many students were optimistic about career opportunities in Poland. Also noted among students were: the decline in interest in leaving among final year students, their moderate elaboration of departure plans, and their generally optimistic views about the opportunities for professional development in Poland. The majority of Polish students see the emigration as a serious alternative to the continuation of their professional training. This trend can pose a serious threat to the Polish health care system, however the observed decline of the interest in leaving among final year students, the moderate involvement in concrete departure plans and the optimistic views about the opportunities for professional development in Poland suggest that the actual scale of brain drain of young Polish doctors due to emigration will be more limited than previously feared.


DNA hypermethylation in breast cancer and its association with clinicopathological features.
Aberrant hypermethylation of gene promoter regions is one of the mechanisms for inactivation of tumour suppressor genes in breast cancer. We investigated whether hypermethylation identifies breast cancers with distinctive clinical and pathological features. We evaluated the methylation of RARbeta2, CDH1, ER, BRCA1, CCND2, p16 and TWIST in 193 breast carcinomas. Methylation frequencies ranged from 11% for CCND2 to 84% for ER. Tumours with frequent methylation (4-6 genes) were more often poorly differentiated compared to those with infrequent methylation (0-2 genes; P=0.004). Tumours with ER and CDH1 methylation were associated with significantly lower hormone receptor levels, younger age at diagnosis and the presence of mutant p53. Our data suggests that gene methylation may be linked to various pathological features of breast cancer, however, this requires confirmation in larger studies.


Variations of Neospora caninum antibody levels in milk during lactation in dairy cows.
A longitudinal study was performed to investigate the variations of Neospora caninum antibody levels in individual milk during lactation as well as the association between antibody levels in serum and milk. Serum and milk samples of 15 milking cows were collected between February 2003 and September 2004 in three smallholder dairy farms in Khon Kaen province in northeast Thailand. All samples were analyzed for presence of antibodies by an N. caninum iscom ELISA test kit and the results were given as percent positivity (PP). The effects of time between calving and sampling, lactation number, and season on milk and serum PP were studied using Generalized Estimation Equations methods. All cows were antibody positive in either milk or serum at the first two consecutive samplings. Although serum and milk PP varied considerably, milk PP was consistently positive throughout the study. Cows of all lactation groups had a higher adjusted mean of milk PP at calving compared to later months after calving although the only significant difference was in first lactation. Serum and milk PP were always lower in first lactation than in second and later lactations. An adjusted mean of milk PP for cows classified as having serum PP> or =55 was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of cows classified as having lower serum PP. Our results indicate that individual milk can be an alternative material to demonstrate presence of N. caninum antibodies in lactating cows.


Immunochemical properties of human low density lipoproteins as explored by monoclonal antibodies. Binding characteristics distinct from those of conventional serum antibodies.
Spleen cells obtained from mice immunized with human plasma low-density lipoproteins (LDL) were fused with mouse myeloma cells. The resulting hybridoma cells secreting immunoglobulin specific for LDL were screened and scored by radioimmunoassay and cloned by multiple limiting dilutions. Immunochemical properties of the monoclonal antibodies were compared with convential mouse serum antibodies. It was found that conventional antibodies precipitated LDL and bound more than 95% of 125I-labeled LDL and the maximal binding was independent of temperature. The monoclonal antibodies were incapable of precipitating LDL and bound a maximum of only 20% of the total 125I-labeled LDL. The maximal binding between monoclonal antibodies and LDL was extremely temperature-dependent. An optimal degree of binding was observed at 4 degrees C, whereas binding at 37 degrees C was only 30% of that achieved at 4 degrees C. Although the binding at 37 degrees C was low, the maximal binding could be re-established following a subsequent incubation at 4 degrees C, suggesting that the antigenic structure of LDL is reversibly modulated at temperatures between 4 and 37 degrees C. Since the orientation of apolipoprotein B in LDL is known to be dynamic at different temperatures, this result suggests that monoclonal antibodies, but not conventional antibodies, are capable of detecting subtle conformational changes in LDL. In addition, we have determined the binding affinity of LDL to monoclonal antibodies and to conventional antibodies. Only monoclonal antibodies showed a linear Scatchard plot, suggesting that the binding was to a single site with a single affinity. The monoclonal antibodies also possessed high specificity and failed to react with porcine LDL, while serum antibodies could recognize both human and porcine LDL.


Characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 genomes in Egypt in first and second waves of infection.
At Wuhan, in December 2019, the SRAS-CoV-2 outbreak was detected and it has been the pandemic worldwide. This study aims to investigate the mutations in sequence of the SARS-CoV-2 genome and characterize the mutation patterns in Egyptian COVID-19 patients during different waves of infection. The samples were collected from 250 COVID-19 patients and the whole genome sequencing was conducted using Next Generation Sequencing. The viral sequence analysis showed 1115 different genome from all Egyptian samples in the second wave mutations including 613 missense mutations, 431 synonymous mutations, 25 upstream gene mutations, 24 downstream gene mutations, 10 frame-shift deletions, and 6 stop gained mutation. The Egyptian genomic strains sequenced in second wave of infection are different to that of the first wave. We observe a shift of lineage prevalence from the strain B.1 to B.1.1.1. Only one case was of the new English B.1.1.7. Few samples have one or two mutations of interest from the Brazil and South Africa isolates. New clade 20B appear by March 2020 and 20D appear by May 2020 till January 2021.


Influence of cholesterol on electroporation of bilayer lipid membranes: chronopotentiometric studies.
This paper presents the results of constant-current (chronopotentiometric) measurements of the egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (PC) bilayer membrane without and with cholesterol. The experiments were performed on planar bilayer lipid membrane (BLM) formed by the Mueller-Rudin method. It is demonstrated that the constant-intensity current flow through bilayer membranes generated fluctuating pores in their structure. The presence of cholesterol in the membrane caused an increase in the value of the breakdown potential. It is postulated that greater stability of the bilayer with cholesterol can result from an increased critical pore radius (at which the bilayer would undergo irreversible rupture). This confirms that cholesterol has a stabilizing effect on BLM. Besides, our results suggest that addition of cholesterol causes shift in the distribution of pore conductance towards a smaller value. It is suggested that this can be connected with the phenomenon of domain formation in the membranes containing high concentration of cholesterol. Moreover, it is shown that chronopotentiometry with programmable current intensity is a promising method for observation of the membrane recovery process.


Restless legs syndrome in type 2 diabetes mellitus.
This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of restless leg syndrome (RLS) in type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients and to determine the risk factors. Patients were recruited from the Dr. Lütfi Kırdar Kartal Training and Research Hospital Diabetes Center. Patients between 18-80 years of age and meeting a minimum 5 years diagnosis of type-2 DM were included. All patients were examined by the same neurologist in terms of having RLS. The diagnosis was made according to the updated International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group consensus criteria. Mimicking conditions such as myalgia, venous stasis, leg edema, arthritis, leg cramps, positional discomfort and habitual foot tapping were carefully investigated and excluded. Laboratory data, insulin use, family history and other related co-morbidities connected to RLS patients were recorded. RLS severity assessment was scored and recorded. 318 patients were included in the study. The prevalence of RLS in type-2 DM patients was found to be 28.3%. RLS prevalence in females was 33.3% and 20.6% in males. 39 patients (43.3%) had a family history of RLS. 43 patients with RLS had a co-morbidity link with RLS. Any co-morbidity linked to RLS was not seen in 47 patients. The prevalence rate of RLS in patients without co-morbidities was 17.1%. Mean duration of DM in patients with RLS was 15.6±6.7years while in DM patients without RLS was 13.7±6.3years. The relationship between RLS and the duration of diabetes was found to be statically significant. (p=0.025). 68 (75.6%) of patients diagnosed with RLS were treated with insulin. A statistical significance was found in the development of RLS and insulin usage (p=0.035). This is the first study which shows the RLS prevalence and risk factors in Turkish type-2 diabetes mellitus patients. The results indicated that RLS is much more frequent in DM patients even after excluding polyneuropathy than in general Turkish population. The duration of diabetes and insulin use are related to RLS.


Initially linear echo-spacing dependence of 1/T2 measurements in many porous media with pore-scale inhomogeneous fields.
For a liquid sample with unrestricted diffusion in a constant magnetic field gradient g, the increase R in R2=1/T2 for CPMG measurements is 1/3(taugammag)2D, where gamma is magnetogyric ratio, tau is the half the echo spacing TE, and D is the diffusion constant. For measurements on samples of porous media with pore fluids and without externally applied gradients there may still be significant pore-scale local inhomogeneous fields due to susceptibility differences, whose contributions to R2 depend on tau. Here, diffusion is not unrestricted nor is the field gradient constant. One class of approaches to this problem is to use an "effective gradient" or some kind of average gradient. Then, R2 is often plotted against tau2, with the effective gradient determined from the slope of some of the early points. In many cases, a replot of R2 against tau instead of tau2 shows a substantial straight-line interval, often including the earliest available points. In earlier work [G.C. Borgia, R.J.S. Brown, P. Fantazzini, Phys. Rev. E 51 (1995) 2104; R.J.S. Brown, P. Fantazzini, Phys. Rev. B 47 (1993) 14823] these features were noted, and attention was called to the fact that very large changes in field and gradient are likely for a small part of the pore fluid over distances very much smaller than pore dimensions. A truncated Cauchy-Lorentz (C-L) distribution of local fields in the pore space was used to explain observations, giving reduced effects of diffusion because of the averaging properties of the C-L distribution, the truncation being at approximately +/-1/2chiB0, where chi is the susceptibility difference. It was also noted that, when there is a narrow range of pore size a, over a range of about 40 of the parameter xi=1/3chinua2/D, where nu is the frequency, R2 does not depend much on pore size a nor on diffusion constant D. Examples are shown where plots of R2 vs tau show better linear fits to the data for small tau values than do plots vs tau2. The present work shows that, if both grain-scale and sample-scale gradients are present for samples with narrow ranges of T2, it may be possible to identify the separate effects with the linear and quadratic coefficients in a second-order polynomial fit to the early data points. Of course, many porous media have wide pore size and T2 distributions and hence wide ranges of xi. For some of these wide distributions we have plotted R2 vs tau for signal percentiles, normalized to total signal for shortest tau, again showing initially linear tau-dependence even when available data do not cover the longest and/or shortest T2 values for alltau values. For the examples presented, both the intercepts and the initial slopes of the plots of R2 vs tau increase systematically with signal percentile, starting at smallest R2.


The hemoglobins of Artemia salina. IV. A model for genetic control of hemoglobin 1, hemoglobin 2, and hemoglobin X.
Two loci account for all genetic variation resulting in difference in electrophoretic mobility in three hemoglobins (Hb1, Hb2, and HbX) in the hemolymph of the brine shrimp. Four alpha alleles and nine beta alleles have been studied. In shrimps of all genotypes and in electrophoresis in media with varying degrees of molecular sieving, Hb2 is approximately equidistant from Hb1 and HbX. A shrimp heterozygous at both loci has a three-banded Hb1, a four-banded Hb2, and a three-banded BbX. We conclude that Hb2 contains n alpha-polypeptides and n beta-polypeptides. Hb1 contains 2n alpha-polypeptides. HbX contains 2n beta-polypeptides. During electrophoresis, the three native hemoglobins undergo reversible dissociation to n subunits. Subunits with the same charge reassemble to migrate as molecules of the same size as the native molecules. Although there is no evidence for an additional polypeptide in the three hemoglobins, we cannot exclude such a possibility. If it exists, it is under three constraints: (1) it must be present in equal amounts in each of the three hemoglobins; (2) it must have the same molecular weight as the alpha- and beta-polypeptides; and (3) it must be free of genetic variation (detectable by electrophoresis).


Sitting behavior and obesity: evidence from the Whitehall II study.
Prospective studies report associations between indicators of time spent sitting and obesity risk. Most studies use a single indicator of sedentary behavior and are unable to clearly identify whether sedentary behavior is a cause or a consequence of obesity. To investigate cross-sectional and prospective associations between multiple sitting time indicators and obesity and examine the possibility of reverse causality. Using data from the Whitehall II cohort, multiple logistic models were fitted to examine associations between prevalent obesity (BMI ≥30) at Phase 5 (1997-1999), and incident obesity between Phases 5 and 7 (2003-2004) across four levels of five sitting exposures (work sitting, TV viewing, non-TV leisure-time sitting, leisure-time sitting, and total sitting). Using obesity data from three prior phases (1985-1988, 1991-1993; and recalled weight at age 25 years), linear regression models were fitted to examine the association between prior obesity and sitting time at Phase 5. Analyses were conducted in 2012. None of the sitting exposures were associated with obesity either cross-sectionally or prospectively. Obesity at one previous measurement phase was associated with a 2.43-hour/week (95% CI=0.07, 4.78) increase in TV viewing; obesity at three previous phases was associated with a 7.42-hour/week (95% CI=2.7, 12.46) increase in TV-viewing hours/week at Phase 5. Sitting time was not associated with obesity cross-sectionally or prospectively. Prior obesity was prospectively associated with time spent watching TV per week but not other types of sitting.


Severe muscle weakness secondary to paraneoplastic hypophosphatemia in neuroblastoma.
We report a 28-year-old woman who presented with severe proximal muscle weakness secondary to paraneoplastic hypophosphatemia and associated with recurrent neuroblastoma. The biochemical findings included hyperphosphaturia, a reduced serum level of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D3, elevated alkaline phosphatase and normocalcemia which are pathognomic for paraneoplastic hypophosphatemia. Following systemic chemotherapy and supplementation of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D3 a complete remission of the neuroblastoma was achieved and all features of the paraneoplastic hypophosphatemia gradually disappeared. In the differential diagnosis of muscle weakness, hypophosphatemia should be included. Paraneoplastic hypophosphatemia associated with metastatic neuroblastoma has not been reported previously. Diagnosis, mechanism and therapy of paraneoplastic hypophosphatemia are shortly reviewed.


Household Contact Tracing With Intensified Tuberculosis and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Screening in South Africa: A Cluster-Randomized Trial.
Household contact tracing for tuberculosis (TB) may facilitate diagnosis and access to TB preventive treatment (TPT). We investigated whether household contact tracing and intensive TB/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening would improve TB-free survival. Household contacts of index TB patients in 2 South African provinces were randomized to home tracing and intensive HIV/TB screening or standard of care (SOC; clinic referral letters). The primary outcome was incident TB or death at 15 months. Secondary outcomes included tuberculin skin test (TST) positivity in children ≤14 years and undiagnosed HIV. From December 2016 through March 2019, 1032 index patients (4459 contacts) and 1030 (4129 contacts) were randomized to the intervention and SOC arms. Of intervention arm contacts, 3.2% (69 of 2166) had prevalent microbiologically confirmed TB. At 15 months, the cumulative incidence of TB or death did not differ between the intensive screening (93 of 3230, 2.9%) and SOC (80 of 2600, 3.1%) arms (hazard ratio, 0.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], .66-1.24). TST positivity was higher in the intensive screening arm (38 of 845, 4.5%) compared with the SOC arm (15 of 800, 1.9%; odds ratio, 2.25; 95% CI, 1.07-4.72). Undiagnosed HIV was similar between arms (41 of 3185, 1.3% vs 32 of 2543, 1.3%; odds ratio, 1.02; 95% CI, .64-1.64). Household contact tracing with intensive screening and referral did not reduce incident TB or death. Providing referral letters to household contacts of index patients is an alternative strategy to home visits. ISRCTN16006202.


Burnout among nurses working at Dow and Civil Hospitals in Karachi: A cross-sectional study.
To identify the frequency of burnout and its associated factors among nurses. The analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in Karachi from February 1 to March 31, 2018, and comprised nurses from Dow University Hospital and Dr. Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital who had minimum one-year working experience in a tertiary care setting. Maslach Burnout Inventory was used to measure burnout among the nurses. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. Of the 227 nurses, 155(68.3%) were males, 115(50.7%) had 3-5 years of professional experience, and 145(63.9%) had moderate burnout. There was significant association of burnout with duration of professional experience (p=0.004), job nature (p=0.044) and equipment facility in the assigned units (p=0.22). Moderate level of burnout was found among two-third of the nurses working in tertiary care hospitals in Karachi.


Early alpha/beta interferon production by myeloid dendritic cells in response to UV-inactivated virus requires viral entry and interferon regulatory factor 3 but not MyD88.
Alpha/beta interferons (IFN-alpha/beta) are key mediators of innate immunity and important modulators of adaptive immunity. The mechanisms by which IFN-alpha/beta are induced are becoming increasingly well understood. Recent studies showed that Toll-like receptors 7 and 8 expressed by plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) mediate the endosomal recognition of incoming viral RNA genomes, a process which requires myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88). Here we investigate the requirements for virus-induced IFN-alpha/beta production in cultures of bone marrow-derived murine myeloid DCs (mDCs). Using recombinant Semliki Forest virus blocked at different steps in the viral life cycle, we show that replication-defective virus induced IFN-alpha/beta in mDCs while fusion-defective virus did not induce IFN-alpha/beta. The response to replication-defective virus was largely intact in MyD88-/- mDC cultures but was severely reduced in mDC cultures from mice lacking IFN regulatory factor 3. Our observations suggest that mDCs respond to incoming virus via a pathway that differs from the fusion-independent, MyD88-mediated endosomal pathway described for the induction of IFN-alpha/beta in pDCs. We propose that events during or downstream of viral fusion, but prior to replication, can activate IFN-alpha/beta in mDCs. Thus, mDCs may contribute to the antiviral response activated by the immune system at early time points after infection.


Neuropeptide Y- and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-containing nerves in the intrinsic external urethral sphincter in the areflexic bladder compared to detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia in patients with spinal cord injury.
Specimens of urethra were obtained from patients with cervical and thoracic spinal cord lesion with detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia and from patients with lower motor neurone lesion with detrusor areflexia, undergoing transurethral sphincterotomy. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in nerves associated with both the smooth and striated muscle components of the urethral sphincter were studied immunohistochemically and by immunoassay. In patients with detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia following cervical and thoracic spinal cord injury, NPY- and VIP-immunoreactive varicose nerve fibres were seen in both the smooth and striated muscle components of the urethral sphincter. In the smooth muscle, NPY- and VIP-immunoreactive nerves did not appear to have any particular orientation, but in the striated muscle region they were found to run along the length of individual muscle fibres. In patients with detrusor areflexia following lower motor neurone lesion, while the pattern, density and fluorescence intensity of NPY- and VIP-immunoreactive nerves in the smooth muscle of the sphincter mechanism appeared the same as seen in patients with detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia, there was a marked increase in the density of these nerves in the striated muscle region of the sphincter mechanism. Quantitation of the peptides by immunoassay was consistent with the histochemical findings, with significantly higher levels of both NPY and VIP in the striated muscle of patients with lower motor neurone lesion, compared to those with cervical and thoracic spinal cord lesion, p = 0.04. NPY and VIP levels in urethral smooth muscle were in the same range in lower motor neurone lesion patients and cervical and thoracic spinal cord lesion patients. We conclude that there are increased NPY- and VIP-containing fibres in striated muscle of the intrinsic external urethral sphincter in patients with areflexic bladder compared with those with detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia.


Developing Dictyostelium discoideum cells contain two distinct acid hydrolase-containing vesicles.
Two distinct populations of acid hydrolase-containing vesicles have been found in developing Dictyostelium discoideum cells. Percoll gradient centrifugation revealed these vesicle populations have densities of 1.07 and 1.13 g/ml. The 1.13 g/ml vesicle populations arose during the aggregation stage of differentiation. Although both vesicle populations contained an array of acid hydrolases, they could be shown to differ by several criteria. Electron micrographs of prespore cells showed they contained two types of vesicles with distinct acid phosphatase-staining patterns. One of these vesicle types appeared identical to the lysosomes found in vegetative cells. The second vesicle type had a morphology similar to that of a previously identified organelle, the prespore vesicle. The prespore vesicle is known to contain spore coat proteins which are exocytosed during the final stages of spore differentiation. The higher density acid hydrolase-containing vesicle population was found to contain spore coat proteins. Electron micrographs of the higher density vesicle population showed the presence of acid phosphatase-staining vesicles with a morphology similar to that of prespore vesicles. These data suggest that the higher density acid hydrolase-containing vesicles represent a subpopulation of lysosomes which appear during development and which may be identical to prespore vesicles.


Highly stable and durable ZnIn2S4 nanosheets wrapped oxygen deficient blue TiO2(B) catalyst for selective CO2 photoreduction into CO and CH4.
Developing new and highly stable efficient photocatalysts is crucial for achieving high performance and selective photocatalytic CO2 conversion. In this paper, we designed a one-dimensional oxygen-deficient blue TiO2(B) (BT) catalyst for improved electron mobility and visible light accessibility. In addition, hexagonal ZnIn2S4 (ZIS) nanosheets with a low bandgap and great visible light accessibility are employed to produce effective heterostructures with BT. The synthesized materials are tested for photocatalytic conversion of CO2 into solar fuels (H2, CO and CH4). The optimized composite yields 71.6 and 10.3 μmol g-1h-1 of CO and CH4, three and ten times greater than ZIS, respectively. When ZIS nanosheets are combined with a one-dimensional oxygen-deficient BT catalyst, improved electron mobility and visible light accessibility are achieved, charge carriers are effectively segregated, and the transfer process is accelerated, resulting in efficient CO2 reduction. The photocatalytic CO2 conversion activity of the constructed BT/ZIS heterostructures is very stable over a 10-day (240-hour) period, and CO and CH4 production rates increase linearly with time; however, as time goes on, the rates of H2 production decrease. Further, a five-time recycling test confirmed this, revealing essentially equal activity and selectivity throughout the experiment. As a result, CO2 to CO and CH4 conversion has high selectivity and longer durability. The band structure of the BT/ZIS composite is determined using Mott-Schottky measurement, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and valence band X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. This research demonstrates a novel approach to investigating effective, stable, and selective photocatalytic CO2 reduction systems for solar-to-chemical energy conversion.


Tracheal agenesis: two case reports.
Tracheal agenesis is a rare and uniformly lethal congenital malformation. It presents with severe respiratory distress at birth. In this anomaly there is a congenital absence of the trachea and the bronchus communicates with the esophagus. The diagnosis should be suspected in newborn infant with respiratory distress whose intubation is impossible. This report describes our experience in two such cases.


Supporting data for analysis of the Helicobacter pylori exoproteome.
The goal of this research was to analyze the composition of the Helicobacter pylori exoproteome at multiple phases of bacterial growth (Snider et al., 2015) [1]. H. pylori was grown in a serum-free medium and at serial time points, aliquots were centrifuged and fractionated to yield culture supernatant, a soluble cellular fraction, and a membrane fraction. Samples were analyzed by single dimensional LC-MS/MS analyses and multidimensional protein identification technology (MudPIT). Here we present data showing the numbers of assigned spectra and proportional abundance of individual proteins in each of the samples analyzed, along with a calculation of the level of enrichment of individual proteins in the supernatant compared to the soluble cellular fraction.


Current Review on High-Risk Multiple Myeloma.
New risk stratification systems and treatment strategies have been introduced in recent years. We aim to provide an overview of these recent changes and summarise these data in a concise article that would be useful for clinicians. Apart from clinical stage, disease genetics are now recognised as important prognostic risk factors, and various new cytogenetic changes with negative prognostic impact have been identified. New technologies such as minimal residual disease detection are also playing an important role in prognostic assessment. Recent introduction of combination therapy with proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory drugs is showing promising results in high-risk patients and may partially abrogate the negative impact associated with some of the adverse risk factors. Recent advance has improved our understanding of high-risk multiple myeloma, and new therapeutic agents are now coming through the pipeline for this patient group with once dismal outcome.


Is trehalose an autophagic inducer? Unraveling the roles of non-reducing disaccharides on autophagic flux and alpha-synuclein aggregation.
Autophagy is a pivotal intracellular process by which cellular macromolecules are degraded upon various stimuli. A failure in the degradation of autophagic substrates such as impaired organelles and protein aggregates leads to their accumulations, which are characteristics of many neurodegenerative diseases. Pharmacological activation of autophagy has thus been considered a prospective therapeutic approach for treating neurodegenerative diseases. Among a number of autophagy-inducing agents, trehalose has received attention for its beneficial effects in different disease models of neurodegeneration. However, how trehalose promotes autophagy has not been fully revealed. We investigated the influence of trehalose and other disaccharides upon autophagic flux and aggregation of α-synuclein, a protein linked to Parkinson's disease. In differentiated human neuroblastoma and primary rat cortical neuron culture models, treatment with trehalose and other disaccharides resulted in accumulation of lipidated LC3 (LC3-II), p62, and autophagosomes, whereas it decreased autolysosomes. On the other hand, addition of Bafilomycin A1 to trehalose treatments had relatively marginal effect, an indicative of autophagic flux blockage. In concordance with these results, the cells treated with trehalose exhibited an incremental tendency in α-synuclein aggregation. Secretion of α-synuclein was also elevated in the culture medium upon trehalose treatment, thereby significantly increasing intercellular transmission of this protein. Despite the substantial increase in α-synuclein aggregation, which normally leads to cell death, cell viability was not affected upon treatment with trehalose, suggesting an autophagy-independent protective function of trehalose against protein aggregates. This study demonstrates that, although trehalose has been widely considered an autophagic inducer, it may be actually a potent blocker of the autophagic flux.


The investigation of heavy element accumulation in some Hydrophilidae (Coleoptera) species.
First of all, this study aimed to find out the measures of some heavy elements (Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Br, Sr, Pb) as heavy element pollution in Erzurum Province, and secondly to observe whether some hydrophilidae (Coleoptera) species can be used as a biomonitor. Insect samples were collected from five different localities of Erzurum in June, July, and August 2014. Heavy element levels in sediment, water, and insect samples were analyzed by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometer device. According to the results of analysis derived through EDXRF spectrometry, heavy element concentrations display differences between stations and also species. The results pointed out that the insects were contaminated by the sediment and water; therefore, some hydrophilidae species accumulate higher concentration of elements than their environment. Results for levels in water were compared to national water quality guidelines. The values of some heavy elements found at higher concentration than acceptable limits.


[Variability of Allozyme and cpSSR Markers in the Populations of Siberian Spruce].
The variability of 21 allozyme and three microsatellite loci of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) was studied in the populations of Siberian spruce (Picea obovata Ledeb.) from Irkutsk oblast, Magadan oblast, Buryatia, and Mongolia. It was demonstrated that the highest level of genetic diversity among the examined populations at both allozyme and microsatellite loci was observed in the Tulyushka population from Irkutsk oblast. The lowest level of genetic diversity was observed in marginal isolated populations of Bogd Uul and Magadan. In the relict spruce population from Olkhon Island, differing from the other populations in the lowest allelic diversity of both types of markers, no expected decline of expected heterozygosity and haplotype diversity was observed. In this population, the variability parameters mentioned were close to the population mean. The obtained intrapopulation and intraspecific variability parameters of allozyme and microsatellite loci of chloroplast DNA and the data on the population differentiation at these loci indicate that the given markers can be used for the analysis of the population structure of Siberian spruce.


Spontaneous regression of extradural intraspinal cysts in a dog: a case report.
Extradural intraspinal cysts are fluid accumulations that appear to be associated with increased motion at vertebral joints. We report the spontaneous regression of lumbar and lumbosacral cysts (presumably synovial cysts) and the unusual occurrence of an S1-2 extradural intraspinal cyst in a dog. The dog presented with lumbosacral pain. Six extradural intraspinal cysts were observed on high-field magnetic resonance imaging from L5-6 to S1-S2. The cysts between L5-6 and L7-S1 ranged from 0.12 to 0.44cm2 at their largest area. The largest cyst was located at S1-2 (left), measuring 0.84 cm2 at its largest view. The dog was medically managed. A follow-up magnetic resonance imaging scan was obtained 3.5 years after the first imaging. All cysts except the one at S1-2 had reduced in size. Mean reduction in size was 59.6% (35-81%). In summary, we report a case with multiple extradural intraspinal cysts that underwent spontaneous regression of all but one cyst during a 3.5-year follow-up period. Whether this is a single occurrence, or is part of the natural history of these cysts in the lumbosacral region of dogs, remains to be established. Spontaneous regression of intraspinal cysts had not been described in dogs.


The molecular cloning of a phospholipase A2 from Bothrops jararacussu snake venom: evolution of venom group II phospholipase A2's may imply gene duplications.
The sequence coding for a snake venom phospholipase A2 (PLA2), BJUPLA2, has been cloned from a Bothrops jararacussu venom gland cDNA library. The cDNA sequence predicts a precursor containing a 16-residue signal peptide followed by a molecule of 122 amino acid residues with a strong sequence similarity to group II snake venom PLA2's. A striking feature of the cDNA is the high sequence conservation of the 5' and 3' untranslated regions in cDNAs coding for PLA2's from a number of viper species. The greatest sequence variation was observed between the regions coding for the mature proteins, with most substitutions occurring in nonsynonymous sites. The phylogenetic tree constructed by alignment of the amino acid sequence of BJUPLA2 with group II PLA2's in general groups them according to current taxonomical divisions and/or functional activity. It also suggests that gene duplications may have occurred at a number of different points during the evolution of snake venom group II PLA2's.


Are octogenarians at high risk for carotid endarterectomy?
Several prospective randomized trials have proved carotid endarterectomy to be safe and effective for both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients younger than 80 years of age. Recently, carotid artery stenting (CAS) has been approved for use in selected high-risk patients. It has been proposed that being an octogenarian places patients in this high-risk category. All patients between the ages of 80 to 89 years undergoing carotid endarterectomy during a 12-year period were included in the study. Information included indications for carotid endarterectomy, associated risk factors, length of stay, and hospital course. Perioperative morbidity and mortality, including neurologic events and myocardial infarction, were recorded. A total of 103 carotid endarterectomies were performed in 95 octogenarians. Procedures were performed on 59 men and 36 women. Indications for operation included symptomatic carotid stenosis in 44 patients (43%) and asymptomatic carotid stenosis in 59 (57%). Associated risk factors included diabetes mellitus (17%), hypertension (76%), coronary artery disease (28%), hyperlipidemia (39%), and history of smoking (42%). There were 4 perioperative neurologic complications, which included 1 transient ischemic attack (0.97%), 2 minor strokes (1.94%), and 1 major stroke (0.97%). There were no deaths. Combined end points for adverse events are acceptable in the octogenarian. Carotid endarterectomy remains the gold standard for treatment of extracranial carotid disease in all age groups. Age alone should not place patients in the high-risk category for carotid endarterectomy.