Structural characterization and magnetic properties of undoped and copper-doped cobalt ferrite nanoparticles prepared by the octanoate coprecipitation route at very low dopant concentrations.
Nanoparticles of undoped and copper-doped cobalt ferrite Co1-x Cu x Fe2O4 at very low dopant concentrations (x = 0; 0.02; 0.04; 0.06; 0.08) were successfully synthesized by pyrolysis of the corresponding hetero metal octanoate precursors obtained via coprecipitation using the octanoate ligand as precipitating agent. The precursors were then characterized by FTIR, ICP-AES and TG-DTA analyses and the results reveal the formation of a copper-cobalt-iron hydroxooctanoate represented by the formula [Co1-x Cu x Fe2(C8H15O2)6(OH)2·2H2O]. The decomposition products obtained upon pyrolysis in air at 400 °C for 3 h were characterized by FTIR, XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS and VSM analyses. FTIR and XRD analyses showed the formation of a single phase mixed spinel ferrite while TEM analysis showed that the particles have a spherical shape with a mean size of 20 nm and form spherical agglomerates with sizes reaching 500 nm in some cases as the SEM images show. The chemical states of the metallic species in the samples were revealed by XPS to be Cu2+, Co2+ and Fe3+. These results combined with XRD confirmed the mixed spinel structure, Co1-x Cu x Fe2O4 in which Cu2+ ions substitute Co2+ ions in tetrahedral sites for x lower than 0.06 and in octahedral sites for x between 0.06 and 0.08. Magnetic parameters such as saturation magnetization (M s), coercivity (H c), remanent magnetization (M r), magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant (K) and reduced magnetization (M r/M s), obtained from magnetic hysteresis loops measured at room temperature, are in agreement with this mixed spinel structure and also indicate that these materials are ferromagnetic and could be good candidates for applications in biomedicine and in microwave devices.


High risk for seizures following subarachnoid hemorrhage regardless of referral bias.
To investigate the frequency, predictors, and clinical impact of electrographic seizures in patients with high clinical or radiologic grade non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), independent of referral bias. We compared rates of electrographic seizures and associated clinical variables and outcomes in patients with high clinical or radiologic grade non-traumatic SAH. Rates of electrographic seizure detection before and after institution of a guideline which made continuous EEG monitoring routine in this population were compared. Electrographic seizures occurred in 17.6 % of patients monitored expressly because of clinically suspected subclinical seizures. In unselected patients, seizures still occurred in 9.6 % of all cases, and in 8.6 % of cases in which there was no a priori suspicion of seizures. The first seizure detected occurred 5.4 (IQR 2.9-7.3) days after onset of subarachnoid hemorrhage with three of eight patients (37.5 %) having the first recorded seizure more than 48 h following EEG initiation, and 2/8 (25 %) at more than 72 h following EEG initiation. High clinical grade was associated with poor outcome at time of hospital discharge; electrographic seizures were not associated with poor outcome. Electrographic seizures occur at a relatively high rate in patients with non-traumatic SAH even after accounting for referral bias. The prolonged time to the first detected seizure in this cohort may reflect dynamic clinical features unique to the SAH population.


Purification and characterisation of cerebellins from human and porcine cerebellum.
The primary human and porcine structure of the novel neuropeptide cerebellin is unknown. These peptides were, therefore, isolated by a combination of ion-exchange and reverse-phase chromatography using a specific radioimmunoassay against rat cerebellin. The sequences of the peptides were deduced by mass spectrometry (for both human and porcine cerebellins) and gas-phase Edman degradation (for porcine cerebellin). In both species, two molecular forms were identified. In the human, the major form corresponded to the pentadecamer [des-Ser1]-cerebellin (approximately 95% of the total) and the minor form, to the hexadecamer peptide. In the pig, however, both molecular forms were present in approximately equal amounts. The finding that the sequences of human and porcine cerebellin are identical to that of the rat suggests that strong evolutionary pressure has acted to conserve this sequence.


Immunolocalization of thymosin alpha 1, thymopoietin and thymulin in mouse thymic epithelial cells at different stages of culture: a light and electron microscopic study.
The secretory evolution of the thymic hormones (thymulin, thymosin alpha 1 and thymopoietin) in cultured thymic reticuloepithelial cells (TREC) was studied by immunocytochemical techniques using monoclonal anti-thymulin or anti-thymosin alpha 1 and polyclonal anti-thymopoietin antibodies (Ab). The culture of TREC was performed with a medium where L-valine was replaced by D-valine, thus ensuring rapid and selective development of these cells. The number of thymulin, thymosin alpha 1 or thymopoietin-containing cells increased progressively from Day 6 to Day 12 of the culture. The localization of the three thymic hormones within the TREC also varied according to the age of the culture. By light microscopy the staining of the three hormones was localized in some cytoplasmic granules at the beginning of the culture and at Day 90, while at Day 12 it was throughout the cytoplasm. In electron microscopy these localizations corresponded respectively to vacuoles of different sizes and to cytosol. All these results show that the synthesis and excretion of thymulin, thymosin alpha 1 and thymopoietin evolve during the development of TREC in culture.


Aerosol Jet Printing of SU-8 as a Passivation Layer Against Ionic Solutions.
To ensure stability for low-cost electronics used in direct contact with ionic solutions (such as electronic biosensors), electrodes are frequently passivated to protect against current leakage, which leads to corrosion. The epoxy-based polymer SU-8 yields favorable properties for passivation against ionic solutions. However, it is nearly universally patterned via cleanroom techniques, which increases device cost and fabrication complexity. Printing electronic components has been shown to be a viable approach for decreasing fabrication cost. Previous reports on SU-8 printing focus on the resultant printed structure, with little emphasis on its subsequent use as a passivation layer. Here, we demonstrate the printing of SU-8 with an aerosol jet printer using ultrasonic aerosolization. We show that SU-8 can be printed without reformulation, and that printed SU-8 is a viable passivation layer over conductive silver lines, when tested in ionic solutions. Extending the printed SU-8 film beyond the underlying conductive electrodes by 100 μm produced a six order of magnitude decrease in leakage current and resulted high stability over 20 voltage sweeps. Finally, we optimized post-printing cure time to 15 minutes at 160°C, which further minimized leakage current. While the development of low-cost, electronic biosensing devices has increasingly moved towards printing methods, the lack of a printed passivation strategy has hindered this transition. The advancements made in this study towards an aerosol jet printable SU-8 passivation layer provide useful progress towards a fully printed, stable electronic biosensing device.


Evidence of intradomain and interdomain flexibility in an OmpR/PhoB homolog from Thermotoga maritima.
Two-component systems, the predominant signal transduction strategy used by prokaryotes, involve phosphorelay from a sensor histidine kinase (HK) to an intracellular response regulator protein (RR) that typically acts as a transcription regulator. RRs are modular proteins, usually composed of a conserved regulatory domain, which functions as a phosphorylation-activated switch, and an attached DNA binding effector domain. The crystal structure of a Thermotoga maritima transcription factor, DrrD, has been determined at 1.5 A resolution, providing the first structural information for a full-length member of the OmpR/PhoB subfamily of RRs. A small interdomain interface occurs between alpha 5 of the regulatory domain and an antiparallel sheet of the effector domain. The lack of an extensive interface in the unphosphorylated protein distinguishes DrrD from other structurally characterized multidomain RRs and suggests a different mode of interdomain regulation.


Filaggrin mutations and allergic contact sensitization.
In this issue, Novak et al. (2008) provide evidence that filaggrin barrier defects might also predispose to allergic contact dermatitis by allowing greater penetration of chemical haptens. Their report provides a fresh perspective on the issues of contact allergy, nickel sensitization, and stratum corneum defects.


A new concurrent chemotherapy with vinorelbine and mitomycin C in combination with radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility and toxicity of concurrent chemotherapy with vinorelbine and mitomycin C in combination with accelerated radiotherapy (RT) in patients with locally advanced cancer of the head and neck. Between January 2003 and March 2004, 15 patients with T4/N2-3 squamous cell carcinoma (12/15) and with N3 cervical lymph node metastases of carcinoma of unknown primary (3/15) were treated with chemotherapy and simultaneous accelerated RT. 11 patients completed therapy without interruption or dose reduction. Grade 3-4 acute mucosal toxicity was observed in 9/15 patients, grade 4 hematologic toxicity in 6/15 patients. At a median follow-up of 7.5 months, 2 patients have died of intercurrent disease, 2 patients have experienced local relapse; 5 patients are alive with no evidence of disease at the primary tumor site. The described regimen is highly effective, but led to remarkable side effects.


Quantitative Epstein-Barr virus viral load monitoring in pediatric liver transplantation.
The aim of this study was to determine whether the implementation of the quantitative Epstein-Barr virus polymerase chain reaction (qEBV-PCR) test in 2003 decreased the incidence of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) and PTLD-related mortality. Of the 128 children who underwent liver transplantation between January 1994 and May 2007, 110 (85.9%) survived. Patients were divided into pre (1994 to 2002; n = 86) and post (2003 to 2007; n = 42) EBV-PCR groups. There were no between-group differences in mean age, percentage of patients < 12 months old, or seronegative for EBV. The incidence rates of primary EBV infection in the pre- and post-EBV-PCR groups were 14.0% and 33.3%, respectively (P < .05). In contrast, the pre- and post-EBV-PCR groups showed similar incidences of symptomatic EBV infection (31.3% vs 35.7%; P = .625) and PTLD (10.5% vs 9.5%; P = .869), but different survival rates (80.2% vs 97.6%; P < .001). Five of nine PTLD patients in the pre-EBV-PCR group died of PTLD, but there was no PTLD-related mortality in the post-EBV-PCR group, indicating that PTLD-related mortality decreased after qEBV-PCR monitoring. These findings suggested that frequent EBV viral load monitoring and subsequent modulation of immunosuppression can reduce PTLD and PTLD-related mortality among pediatric liver transplant patients.


Magnetic resonance imaging is not suitable for interpretation of meniscal status ten years after arthroscopic repair.
The purpose of this study was to assess the MRI features of the all-inside repaired meniscus in the long-term. Among 27 consecutive all-inside arthroscopic meniscal repairs, 23 patients aged 25 ± 5 years at the time of surgery were reviewed at a median follow-up of 10 ± 1 years. Retrospective clinical examinations and imaging assessments using a 1.5-T MRI after all-inside arthroscopic meniscal repair were conducted. At follow-up, Lysholm and IKDC averaged 89 ± 11 and 95 ± 8, respectively. MRI examinations revealed no meniscal signal alteration in three patients (13%), a vertical signal located in the previously torn area in seven (30%), a horizontal grade 3 in nine (39%), and a complex tear (grade 4) in four (17.5%). There were no differences between medial and lateral menisci (p = 0.15), stable and stabilised knees (p = 0.56). Several abnormal vertical and/or horizontal hypersignals are still present on MRI examination ten years after arthroscopic all-inside meniscal repair. The appearance of early signs of osteoarthritis is rare, suggesting a chondroprotective effect of the repaired meniscus.


Combined aneurysmal and occlusive arterial disease.
Acute arterial occlusion secondary to embolization from aneurysms located upstream occurred in 16% in 277 aneurysms involving subclavian, abdominal aortic, femoral, and popliteal vessels. This association should be suspected in those instances when the occlusive symptoms are severe and sudden in onset. The study emphasizes the importance of aortic outlining, as well as arteriographic mapping of both lower extremities, when occlusive disease of one or both legs is present. An aneurysm upstream should be suspected when there is failure of a previously implanted graft peripherally. Asymptomatic, small abdominal aortic aneurysms should be resected.


Transabdominal ultrasonography, computed tomography and electronic portal imaging for 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for prostate cancer.
To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of daily B-mode acquisition and targeting ultrasound-based prostate localization (BAT) and to compare it with computed tomography (CT) and electronic portal imaging (EPI) in 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3-D CRT) for prostate cancer. Ten patients were treated with 3-D CRT (72 Gy/30 fractions, 2.4 Gy/fraction, equivalent to 80 Gy/40 fractions, for alpha/beta ratio of 1.5 Gy) and daily BAT-based prostate localization. For the first 5 fractions, CT and EPI were also performed in order to compare organ-motion and set-up error, respectively. 287 BAT-, 50 CT- and 46 EPI-alignments were performed. The average BAT-determined misalignments in latero-lateral, antero-posterior and cranio-caudal directions were -0.9 mm+/-3.3 mm, 1.0 mm+/-4.0 mm and -0.9 mm+/-3.8 mm, respectively. The differences between BAT- and CT-determined organ-motion in latero-lateral, antero-posterior and cranio-caudal directions were 2.7 mm+/-1.9 mm, 3.9+/-2.8 mm and 3.4 +/- 3.0 mm, respectively. Weak correlation was found between BAT- and CT-determined misalignments in antero-posterior direction, while no correlation was observed in latero-lateral and cranio-caudal directions. The correlation was more significant when only data of good image-quality patients were analyzed (8 patients). BAT ensures the relative positions of target are the same during treatment and in treatment plan, however, the reliability of alignment is patient-dependent. The average BAT-determined misalignments were small, confirming the prevalence of random errors in 3-D CRT. Further study is warranted in order to establish the clinical value of BAT.


Toll-like receptor (TLR) 3 immune modulation by unformulated small interfering RNA or DNA and the role of CD14 (in TLR-mediated effects).
The Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 3, 7, 8 and 9 stimulate innate immune responses upon recognizing pathogen-derived nucleic acids. TLR3 is located on the cell surface and in cellular endosomes and recognizes double-stranded viral RNA or the synthetic mimic poly rI:rC. Recently, unformulated small interfering RNA (siRNA) has been reported as ligand for surface-expressed murine TLR3. Blockage of TLR3 is achieved by single-stranded DNA. We confirm and expand the observation that poly rI:rC-mediated TLR3 immune activation is blocked in a sequence-, length-, backbone- and CpG-dependent manner. However, human TLR3 is not activated by siRNA, which may be the result of differences in the amino acid composition of the TLR3 loop 1 of mice and humans. Although CD14 was previously described as a co-receptor for murine TLR3 and other nucleic acid-recognizing TLRs, human CD14 acts only as co-receptor to human TLR9, but not TLR3, TLR7 or TLR8. We show that CD14 up-regulates the TLR9 immune response of A, B and C-class oligodeoxynucleotides but down-regulates the phosphoro-diester version of B-class oligodeoxynucleotides.


Axitinib and/or bevacizumab with modified FOLFOX-6 as first-line therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer: a randomized phase 2 study.
In this multicenter, open-label, randomized phase 2 trial, the authors evaluated the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor inhibitor axitinib, bevacizumab, or both in combination with chemotherapy as first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Patients with previously untreated mCRC were randomized 1:1:1 to receive continuous axitinib 5 mg twice daily, bevacizumab 5 mg/kg every 2 weeks, or axitinib 5 mg twice daily plus bevacizumab 2 mg/kg every 2 weeks, each in combination with modified 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin/oxaliplatin (FOLFOX-6). The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR). In all, 126 patients were enrolled from August 2007 to September 2008. The ORR was numerically inferior in the axitinib arm (n = 42) versus the bevacizumab arm (n = 43; 28.6% vs 48.8%; 1-sided P = .97). Progression-free survival (PFS) (11.0 months vs 15.9 months; 1-sided P = .57) and overall survival (OS) (18.1 months vs 21.6 months; 1-sided P = .69) also were numerically inferior in the axitinib arm. Similarly, efficacy endpoints for the axitinib/bevacizumab arm (n = 41) were numerically inferior (ORR, 39%; PFS, 12.5 months; OS, 19.7 months). The patients who received axitinib had fewer treatment cycles compared with other arms. Common all-grade adverse events across all 3 treatment arms were fatigue, diarrhea, and nausea (all ≥49%). Hypertension and headache were more frequent in the patients who received axitinib. Patients in the bevacizumab arm had the longest treatment exposures and the highest rates of peripheral neuropathy. Neither the addition of continuous axitinib nor the axitinib/bevacizumab combination to FOLFOX-6 improved ORR, PFS, or OS compared with bevacizumab as first-line treatment of mCRC.


A body composition model with multiple storage compartments for polar bears (Ursus maritimus).
Climate warming is rapidly altering Arctic ecosystems. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) need sea ice as a platform from which to hunt seals, but increased sea-ice loss is lengthening periods when bears are without access to primary hunting habitat. During periods of food scarcity, survival depends on the energy that a bear has stored in body reserves, termed storage energy, making this a key metric in predictive models assessing climate change impacts on polar bears. Here, we developed a body composition model for polar bears that estimates storage energy while accounting for changes in storage tissue composition. We used data of dissected polar bears (n = 31) to link routinely collected field measures of total body mass and straight-line body length to the body composition of individual bears, described in terms of structural mass and two storage compartments, adipose and muscle. We then estimated the masses of metabolizable proteins and lipids within these storage compartments, giving total storage energy. We tested this multi-storage model by using it to predict changes in the lipid stores from an independent dataset of wild polar bears (n = 36) that were recaptured 8-200 days later. Using length and mass measurements, our model successfully predicted direct measurements of lipid changes via isotopic dilutions (root mean squared error of 14.5 kg). Separating storage into two compartments, and allowing the molecular composition of storage to vary, provides new avenues for quantifying energy stores of individuals across their life cycle. The multi-storage body composition model thus provides a basis for further exploring energetic costs of physiological processes that contribute to individual survival and reproductive success. Given bioenergetic models are increasingly used as a tool to predict individual fitness and population dynamics, our approach for estimating individual energy stores could be applicable to a wide range of species.


Sparse postnatal labeling and quantification of superficial cortical cell synapses in the mouse neocortex.
We present a strategy for measuring the density of presynaptic boutons of superficial neuronal cells in the mouse neocortex. First, we show how to sparsely label individual postmitotic cells by neonatal pial-surface electroporation. Then, we present a custom-made code that allows quantification of the density of presynaptic boutons along axonal processes. Although we applied this strategy to somatostatin-positive cells, a major population of cortical interneurons, the same approach can be adjusted to target other types of neuronal cells. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Gesuita et al. (2022).1.


Suture material in bladder surgery: a comparison of polydioxanone, polyglactin, and chromic catgut.
A comparison of polydioxanone, polyglactin, and chromic catgut suture was performed in 120 rat bladders studying propensity for infection, degree of inflammation, calculogenic potential, changes in urine pH, and suture absorption. None of the sutures predisposed to infection and there was wide variability but no correlation in urine pH. Although initially the polydioxanone incited a greater inflammatory response, by six months all three sutures were similar. The absorption of polydioxanone was slower than chromic catgut suture, but similar to the absorption of polyglactin. There was no significant difference in calculogenic potential between the suture materials tested over a six-month period. Based on this study in rats, polydioxanone suture would appear to be equal to catgut and polyglactin suture in bladder surgery.


TCR Vβ repertoire in an Italian longeval population including centenarians.
During the last years, the hypothesis that aging and diseases are two distinct phenomena, and that successful aging is possible for most humans, has been put forward. We studied the TCR Vβ repertoire of T lymphocytes of healthy longevals and centenarians as crossing point of genetic predisposition and environmental effects to longevity, using the Spectra-typing method. TCR Vβ1, Vβ8, and Vβ20 were found to be expanded in the longeval population, compared with the younger control population. This repertoire can have been shaped by the selective action of particular HLA alleles, or by the clonal expansion of specific T cell clones, able to modulate the immune response to endogenous and exogenous antigens. Moreover, the skewed Vβ usage and the clonal expansion seem to be the effects of physiological changes occurring with aging and not pathological signs of malignity.


Characterization of biosorption process of acid orange 7 on waste brewery's yeast.
The use of cheap, high-efficiency, and ecofriendly adsorbent has been studied as an alternative way for the removal of dyes from wastewater. This paper investigated the use of waste brewery's yeast for the removal of acid orange 7 from aqueous solution. The optimum removal of acid orange 7 was found to be 3.561 mg/g at pH 2.0, 10 mg/L initial concentration and 303 K. The kinetic studies indicated that the biosorption process of acid orange 7 agreed well with the pseudo-second-order model. The external diffusion is the rate-controlling step of the initial fast adsorption (<20 min) and then the intraparticle diffusion dominated the mass transfer process. Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin-Radushkevich models were applied to describe the biosorption isotherm of acid orange 7 by waste brewery's yeast. Langmuir isotherm model fits the equilibrium data, at all the studied temperatures, better than the other isotherm models which indicates monolayer dye biosorption process. The highest monolayer biosorption capacity was found to be 2.27 x 10⁻³ mol/g at 303 K. The calculated thermodynamic parameters (ΔG, ΔS, ΔH) showed the biosorption process to be spontaneous and exothermic in nature. Amine or amino, amide, carboxyl, phosphate groups are responsible for the dyes biosorption based on the result of Fourier transform infrared analysis.


Identification and characterization of large, complex forms of chloroplast translational initiation factor 2 from Euglena gracilis.
Chromatography of partially purified preparations of Euglena gracilis chloroplast initiation factor 2 (IF-2chl) on gel filtration resins indicates that this factor is present in high molecular mass forms ranging from 200 to 700 kDa. The higher molecular weight complexes can be separated from the 200,000 Mr form of this factor by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. Further purification indicates that the majority of the IF-2chl is present as dimeric, tetrameric, and probably hexameric complexes of polypeptides of 97,000-110,000 in molecular weight. In addition, one form consisting of subunits of about 200,000 Mr has been detected. All of these species are active in promoting fMet-tRNA binding to chloroplast 30 S subunits in a message-dependent reaction. Initiation complex formation promoted by IF-2chl requires the presence of GTP. Similar levels of binding are obtained when GTP is replaced by a nonhydrolyzable analog suggesting that IF-2chl is acting stoichiometrically rather than catalytically under the conditions used. The activity of this factor is stimulated by the presence of either Escherichia coli or chloroplast IF-3. None of the forms of IF-2chl detected is active on E. coli ribosomes.


Functional MRI of oropharyngeal air-pulse stimulation.
Although the posterior oral cavity and oropharynx play a major role in swallowing, their central representation is poorly understood. High-field functional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain was used to study the central processing of brief air-pulses, delivered to the peritonsillar region of the lateral oropharynx, in six healthy adults. Bilateral air-pulse stimulation was associated with the activation of a bilateral network including the primary somatosensory cortex and the thalamus, classic motor areas (primary motor cortex, supplementary motor area, cingulate motor areas), and polymodal areas (including the insula and frontal cortex). These results suggest that oropharyngeal stimulation can activate a bilaterally distributed cortical network that overlaps cortical regions previously implicated in oral and pharyngeal sensorimotor functions such as tongue movement, mastication, and swallowing. The present study also demonstrates the utility of air-pulse stimulation in investigating oropharyngeal sensorimotor processing in functional brain imaging experiments.


Synthesis of Norbornene Derived Helical Copolymer by Simple Molecular Marriage Approach to Produce Smart Nanocarrier.
A novel library of norbornene derived helical copolymer has been synthesized through the coupling of two homopolymers via Molecular Marriage Approach. The helicity is governed by the non-covalent interactions like hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking and the influence of hydrophobic and hydrophilic motifs. The detailed characterization of the copolymer (Copoly 1) has been provided and the super structures are confirmed through dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The observed size of the aggregates was about 200 nm. The density functional theory (DFT) is favorably supported for the formation of proposed structure of Copoly 1. Circular dichroism (CD) measurement has confirmed the one handed helical structure of the copolymer. Reservoir capability of this pH responsive polymer (Copoly 1) to encapsulate anti-cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) warrants its potential applications in the field of bio-medical sciences.


Tunable mechanical, self-healing hydrogels driven by sodium alginate and modified carbon nanotubes for health monitoring.
Conductive hydrogels featuring a modulus similar to the skin have flourished in health monitoring and human-machine interface systems. However, developing conductive hydrogels with self-healing and tunable force-electrical performance remains a problem. Herein, a hydrogen bonding cross-linking strategy was utilized by incorporating silk sericin-modified carbon nanotubes (SS@CNTs) into sodium alginate (SA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Hydrogels synthesized with desirable tensile strength and self-healing ability (67.2 % self-healing efficiency in fracture strength) assembled into strain sensors with a low detection limit of 0.5 % and a gauge factor (GF) of 4.75 (0-17 %). Additionally, as-prepared hydrogels exhibit high sensitivity to tiny pressure changes, allowing recognition of complex handwriting. Notably, resulting hydrogels possess self-powered property, generating up to 215 V and illuminating 100 commercial green LEDs. This work stems from the pressing need for multifunctional hydrogels with prospective applications in human motion sensing and energy harvesting.


A meta-analysis of clinical trials comparing reboxetine, a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for the treatment of major depressive disorder.
The goal of the present work was to conduct a meta-analysis comparing reboxetine and the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for major depressive disorder (MDD). Medline/Pubmed was searched for double-blind, randomized trials comparing these two agents for MDD. The makers of reboxetine (Pfizer Inc.) were also contacted to provide missing data and/or unpublished studies. 9 trials (n=2641) were combined using a random effects model. Response rates were comparable between the SSRI (63.9%) and reboxetine (59.2%)-treated groups (p=0.118). There was no significant difference in the degree of improvement in psychosocial functioning, as measured by the social adaptation self-evaluation scale, between the two groups. Overall discontinuation rates (25.1% versus 32.0%; p=0.015), and the rate of discontinuation due to intolerance (8.5% versus 12.6%; p=0.007) favored SSRI treatment. The rate of discontinuation due to lack of efficacy did not differ significantly between the two groups. SSRI-treated patients were more likely to experience nausea, hypersomnia, and fatigue. Reboxetine-treated patients were more likely to experience constipation, difficulty urinating, and insomnia. These results suggest that the NRI reboxetine and the SSRIs differ with respect to their side-effect profile and overall tolerability but not their efficacy in treating MDD.


The relationship between glycemic control, beta2-microglobulin and inflammation in patients on maintenance dialysis treatment.
Hyperglycemia appears to play a significant role on the inflammatory cytokines production. Beta2-microglobulin (beta2M) is accumulated in the circulation of dialysis patients. We studied the relationship between glycemic control defined by glucose serum concentrations and insulin resistance, beta2M and markers of inflammation in patients on renal replacement therapies with or/and without diabetes mellitus. We enrolled 96 dialyzed patients, 62 males and 34 females. The treatment modalities which were applied were : regular hemodialysis (HD, n = 34), predilution hemodiafiltration (HDF, n = 42) and peritoneal dialysis (PD, n = 20). Dialysis adequacy was defined by Kt/V for urea.Beta2M and insulin serum concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassays. hsCRP and TNF-α serum concentrations were measured by ELISA. Insulin resistance was calculated using the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).We examined the association of elevated serum glucose with inflammatory factors and we built a multivariable model to investigate if glucose could be a potential determinant of beta2M serum levels. Serum glucose was positively correlated with beta2M and TNF-α (r = 0.320, p = 0.002 and r = 0.215, p = 0.03 respectively).We observed significant association between the patients with higher serum glucose concentrations and the patients with greater beta2Μ concentrations (x(2) = 4.44, p = 0.03). Multivariable model showed that glucose acts as a significant independent determinant of beta2M adjusting for age, gender, dialysis modality and metabolic acidosis status. The elevated glucose concentrations were positively associated with both, greater beta2M serum concentrations and up-regulated inflammatory procedure in dialysis patients with or/and without diabetes mellitus.


Acute gastric dilatation: a rare complication of nephrectomy.
We report the first case of acute gastric dilatation after simple extraperitoneal nephrectomy for benign disease.


Brain Herniation into Arachnoid Granulations: Clinical and Neuroimaging Features.
Brain herniation into presumed arachnoid granulations (BHAG) is an increasingly recognized entity. Though it has previously been described as isointense to brain matter on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we have encountered 21 cases in our clinical practice, many of which have signal abnormality in the herniated or adjacent parenchyma. We performed a systematic analysis on these cases to further understand the clinical significance. This is a retrospective analysis of cases collected from our clinical MRI practice. Each case was evaluated for location, size, lobe of origin, associated signal abnormality, symptoms, and the presence or absence of intracranial hypertension. Twenty-one cases of BHAG identified in 16 patients. Seven cases (7/21, 33%) demonstrated signal abnormality in the herniated or underlying parenchyma. On serial imaging, the size of herniation either fluctuated (2/10, 20%) or stayed the same (8/10, 80%). The associated signal abnormalities increased (1/5, 20%), decreased (1/5, 20%), or remained stable (3/5, 60%). Four patients (4/16, 25%) had signs/symptoms that could be associated with the BHAG. Ten patients (10/16, 63%) had either imaging findings or clinical signs that could be associated with intracranial hypertension. In contrast to previously reported cases, our study demonstrates that BHAG can be associated with MRI signal abnormalities of the herniated and adjacent brain. Symptoms are typically absent, though may be present in a small subset of patients, regardless of the presence of signal change or encephalomalacia of the involved brain. Indirect evidence of intracranial hypertension is present in a majority of patients but completely lacking in others.


Effects of velocity on N2 and CO2 foam flow with in-situ capillary pressure measurements in a high-permeability homogeneous sandpack.
The effects of velocity and gas type on foam flow through porous media have yet to be completely elucidated. Pressure drop and capillary pressure measurements were made at ambient conditions during a series of foam quality scan experiments in a homogenous sandpack while foam texture was simultaneously visualized. New insights into foam-flow behavior in porous media were discovered. Previously accepted "limiting" capillary pressure theory is challenged by the findings in this work, and the "limiting" terminology is replaced with the word "plateau" to reflect these novel observations. Plateau capillary pressure [Formula: see text] and transition foam quality were found to increase with velocity. Transition foam quality was found to depend mostly on liquid velocity rather than gas velocity and is physically linked to foam type (continuous vs. discontinuous) and texture (fine vs. coarse). Distinct rheological behaviors also arose in the low- and high-quality foam regimes as a function of velocity. Foam flow was found to be strongly shear thinning in the low-quality regime where foam texture was fine and discontinuous. In the high-quality regime, the rheology was weakly shear thinning to Newtonian for coarsely textured foam and continuous-gas flow respectively. When all other variables were held constant, at ambient conditions, CO2 foam was found to be weaker with also lower capillary pressures than N2 foam and the differences in gas solubility is a likely explanation.


Hospital-assisted home care after early discharge from a Swedish neonatal intensive care unit was safe and readmissions were rare.
It is common in Sweden to discharge infants early from a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and provide hospital-assisted neonatal home care (HANHC), as an alternative to hospital care, for infants with a persisting need for specialised care. This study assessed the safety of HANHC by reviewing hospital readmissions. We retrospectively reviewed the files of all 1410 infants enrolled in HANHC at the NICU at Sachs' Children's Hospital, Stockholm, from 2002 to 2011 up until hospital readmission or their discharge from HANHC. Each readmitted infant was matched to the next HANHC infant who was not readmitted. Predictors and reasons for readmission were investigated in a retrospective nested case-control study. We readmitted 74 (5.2%) of the 1410 infants in HANHC. Extremely preterm infants, born at less than 28 weeks, were readmitted more frequently than other infants, with an odds ratio of 6.07 (range 2.06-17.8). The most common symptoms were respiratory symptoms (55%), and viral respiratory tract infections were the most common reason (28%) for readmission. HANHC was safe for the vast majority of infants (94.8%). Extremely preterm birth was identified as a predictor for hospital readmission. Further studies investigating the safety of HANHC in other settings would be valuable.


Calycosin inhibits oxidative stress-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis via activating estrogen receptor-α/β.
Oxidative stress-induced myocardial apoptosis is a key step in the pathogenesis of ischemic heart disease. Calycosin is a phytoestrogen extracted from Radix astragali. In this study, we examined the effects and mechanisms of calycosin on oxidative stress-induced myocardial apoptosis. Molecular docking showed that calycosin can couple into binding site of ERα and β. Pretreatment with calycosin increased the expression levels of ERα and β. In H9C2 cells, H2O2 reduced cell viability and induced apoptosis, however, calycosin diminished the effects of H2O2 in a dose-dependent manner. Pretreatment with ICI 182,780, an estrogen receptor inhibitor, negated the protective effect of calycosin against H2O2-induced apoptosis. In addition, Akt phosphorylation was upregulated by calycosin mono treatment and downregulated by co-treatment with calycosin and ICI 182,780. These data demonstrated that calycosin exhibits anti-apoptotic effects by activating ERα/β and enhancing Akt phosphorylation in cardiomyocytes.


Examining the knowledge, attitudes and practices of domestic and international university students towards seasonal and pandemic influenza.
Prior to the availability of the specific pandemic vaccine, strategies to mitigate the impact of the disease typically involved antiviral treatment and "non-pharmaceutical" community interventions. However, compliance with these strategies is linked to risk perceptions, perceived severity and perceived effectiveness of the strategies. In 2010, we undertook a study to examine the knowledge, attitudes, risk perceptions, practices and barriers towards influenza and infection control strategies amongst domestic and international university students. A study using qualitative methods that incorporated 20 semi-structured interviews was undertaken with domestic and international undergraduate and postgraduate university students based at one university in Sydney, Australia. Participants were invited to discuss their perceptions of influenza (seasonal vs. pandemic) in terms of perceived severity and impact, and attitudes towards infection control measures including hand-washing and the use of social distancing, isolation or cough etiquette. While participants were generally knowledgeable about influenza transmission, they were unable to accurately define what 'pandemic influenza' meant. While avian flu or SARS were mistaken as examples of past pandemics, almost all participants were able to associate the recent "swine flu" situation as an example of a pandemic event. Not surprisingly, it was uncommon for participants to identify university students as being at risk of catching pandemic influenza. Amongst those interviewed, it was felt that 'students' were capable of fighting off any illness. The participant's nominated hand washing as the most feasible and acceptable compared with social distancing and mask use. Given the high levels of interaction that occurs in a university setting, it is really important that students are informed about disease transmission and about risk of infection. It may be necessary to emphasize that pandemic influenza could pose a real threat to them, that it is important to protect oneself from infection and that infection control measures can be effective.


Sex, cardiac hypertrophy and diurnal blood pressure variations in essential hypertension.
To test the hypothesis of a difference between men and women in the left ventricular hypertrophic response to diurnal variations of ambulatory blood pressure in essential hypertension. Non-invasive ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and echocardiography in untreated hypertensive patients and healthy normotensive subjects. Community-based ambulatory population in tertiary care centers. Two hundred and sixty hypertensive patients and sixty-three healthy normotensive subjects. Patients with average daytime systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) falling by less than 10% during the night were defined as non-dippers, the others as dippers. In the hypertensive group, dippers and non-dippers did not differ, in either gender, in several covariates possibly affecting left ventricular structure, including daytime ambulatory blood pressure, prevalence of white coat hypertension, age, body mass index, family history and known duration of hypertension, funduscopic changes, diabetes, alcohol consumption and renal function. Left ventricular mass (LVM) did not differ between dippers and non-dippers in hypertensive men whilst in hypertensive women it was significantly lower in dippers than in non-dippers. This sex difference held for all quartiles of the distribution of mean daytime blood pressure. In hypertensive women there was an inverse correlation between LVM and the per cent reduction of SBP and DBP from day to night, but this relationship was absent in hypertensive men. Other indices of left ventricular structure differed between dippers and non-dippers in both genders, as did LVM. For any level of daytime ambulatory blood pressure, a reduction of SBP and DBP by less than 10% from day to night identifies a subset of hypertensive patients at increased risk of left ventricular hypertrophy only in the female gender. These data suggest that, compared with men, hypertensive women require a longer duration of exposure to high blood pressure levels during the 24 h to develop left ventricular hypertrophy.


A comparison of iodine and indium labelled anti CEA intact antibody, F(ab)2 and Fab fragments by imaging tumour xenografts.
An intact anti CEA monoclonal antibody (C198) and its F(ab)2 and Fab fragments have been radiolabelled with 131I and 111In and their biodistributions and tumour imaging capabilities examined in mice with human tumour xenografts. 131I labelled F(ab)2 and Fab fragments showed improved tumour visualization compared with intact antibody, principally because of the more rapid whole body elimination of the radiolabel. Studies using 111In labelled fragments demonstrated that a major proportion (greater than 60%) of the administered radioactivity was retained in the kidneys and this was detrimental to tumour imaging in the mouse xenograft model. The present study emphasizes the importance of selecting the most appropriate combination of antibody preparation and radiolabel, and that the choice of radionuclide is influenced by both its physical and subsequent pharmacological characteristics.


Comparative effects of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis on live performance, blood metabolites and intestinal features in broiler inoculated with Salmonella infection during the finisher phase.
Free of Salmonella infection, a total of 300 broiler chicks (Ross 308) were randomly allotted to six dietary treatments (10 replicates) as follows: Negative control (only the basal diet); positive control (infected only); T1, infection + antibiotic (avilamycin); T2, infection + Bacillus subtilis and T3, Salmonella infection + Bacillus licheniformis. The results revealed that production performance was severely affected in the infected group. Also the supplementation of Bacillus subtilis (T2) significantly (P < 0.01) improved feed intake, body weight and performance efficiency factor as compared to the positive control. In addition, feed conversion ratio was significantly (P < 0.01) improved in T2 and T3 compared to the positive control. The results of intestinal health showed that significantly (P < 0.01) higher villus height and total surface area were found in T2 compared to positive control. The results of blood cholesterol, glucose, globulin and total protein concentration were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in T3 compared to the infected birds (positive control). It was concluded that Bacillus subtilis produced superior results in comparison with Bacillus licheniformis in term of growth and intestinal features in broiler by mitigating the deleterious effects of Salmonella infection.


Open field and elevated plus-maze: a behavioural comparison between spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats and the effects of chlordiazepoxide.
An interstrain comparison was conducted between male spontaneously hypertensive rats and Wistar-Kyoto rats, in both the open field and the elevated plus-maze. Wistar-Kyoto rats, as compared to the hypertensive animals, showed, beside an attenuated locomotor activity in both test situations, a higher reaction to aversive environments (less entries into the central area of the open field and less visits to the open arms of the elevated plus-maze). Chlordiazepoxide, as potent anxiolytic, increased (1) general activity, (2) the frequency of entries into the open area of the open field, and (3) the number of visits to the open arms of the elevated plus-maze in both rat strains.


Small ubiquitin-related modifier-fused bacteriophage tail fiber protein with favorable aqueous solubility for lateral flow assay of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Rapid and sensitive assay of pathogenic bacteria is critical for minimizing the risk of infectious diseases. Inspired by the interaction between bacteriophages and host bacteria, we obtained a gene sequence of tail fiber protein (TFP) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) bacteriophage. Then the gene sequence was used to express a recombinant TFP, which can act as a potential capture molecule for P. aeruginosa. Small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) tag was fused onto the TFP fragment to overcome its unfavorable aqueous solubility. The obtained SUMO tag-fused TFP (STFP) can be uniformly distributed onto a nitrocellulose membrane to form a test line due to the improved aqueous solubility, which facilities fabrication of a lateral flow assay strip. Thus we developed a lateral flow assay method by using STFP as a capture molecule and AuCo nanoparticles-labeled aptamer as a signal tracer for point-of-care testing of P. aeruginosa. By using the test strip, P. aeruginosa can be semi quantified with color band and quantified with chemiluminescent (CL) signal catalyzed by AuCo nanoparticles. The concentration range for quantification is 3.3 × 102 CFU/mL to 3.3 × 107 CFU/mL. The test strip was applied to assay P. aeruginosa in different sample matrixes including cerebrospinal fluid, physiological salt solution, drinking water and pear juice. The results demonstrate the application potential of the STFP-based lateral flow assay for medical diagnosis, food and drug safety monitoring.


Congenital methaemoglobinaemia due to NADH methaemoglobin reductase deficiency: successful treatment with oral riboflavin.
A Japanese family with congenital methaemoglobinaemia is described. The family pedigree was compatible with autosomal recessive type of inheritance. The increased methaemoglobin concentration was ascribed to the red cell NADH diaphorase deficiency associated with the almost complete lack of one of the two peaks of the diaphorase activity as separated by DEAE Sephadex column chromatography. The NADH diaphorase and NADH methaemoglobin reductase deficiency was limited to the red cells. The methaemoglobin content in the blood of the propositus was 17.8% and isoelectric focusing analysis on a polyacrylamide gel plate showed that the haemoglobin consisted of 65.2% oxyhaemoglobin (alpha 2+ beta 2+)2, 29.6% half-oxidized forms, 20.9% (alpha 3+ beta 2+)2 and 8.7% (alpha 2+ beta 3+)2, and 3% full-oxidized methaemoglobin (alpha 3+ beta 3+)2. Oral administration of riboflavin 120 mg/d resulted in a gradual but significant decrease in the level of the met-form haemoglobins in parallel with a gradual increase in the red cell flavin content. Riboflavin is considered to be effective by activating the NADPH diaphorase (NADPH flavin reductase) system and appears to be useful for the treatment of congenital methaemoglobinaemia.


Primary structure of a precursor for the delta-subunit of sweet potato mitochondrial F1-ATPase deduced from full length cDNA.
A cDNA library constructed from poly(A)-rich RNA of the sweet potato tuberous root using a newly developed plasmid vector carrying tac-SP6 promoters was used to identify full length cDNAs for the nuclear-encoded delta-subunit of mitochondrial F1-ATPase by oligonucleotide-hybridization selection. Selected clones contained cDNA insert which carry the entire coding capacity for the pre-delta-subunit, since the RNA transcribed in vitro from SP6 promoter on the vector directed the synthesis of pre-delta-subunit polypeptide in a wheat germ in vitro translation assay. The nucleotide sequence of one of these cDNAs indicates that it can code for the pre-delta-subunit of 244 amino acids of which 199 amino acids encode the mature subunit. The amino acid sequence of the mature delta-subunit shows similarities of about 18-25% amino acid positional identity with the delta-subunits of bacterial F1-ATPases, about 26% with the delta-subunit of chloroplast CF1-ATPase, and about 32-37% with oligomycin sensitivity conferring proteins of animal and fungal mitochondria. The N-terminal presequence of the precursor composed of maximum of 45 amino acids does not show any obvious sequence homology with either the transit peptide of the nuclear-encoded pre-delta-subunit of chloroplast CF1 or the presequence of the nuclear-encoded pre-oligomycin sensitivity conferring proteins. At least two types of the delta-subunit cDNAs with very similar structures were identified from the library, and the presence of multiple copies of the delta-subunit gene in the hexaploid genome of the sweet potato is also suggested by genomic Southern blot hybridization.


Disruption of phactr-1 pathway triggers pro-inflammatory and pro-atherogenic factors: New insights in atherosclerosis development.
Significant interest has recently emerged for phosphatase and actin regulatory protein (PHACTR1) gene in heart diseases prognosis. However, the functional role of phactr-1 protein remains elusive in heart related-diseases such as atherosclerosis, coronary artery calcification, ischaemic stroke, coronary artery stenosis and early-onset myocardial infarction. Phactr-1 is directly regulated by vascular endothelial growth factor A165 (VEGF-A165) through VEGF receptor 1 (VEGR-1) and Neuropilin-1 (NRP-1). Using an antagonist peptide approach to inhibit the interaction of VEGF-A165 to NRP-1 and VEGF-R1, we highlighted the importance of both cysteine residues located at the end of VEGF-A165 exon-7 and at the exon-8 to generate functional peptides, which decreased Phactr-1 expression. Here, we report original data showing Phactr-1 down-expression induces the expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP) regulators such as Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP-1/-2) and Reversion-inducing-cysteine-rich protein with kazal motifs (RECK). Furthermore, focal adhesion kinases (FAK/PYK2/PAXILLIN) and metabolic stress (AMPK/CREB/eNOS) pathways were inhibited in endothelial cells. Moreover, the decrease of phactr-1 expression induced several factors implicated in atherosclerotic events such as oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptors (CD36, Clusterin, Cadherin-13), pro-inflammatory proteins including Thrombin, Thrombin receptor 1 (PAR-1), A Disintegrin And Metalloprotease domain-9/-17 (ADAM-9/-17), Trombospondin-2 and Galectin-3. Besides, Phactr-1 down-expression also induces emerging atherosclerosis biomarkers such as semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) and TGF-beta-inducible gene h3 (βIG-H3). In this report, we show for the first time the direct evidence of the phactr-1 biological function in the regulation of pro-atherosclerotic molecules. This intriguing result strengthened heart diseases PHACTR-1 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) correlation. Taken together, our result highlighted the pivotal role of phactr-1 protein in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.


A subgroup of bipolar cells in human retina is GABA-immunoreactive.
The distribution of GABA in the perifoveal and the near and far peripheral region of human retina was studied with peroxidase anti-peroxidase immunocytochemistry applied on semithin epoxy resin sections. Among the labeled amacrine cells in these regions, four types can be identified: putative diffuse A2 amacrines, stratified semilunar amacrines, interstitial amacrines and small displaced amacrines. GABA-immunoreactive interplexiform cells and ganglion cells also occur. Contrary to previous post-embedding studies, our preparations show that some bipolar cells in the near and far peripheral region are GABA-immunopositive. This indicates that a number of bipolar cells in human retina does have an enhanced GABA content.


Perception of uncontrolled blood pressure and non-adherence to anti-hypertensive agents in diabetic hypertensive patients.
We assessed the association between adherence to antihypertensive drug treatment and patient's perception of uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) in diabetic hypertensive subjects. This was a cross-sectional study that evaluated adherence to antihypertensives (Morisky questionnaire), patients' perception of abnormal BP, office BP, and ambulatory BP monitoring in diabetic hypertensive subjects. We evaluated 323 patients, 65.2% women, aged 56.5 ± 7 years, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) 8.0% (range, 6.9%-9.6%), diabetes duration of 10 years (range, 5-17 years). Adherence to drug treatment was 51.4%. Patients who reported hypertension-related symptoms (60.4%) had a lower level of adherence (P < .001). Non-adherence occurred four times more frequently in patients who reported hypertension-related symptoms (P < .001, adjusted for use of three or more anti-hypertensives, age, and duration of diabetes). Non-adherents had higher office diastolic BP (83.6 ± 11.9 vs. 79.8 ± 9.9; P = .003), but no difference between groups was observed considering systolic, diastolic, and mean BP evaluated by ambulatory BP monitoring. Low rates of adherence to antihypertensive drug treatment were observed in outpatient hypertensive diabetic subjects. Perception of uncontrolled BP levels was strongly and independently associated with non-adherence. Non-adherence determined repercussion on office BP that may have clinical implications in cardiovascular risk.


Getting Involved: Exploring Latino GBT Volunteerism and Activism in AIDS and LGBT Organizations.
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the community involvement (e.g., volunteerism, activism) of Latino gay and bisexual men and transgender persons (GBT) in two areas: AIDS/GLBT and other general causes. Drawing from volunteering and identity theories, we explore: Who is likely to get involved? What factors affect variation in the levels of involvement? Where do Latino GBT participate and what do they do? Data come from a cross-sectional sample (N=643) of Latino GBT in Chicago and San Francisco. We find high levels of involvement, but primarily focused on AIDS/GLBT. Involvement appears to be driven by income, early involvement, role modeling, and childhood stigmatization of gender nonconformity.


Distinguished denitrifying phosphorus removal in the high-rate anoxic/microaerobic system for sewage treatment.
This study re-evaluated the role of anoxic and anaerobic zones during the enhanced biological phosphorus (P) removal process by investigating the potential effect of introducing an anoxic zone into a high-rate microaerobic activated sludge (MAS) system (1.60-1.70 kg chemical oxygen demand (COD) m-3 d-1), i.e., a high-rate anoxic/microaerobic (A/M) system for sewage treatment. In the absence of a pre-anaerobic zone, introducing an anoxic zone considerably reduced effluent NOx--N concentrations (7.2 vs. 1.5 mg L-1) and remarkably enhanced total nitrogen (75% vs. 89%) and total P (18% vs. 60%) removal and sludge P content (1.48% vs. 1.77% (dry weight)) due to further anoxic denitrifying P removal denitrification in the anoxic zone (besides simultaneous nitrification and denitrification in the microaerobic zone). High-throughput pyrosequencing demonstrated the niche differentiation of different polyphosphate accumulating organism (PAO) clades (including denitrifying PAO [DPAO] and non-DPAO) in both systems. Introducing an anoxic zone considerably reduced the total PAO abundance in sludge samples by 42% and modified the PAO community structure, including 17-19 detected genera. The change was solely confined to non-DPAOs, as no significant change in total abundance or community structure of DPAOs including seven detected genera was observed. Additionally, introducing an anoxic zone increased the abundance of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria by 39%. The high-rate A/M process provided less aeration, higher treatment capacity, a lower COD requirement, and a 75% decrease in the production of waste sludge than the conventional biological nutrient removal process.


Local and systemic factors and implantation: what is the evidence?
Significant progress has been made in the understanding of embryonic competence and endometrial receptivity since the inception of assisted reproductive technology. The endometrium is a highly dynamic tissue that plays a crucial role in the establishment and maintenance of normal pregnancy. In response to steroid sex hormones, the endometrium undergoes marked changes during the menstrual cycle that are critical for acceptance of the nascent embryo. There is also a wide body of literature on systemic factors that impact assisted reproductive technology outcomes. Patient prognosis is impacted by an array of factors that tip the scales in her favor or against success. Recognizing the local and systemic factors will allow clinicians to better understand and optimize the maternal environment at the time of implantation. This review will address the current literature on endometrial and systemic factors related to impaired implantation and highlight recent advances in this area of reproductive medicine.


18F-FDG PET or PET/CT for detecting extrahepatic metastases or recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Positron emission tomography (PET) using F18-flurodeoxy-glucose (FDG) has been widely used for reflecting cellular metabolism. However, the feasibility of FDG PET in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is limited. The aim of the study was to assess the ability of FDG PET (PET/CT) in the detection of extrahepatic metastases or recurrent HCC. We conducted MEDLINE, EMBASE and COCHRANE searches (last update, April 2011). Eight eligible articles were identified evaluating F18-FDG PET (PET/CT) in extrahepatic metastases or recurrent HCC. Two authors independently evaluated the methodological quality of each study. We estimated pooled sensitivities, specificities, summary receiver-operating-characteristic (SROC) curves, and summary likelihood ratios. Eight eligible studies were enrolled in this study. The pooled estimates of sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio of FDG PET (PET/CT) in the detection of metastatic HCC were 76.6%, 98.0%, 14.68, and 0.28, respectively. The pooled estimates of sensitivity, specificity, LR+ and LR- of FDG PET (PET/CT) in the detection of recurrent HCC were 81.7%, 88.9%, 4.72, and 0.19, respectively. Based on the results of this systematic review, F-18 FDG PET (PET/CT) was useful in ruling in extrahepatic metastases of HCC and valuable for ruling out the recurrent HCC.


Estimating the Economic Value of Automated Virtual Reality Cognitive Therapy for Treating Agoraphobic Avoidance in Patients With Psychosis: Findings From the gameChange Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.
An automated virtual reality cognitive therapy (gameChange) has demonstrated its effectiveness to treat agoraphobia in patients with psychosis, especially for high or severe anxious avoidance. Its economic value to the health care system is not yet established. In this study, we aimed to estimate the potential economic value of gameChange for the UK National Health Service (NHS) and establish the maximum cost-effective price per patient. Using data from a randomized controlled trial with 346 patients with psychosis (ISRCTN17308399), we estimated differences in health-related quality of life, health and social care costs, and wider societal costs for patients receiving virtual reality therapy in addition to treatment as usual compared with treatment as usual alone. The maximum cost-effective prices of gameChange were calculated based on UK cost-effectiveness thresholds. The sensitivity of the results to analytical assumptions was tested. Patients allocated to gameChange reported higher quality-adjusted life years (0.008 QALYs, 95% CI -0.010 to 0.026) and lower NHS and social care costs (-£105, 95% CI -£1135 to £924) compared with treatment as usual (£1=US $1.28); however, these differences were not statistically significant. gameChange was estimated to be worth up to £341 per patient from an NHS and social care (NHS and personal social services) perspective or £1967 per patient from a wider societal perspective. In patients with high or severe anxious avoidance, maximum cost-effective prices rose to £877 and £3073 per patient from an NHS and personal social services perspective and societal perspective, respectively. gameChange is a promising, cost-effective intervention for the UK NHS and is particularly valuable for patients with high or severe anxious avoidance. This presents an opportunity to expand cost-effective psychological treatment coverage for a population with significant health needs. ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN17308399; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN17308399. RR2-10.1136/bmjopen-2019-031606.


Pisa syndrome during aripiprazole treatment: a case report.
Pisa syndrome (or pleurothotonus), consisting of a tonic flexion of the trunk, has been recently reported also in association with atypical antipsychotics. We describe the first case of Pisa syndrome during aripiprazole treatment in an elderly (77-year-old) woman, admitted to hospital for behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. The ongoing treatment with quetiapine was rapidly tapered and stopped, and a switch to aripiprazole (15 mg/die) was attempted the subsequent day. Six days later, an acute tonic flexion of trunk and head towards the right was observed. Aripiprazole was discontinued and the Pisa syndrome completely disappeared within 3 days, without any adjunctive treatment.


Niemann-Pick C disease: cholesterol handling gone awry.
Niemann-Pick C disease (NPC) is a debilitating, recessive disorder in humans that causes unrelenting neurological deterioration and is complicated by the presence of lipid-laden foamy cells in the major organs of the body. NPC fibroblasts cultured with an excess of low density lipoprotein (LDL) abnormally sequester cholesterol in their lysosomes. Biochemical analyses of NPC cells suggest an impairment in the intracellular transport of cholesterol to post-lysosomal destinations occurs in NPC. The recent identification of the NPC gene, NPC1, provides a definitive diagnosis of the disease and a means of studying this key component of intracellular cholesterol transport and homeostasis.


Effect of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on the disease development, growth, oil yield and biochemical changes in plants of Mentha arvensis.
Experiment was carried out to determine the effect of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on the disease development, growth, oil yield and biochemical changes in the plants of Mentha arvensis. With the increase in initial inoculum levels of S. sclerotiorum a corresponding decrease in plant fresh and dry weights were recorded. The maximum reduction in the shoot-roots/suckers fresh weight and shoot-roots/suckers dry weights (39.8%, 43.6%, 40.3% and 42.9%), respectively, was observed at the highest initial inoculum level of 12 g fungal mycelium/5 kg soil as compared to uninoculated control. The infection of roots and suckers due to S. sclerotiorum increased with increasing initial inoculum levels. At the lowest initial inoculum (1.0 g mycelium/5 kg soil), infection was observed 18.0% and at the highest (12 g mycelium/5 kg soil), it was 80.2%. Significant (P ⩽ 0.01) reduction in oil yield, total chlorophyll, total phenol and total sugar content of M. arvensis plants was observed at the lowest inoculum level as compared to uninoculated control.


Aldehyde and aldose reductases from human placenta. Heterogeneous expression of multiple enzyme forms.
Aldehyde reductase (ALR1) and aldose reductase (ALR2) were purified from human placenta by a rapid and efficient scheme that included rapid extraction of both reductases from 100,000 x g supernatant material with Red Sepharose followed by purification by chromatofocusing on Pharmacia PBE 94 and then chromatography on a hydroxylapatite high performance liquid chromatography column. Expression of ALR1 and ALR2 in placenta is variable with ALR1/ALR2 ratios ranging from 1:4 to 4:1. ALR1 and ALR2 are immunochemically distinct. ALR1 shows broad specificity for aldehydes but does not efficiently catalyze the reduction of glucose due to poor binding (Km = 2.5 M). ALR1 exhibits substrate inhibition with many substrates. ALR2 also shows broad specificity for aldehydes. Although glucose is a poor substrate for ALR2 compared with other substrates, the affinity of ALR2 for glucose (Km = 70 mM) suggests that glucose can be a substrate under hyperglycemic conditions. ALR2 shows normal hyperbolic kinetics with most substrates except with glyceraldehyde, which exhibits substrate activation. Treatment of ALR2 with dithiothreitol converted it into a form that exhibited hyperbolic kinetics with glyceraldehyde. Dithiothreitol treatment of ALR2 did not alter its properties toward other substrates or affect its inhibition by aldose reductase inhibitors such as sorbinil (2,4-dihydro-6-fluorospiro-[4H-1-benzopyran-4,4'-imidazolidine]-2' ,5'- dione), tolrestat (N-[[6-methoxy-5-(trifluoromethyl)-1-naphthalenyl]thioxomethyl]-N- methylglycine), or statil (3-[(4-bromo-2-fluorophenyl)methyl]-3,4-dihydro-4-oxo-1-phthalazineac etic acid).


Possible involvement of humoral regulation in the effects of elevated cerebral 4-aminobutyric acid levels on the polyamine metabolism in brain.
It has been reported in several recent studies that the manipulation of cerebral 4-aminobutyric acid (GABA) level results in unexpected changes in the cerebral polyamine metabolism in vivo. The mechanisms behind these interactions have remained unknown. The present results show that the changes in polyamine metabolism are not limited to the brain, but are observable also in the liver, which served as a peripheral reference tissue. Different types of responses in the activities of the polyamine-synthesizing enzymes, ornithine decarboxylase and adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, were observed after increasing the cerebral GABA concentration of mice with varying doses of two GABA transaminase inhibitors, gabaculine and ethanolamine-O-sulphate. The time course of the significant changes in the enzyme activities showed significant correlation between the brain and liver. The possibility of direct effects of the drugs on liver was excluded by injecting them intracerebroventricularly, and by performing control experiments with equal doses given peripherally. It is concluded that the observed changes in the polyamine metabolism of liver are produced through centrally mediated humoral regulation, and that the corresponding changes in the brain are obviously due to the same factor or factors, since they are significantly correlated to the changes in liver.


Ultrasound biomicroscopic analysis of anterior proliferative vitreoretinopathy.
To report the use of ultrasound biomicroscopy for preoperative assessment of anterior proliferative vitreoretinopathy. Case report. In a 35-year-old man with tractional retinal detachment and anterior proliferative vitreoretinopathy, we used ultrasound biomicroscopy with UX-02 (Rion Co Ltd, Tokyo, Japan) to perform the preoperative analysis of the ciliary body, anterior vitreous, and detached peripheral retina. In all meridians, the posterior insertion of the vitreous was drawn anteriorly, creating a retinal trough, and the meridian distance between the anterior and posterior vitreous base insertions was reduced. Retinochoroidal detachment was detected posterior to the anterior vitreous base insertion. Based on these imagings, sclerotomy locations were selected. Ultrasound biomicroscopy may be useful to assess anterior proliferative vitreoretinopathy preoperatively and to decide on sclerotomy sites.


Kinetics of biomarkers: biological and technical validity of isoprostanes in plasma.
Isoprostanes, non-enzymatic peroxidation products of arachidonic acid, are attractive biomarkers of oxidative stress in research in biology, medicine and nutrition. For the appropriate use of biomarkers it is required that these are both biologically and technically valid. Whereas the biological validity of isoprostanes is well-established, it is technically quite complicated to measure isoprostanes and its metabolites in body fluids, and its rapid disappearance from plasma may hamper practical application. This paper shortly introduces isoprostanes as a biomarker for studies with humans, describes a novel fast and sensitive method for measuring isoprostanes in plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry, and provides several examples of the use of the method in studies in humans. By taking care of the biological and technical validity of this biomarker it is possible to establish the antioxidant effects of some food ingredients in studies with human volunteers.


Assessment of illness acceptance by patients with COPD and the prevalence of depression and anxiety in COPD.
COPD is a civilization disease. It affects up to 8%-10% of population >30 years of age. Coexistence of depression occurs in 20%-40% of patients with COPD. Depression and anxiety reduce compliance and worsen prognosis. The aims of this study were to determine the degree of illness acceptance among patients with COPD, to examine the relation between disease acceptance and perceived anxiety and depression, and to verify which of the sociodemographic and clinical factors are associated with illness acceptance, anxiety, and depression. The study included 102 patients with COPD (mean age 65.8 years), hospitalized due to exacerbations. Acceptance of Illness Scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were used. For statistical analysis, Student's t-test and Pearson's r correlation coefficient were carried out. The overall illness acceptance level was moderate with a tendency toward lack of acceptance (mean 20.6, standard deviation [SD] 7.62). The overall scores were 10.2 (SD 3.32) for anxiety and 10.8 (SD 4.14) for depression, which indicate borderline or high intensity of these symptoms. Acceptance of illness was negatively correlated with the intensity of depression symptoms (r=-0.46, P<0.05). Intensity of depression was significantly associated with intensity of smoking, duration of the disease, severity of dyspnea, and living in a rural area. Early identification and assessment of depression and anxiety symptoms allow health care providers to offer patients at risk of depression a special medical supervision. Rapid start of antidepressant therapy may increase illness acceptance and improve prognosis among patients with COPD.


Hepatocyte-Specific Knock-Out of Nfib Aggravates Hepatocellular Tumorigenesis via Enhancing Urea Cycle.
Nuclear Factor I B (NFIB) has been reported to promote tumor growth, metastasis, and liver regeneration, but its mechanism in liver cancer is not fully elucidated. The present study aims to reveal the role of NFIB in hepatocellular carcinogenesis. In our study, we constructed hepatocyte-specific NFIB gene knockout mice with CRISPR/Cas9 technology (Nfib-/-; Alb-cre), and induced liver cancer mouse model by intraperitoneal injection of DEN/CCl4. First, we found that Nfib-/- mice developed more tumor nodules and had heavier livers than wild-type mice. H&E staining indicated that the liver histological severity of Nfib-/- group was more serious than that of WT group. Then we found that the differentially expressed genes in the tumor tissue between Nfib-/- mice and wild type mice were enriched in urea cycle. Furthermore, ASS1 and CPS1, the core enzymes of the urea cycle, were significantly upregulated in Nfib-/- tumors. Subsequently, we validated that the expression of ASS1 and CPS1 increased after knockdown of NFIB by lentivirus in normal hepatocytes and also promoted cell proliferation in vitro. In addition, ChIP assay confirmed that NFIB can bind with promoter region of both ASS1 and CPS1 gene. Our study reveals for the first time that hepatocyte-specific knock-out of Nfib aggravates hepatocellular tumor development by enhancing the urea cycle.


A machine-learning based objective measure for ALS disease severity.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) disease severity is usually measured using the subjective, questionnaire-based revised ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R). Objective measures of disease severity would be powerful tools for evaluating real-world drug effectiveness, efficacy in clinical trials, and for identifying participants for cohort studies. We developed a machine learning (ML) based objective measure for ALS disease severity based on voice samples and accelerometer measurements from a four-year longitudinal dataset. 584 people living with ALS consented and carried out prescribed speaking and limb-based tasks. 542 participants contributed 5814 voice recordings, and 350 contributed 13,009 accelerometer samples, while simultaneously measuring ALSFRS-R scores. Using these data, we trained ML models to predict bulbar-related and limb-related ALSFRS-R scores. On the test set (n = 109 participants) the voice models achieved a multiclass AUC of 0.86 (95% CI, 0.85-0.88) on speech ALSFRS-R prediction, whereas the accelerometer models achieved a median multiclass AUC of 0.73 on 6 limb-related functions. The correlations across functions observed in self-reported ALSFRS-R scores were preserved in ML-derived scores. We used these models and self-reported ALSFRS-R scores to evaluate the real-world effects of edaravone, a drug approved for use in ALS. In the cohort of 54 test participants who received edaravone as part of their usual care, the ML-derived scores were consistent with the self-reported ALSFRS-R scores. At the individual level, the continuous ML-derived score can capture gradual changes that are absent in the integer ALSFRS-R scores. This demonstrates the value of these tools for assessing disease severity and, potentially, drug effects.


Solvent effect on the film formation and the stability of the surface properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) end-capped with fluorinated units.
The surface structure and stability (the resistance to surface reconstruction) of end-capped poly(methyl methacrylate) films were greatly affected by the solvents used for film preparation. Films of end-capped PMMA with about four 2-perfluorooctylethyl methacrylate units cast with benzotrifluoride solution exhibited excellent stability and resistance to polar environments compared with those cast with cyclohexanone and toluene solutions. The observed difference in stability between these fluorinated surfaces is attributed to their surface microstructures formed during the film formation processes, which are closely related to the associative behavior of the end-capped PMMA in the solution. A relatively perfect close-packed and well-ordered structure of the perfluoroalkyl side chains at the surface of the PMMA(857)-ec-FMA(3.3) film was formed when the film was cast with benzotrifluoride solution, in which only unimers existed. This study indicates that such a solvent effect may be used to promote the formation of a well-ordered packing structure of the fluorinated moieties at the film surface. The ordering of the packing structure is to a certain extent more important than the content of the fluorinated moieties at the surface for improving the surface stability.


Are sociodemographic and regional and sample factors associated with prevalence of abuse?
The aims of the present study were: 1) to estimate the prevalence of emotional, physical and sexual abuse and abuse in the health care system, and 2) to study the associations between prevalence of abuse and sociodemographic and sample variables. This cross-sectional study used a validated postal questionnaire in four Swedish samples; patients at three gynecologic clinics with different character and in different regions (n = 2439) and women in one randomized population sample (n = 1168). Any lifetime emotional abuse was reported by 16.8-21.4% of the women; physical abuse by 32.1-37.5%; sexual abuse by 15.9-17.0%; and abuse in the health care system by 14.0-19.7%. For 7-8% abuse had included life threats and 9-20% of all women in the study currently suffered from their experiences of abuse. Most women had not disclosed their background of abuse to the gynecologist. There were differences in sociodemographic variables between the four samples. Generally, in the multivariate analyses we found associations between prevalence of abuse and age, educational level, civil status and occupation, but no consistent association between prevalence of abuse and sample variables. Lifetime prevalence rates of the four kinds of abuse were high in all samples as measured by the NorVold Abuse Questionnaire (NorAQ), and 1/10-1/5 women in the study suffered currently from abusive experiences. In multivariate analyses prevalence of abuse was consistently associated with sociodemographic but not to sample variables.


The effects of husband and wife education on family planning in rural Turkey.
The effect of two family planning educational approaches--husband-wife and wife-only--on contraceptive knowledge, attitudes, and practice in the Etimesgut Health District are evaluated. Data collected for education and control groups show that husband-wife education was more effective than wife-only education and that wife-only education was more effective than the education received by the control group. Data collected from husbands and wives show that education had a positive effect on changing attitudes toward family planning. Most clear cut are findings that participation of men in the educational programs increased recruitment to the family planning program and decreased contraceptive discontinuation.


Changes in C-reactive protein during weight loss and the association with changes in anthropometric variables in men and women: LIFE Study.
To investigate whether sex differences exist in the pattern of change in C-reactive protein (CRP) levels during weight loss, and whether the associations between weight change and CRP change differ by the types of anthropometric variables. Longitudinal, prospective analysis of subjects participating in an intentional weight loss trial (the Lose It For Ever: LIFE Study) followed-up for 30 months. A total of 212 healthy, obese men and women (age: 23-77 years, body mass index (BMI): 30-39 kg m(-2)) took part in this study. BMI, waist and hip circumferences, and waist-to-hip ratio, CRP and lifestyle variables repeatedly measured at baseline, 6, 12, 18 and 30-month follow-up. Weight change was J shaped with a nadir at 12 months in both men and women (P for month(2) <0.0001). CRP level was consistently higher in women than in men, but the differences were less prominent and were not statistically significant at 12- and 18-month follow-up. CRP changes between any two consecutive visits were significantly associated with changes in BMI during the same period in women. However, the associations between CRP changes and changes in waist or hip circumference were not as consistent, especially between 18- and 30-month follow-up when CRP significantly increased. The associations in men were generally similar among the different anthropometric measures. The association between changes in BMI and CRP was stronger in men than in women. BMI change generally correlated well with CRP changes in both men and women in the course of follow-up. Significant sex difference in CRP level at baseline diminished at 12- and 18-month follow-up, when both sexes had maintained the lost weight.


Regeneration of the tibia and somatotopy of regenerated hair sensilla in Schistocerca gregaria (Forskål).
After injury many arthropods are able to regenerate lost body parts and their innervation. Here, regeneration was studied in the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria after amputation of the midleg tibia and tarsus in the first larval instar. A regenerate was formed first in the third larval instar and it increased in size with each larval moult. The regenerate was always unsegmented and remained much shorter than the intact leg parts. The growth rate was initially rather high and decreased thereafter to that of intact parts. The amputation also influenced the growth rate of proximal leg parts (femur and trochanter) resulting in shortened leg segments. The regenerate carried many sense organs like trichoid sensilla and canal sensilla. The primary mechanosensory neurons of the trichoid sensilla projected somatotopically into the mesothoracic ganglion. A comparison of these projections from intact leg segments and regenerates showed a regrow into the target neuropil areas and a restoration of the somatotopy. Intact sensilla on the injured leg and regenerated sensilla expanded their central projections lateral-medially.


Impact of health professionals' contact frequency on response to a lifestyle intervention with individuals at high risk for diabetes.
To determine the independent effects of total and each health professional's frequency of contacts, on changes in anthropometric measures and physical capacity following a lifestyle intervention offered by a multi-disciplinary team in adults at high risk for type 2 diabetes. A 12-month lifestyle intervention was performed in 48 adults with prediabetes. Participants were randomly assigned to either an individual counselling group (every six weeks)+an optional series of 25 group seminars (every week) or to the group seminars only. Physical activity level, energy intake, anthropometric measures, and physical capacity were assessed. Total frequency of contacts with any professional was associated with change in body weight, BMI and, waist circumference (all P ≤.05). However, no frequency of contacts with a specific professional was associated with the studied outcomes, except for changes in physical capacity. The latest was significantly improved in participants who attended at least two group sessions with the kinesiologist (P=.02). To improve anthropometric measures, total contact frequency seems to be more important than contact frequency with any specific professionals. However, to improve physical capacity, meeting with a kinesiologist for two or more occasions, in group sessions, seems to be an effective strategy.


Correlation of MR imaging findings and open exploration of medial patellofemoral ligament injuries in acute patellar dislocations.
The purpose of this investigation was to correlate magnetic resonance (MR) images of medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) injuries with gross macroscopic findings. Twenty-seven knees with MPFL injury following an initial patellar dislocation were examined using axial proton-density and T2-weighted fast spin-echo MR imaging. MR findings were subsequently correlated with open exploration. MPFL injury was observed in 26 (96%) of the 27 knees. From the MR images, discontinuity, irregularity and/or high-signal intensity changes anterior to the femoral attachment were seen in 13 (82%) of the 16 knees with substantial-tear type injuries of the MPFL. In 8 (80%) of the 10 knees with avulsion-tear type injuries, detachment of the MPFL from the femoral attachment, accompanied with or without high-signal intensity changes, was confirmed. MPFL injury types could be accurately diagnosed on 21 (81%) out of 26 knees using MR imaging. MR imaging was an acceptable method in diagnosing MPFL injury types.


Gene expression and immunolocalisation of a calcium-activated chloride channel during the stratification of cultivated and developing corneal epithelium.
The spatial and temporal localisation of a calcium-activated chloride channel (CLCA) and its mRNA was investigated, during the in vivo and in vitro development of stratified epithelia, by fluorescence immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction in embryonic chicken corneas and the expansion of excised human corneal stem cells on amniotic membrane. Single-layered human epithelial cultures on amniotic membrane and early day embryonic chicken corneas expressed relatively little human CLCA2 or its chicken homologue. However, as the epithelium in both models matured and the number of cell-layers increased, the gene expression level and protein staining intensity increased, primarily within the basal cells of both the cultured and embryonic tissues. These results demonstrate that human CLCA2 protein and mRNA expression are elevated during epithelial stratification, suggesting that this protein plays a role in the growth of multi-layered corneal epithelia during both natural development and tissue cultivation.


Low-cost gradient amplifiers for small MRI systems.
We describe low-cost gradient amplifiers for small MRI systems, such as those based on small/medium permanent magnets. The requirements for MRI gradient amplifiers are quite similar to those of modestly priced audio stereo power amplifiers. Such amplifiers for sound service can be modified to be DC coupled, extending their response down to zero frequency, as needed for MRI gradient service. We describe such modifications to one unit (Samson Servo 600) and mention a commercially available modification of another. The 600 is capable of an output greater than ±8 A and ±60 V, much greater than our needs for a greenhouse MRI. Audio amplifiers can be used this way as controlled voltage (CV) gradient amplifiers, with acceptable performance because the gradient coils typically have short L/R time constants. Superior performance can be had by using a controlled current (CC) "front end"; the circuit of our simple front end is included. The complete 3-axis CC system costs about $1200.


Long-term efficacy of endovascular vs open surgical repair for complicated type-B aortic dissection: a single-center retrospective study and meta-analysis.
This study aimed to evaluate the long-term survival and risk factors of traditional open surgical repair (OSR) vs thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR) for complicated type-B aortic dissection (TBAD). A total of 118 inpatients (45 OSR vs 73 TEVAR) with TBAD were enrolled from January 2004 to January 2015. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards analysis were performed to identify the long-term survival rate and independent predictors of survival, respectively. Meta-analysis was used to further explore the long-term efficacy of OSR and TEVAR in the eight included studies using Review Manager 5.2 software. An overall 10-year survival rate of 41.9% was found, and it was similar in the two groups (56.7% OSR vs 26.1% TEVAR; log-rank P=0.953). The risk factors of long-term survival were refractory hypertension (OR=11.1; 95%CI=1.428-86.372; P=0.021] and preoperative aortic diameter >55 mm (OR=4.5; 95%CI=1.842-11.346; P=0.001). Long-term survival rate did not differ significantly between OSR and TEVAR (hazard ratio=0.87; 95%CI=0.52-1.47; P=0.61). Compared with OSR, TEVAR did not show long-term advantages for patients with TBAD. Refractory hypertension and total aortic diameter >55 mm can be used to predict the long-term survival of TBAD in the Chinese Han population.


Lipocalin-2 mediates non-alcoholic steatohepatitis by promoting neutrophil-macrophage crosstalk via the induction of CXCR2.
Inflammatory cell infiltration in the liver is a hallmark of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). However, the pathological events which trigger the infiltration of inflammatory cells to mediate NASH pathogenesis remains poorly understood. This study aims to investigate the role of neutrophil-derived lipocalin 2 (LCN2) in mediating the transition from simple steatosis to NASH. Animal models of NASH were induced by high fat high cholesterol (HFHC) diet and methionine- and choline-deficient (MCD) diet in LCN2 knockout mice and wild-type controls. Circulating levels of LCN2 and its hepatic expression were markedly increased in both murine models and human subjects with NASH, and these changes were associated with increased infiltration of neutrophils. In diet-induced NASH models, hepatic injury, necroinflammation and infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages were substantially attenuated by genetic depletion of LCN2. In contrast, chronic infusion of recombinant LCN2 exacerbated diet-induced liver injury, inflammation and macrophage accumulation in a neutrophil-dependent manner. Primary mouse neutrophils lacking LCN2 exhibited a defective migration capacity, which can be reversed by replenishment with recombinant LCN2. Mechanistically, LCN2 induced the expression of the chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 2 (CXCR2), thereby leading to activation of ERK1/2 and production of proinflammatory chemokines. LCN2-induced inflammation, infiltration of macrophages and liver injury was abrogated in CXCR2-deficient mice. These findings demonstrated that LCN2 acts as a central mediator to facilitate the crosstalk between neutrophils and hepatic macrophages via induction of the chemokine receptor CXCR2, thereby exacerbating steatohepatitis. Lipocalin-2 levels in blood and the liver were markedly increased in both mouse models and human subjects with NASH, and these changes were associated with increased infiltration of neutrophils in the liver. In diet-induced NASH models, hepatic injury, necroinflammation and infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages were substantially attenuated by genetic depletion of lipocalin-2, but was augmented by chronic infusion of recombinant lipocalin-2. Lipocalin-2 induced the expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR2, thereby leading to activation of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase ERK1/2 and production of proinflammatory chemokines. Lipocalin-2-induced inflammation, infiltration of macrophages and liver injury was abrogated in CXCR2-deficient mice.


Nonlinear plasmon-photon interaction resolved by k-space spectroscopy.
Metallic nanostructures support extreme localization and enhancement of optical fields via surface-plasmon (SP) resonances. Although SP are associated with giant enhancements of nonlinear phenomena such as second-harmonic generation (SHG), the role of SP in the process, whether as a field-enhancing catalyst or as a quasiparticle converted in the interaction, has remained experimentally elusive. We demonstrate how k-space spectroscopy can distinguish between the plasmonic and photonic SHG processes that occur in a metal nanofilm when it is optically driven via the Kretschmann geometry. The results revealed a nonlinear interaction where two SP annihilate to create a second-harmonic photon. This knowledge has implications for realizing the inverse process, plasmonic parametric down-conversion, which could act as a coherent source of entangled SP pairs.


The relation of exposure to shift work with atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction in a general population.
We tested the hypothesis that working shifts is related to atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction. The number of shift workers is continuously increasing. Shift work is discussed to be related with cardiovascular heart disease. A total of 2510 subjects recruited for the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania were tested, 698 of whom were former shift workers. A general population sample was examined to reach generalizibility and to produce results independent from the effects of the personal shift schedule and from the specific working conditions. Carotid ultrasound was performed to evaluate carotid intima-media thickness. We used multivariable analyses to estimate the coronary heart disease risk, adjusted for age, sex and atherosclerotic risk factors, stratified by exposure to shift work and its duration. Atherosclerotic risk factors differed in part between shift workers and non-shift workers. Shift work was associated with atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction, depending on the duration of the exposure and the age of the participants. Multivariable Cox regression analysis identified shift work as a risk factor for myocardial infarction to be manifest at younger ages (adjusted hazard ratio 1.53, 95% CI 1.06-2.22). Exposure to shift work is a risk factor for atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction. Special prevention programs for shift workers should be provided.


Atypical imaging evolution of sturge-weber syndrome without facial nevus.
We report a patient with Sturge-Weber syndrome without facial angioma, who presented with seizures and normal initial imaging results. The patient experienced several years without seizures before a sudden increase in seizure frequency, followed by an atypical evolution of imaging findings prompting biopsy to establish the diagnosis. This case highlights not only the rare presentation of isolated leptomeningeal angiomatosis, but also the potential for atypical evolution of imaging findings through the course of the disease. We detail the imaging findings of our case and review the potential pathophysiological basis for this appearance. Our experience suggests that repeat imaging is warranted in patients with suspected Sturge-Weber syndrome or those with intractable cryptogenic epilepsy, because some imaging features of Sturge-Weber syndrome may manifest over time.


Misdiagnosis in a 12 Year-Old Female with Right Aberrant Subclavian Artery and Difficult Swallowing.
Steven Do, Portia Daniels, David T. Nelson, UCLA Radiology Media Center.


Luteolin Protects Against 6-Hydoroxydopamine-Induced Cell Death via an Upregulation of HRD1 and SEL1L.
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is caused by many factors and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is considered as one of the responsible factors for it. ER stress induces the activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system to degrade unfolded proteins and suppress cell death. The ubiquitin ligase 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase degradation 1 (HRD1) and its stabilizing molecule, the suppressor/enhancer lin-12-like (SEL1L), can suppress the ER stress via the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and that HRD1 can also suppress cell death in familial and nonfamilial PD models. These findings indicate that HRD1 and SEL1L might be key proteins for the treatment of PD. Our study aimed to identify the compounds with the effects of upregulating the HRD1 expression and suppressing neuronal cell death in a 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced cellular PD model. Our screening by the Drug Gene Budger, a drug repositioning tool, identified luteolin as a candidate compound for the desired modulation of the HRD1 expression. Subsequently, we confirmed that low concentrations of luteolin did not show cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells, and used these low concentrations in the subsequent experiments. Next, we demonsrated that luteolin increased HRD1 and SEL1L mRNA levels and protein expressions. Furthermore, luteolin inhibited 6-OHDA-induced cell death and suppressed ER stress response caused by exposure to 6-OHDA. Finally, luteolin did not reppress 6-OHDA-induced cell death when expression of HRD1 or SEL1L was suppressed by RNA interference. These findings suggest that luteolin might be a novel therapeutic agent for PD due to its ability to suppress ER stress through the activation of HRD1 and SEL1L.


Comparative analysis of Bayer wide-range C-reactive protein (wr-CRP) and the Dade-Behring high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
The recently introduced Bayerwide-range C-reactive protein (wr-CRP) assay might be relevant for the real-time low-cost and online determination of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) activity. Our aim was to examine whether wr-CRP can substitute for the Dade Behring high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) assay in IBD patients. A total of 71 patients with IBD, of whom 48 had Crohn's disease CD and 23 had ulcerative colitis (UC) with various intensities of disease activity participated in the study. The CRP of patients who were under treatment at the Department of Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases were measured using both wr-CRP and the hs-CRP. A significant (r = 0.995; P < 0.001) correlation was noted between the hs-CRP and wr-CRP measurements for the whole sample as well as for the two diseases, CD (r = 0.994; P < 0.001) and UC (r = 0.997; P < 0.001), which were analyzed separately. The Bayer wr-CRP assay might be a useful low-cost and real-time inflammation-sensitive biomarker in patients with IBD.