Mild cognitive impairment and receipt of procedures for acute ischemic stroke in older adults.
Older patients with pre-existing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) receive less evidence-based care after acute myocardial infarction, however, whether they receive less care after acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is unknown. We compared receipt of guideline-concordant procedures after AIS between older adults with pre-existing MCI and normal cognition. Prospective study of 591 adults ≥65 hospitalized for AIS between 2000 and 2014, and followed through 2015 using data from the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study, Medicare and American Hospital Association. We assessed pre-existing MCI (modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status score of 7-11) and normal cognition (score of 12-27). Primary outcome was a composite quality measure representing the number of 4 procedures (carotid imaging, cardiac monitoring, echocardiogram, and rehabilitation assessment) received within 30 days after AIS (ordinal scale with values of 0, 1, 2, 3-4). Among survivors of AIS, 26.9% had pre-existing MCI (62.9% were women, with a mean [SD] age of 82.4 [7.7] years), and 73.1% had normal cognition (51.4% were women, with a mean age of 78.4 [7.2] years). Patients with pre-existing MCI, compared to cognitively normal patients, had 39% lower cumulative odds of receiving the composite quality measure (unadjusted cumulative odds ratio, OR, 0.61 [95% CI, 0.43-0.87]; P=0.006). However, this association became non-significant after adjusting for patient and hospital factors (adjusted cumulative OR, 0.83 [95% CI, 0.56-1.24]; P=0.37). Lower cumulative odds of receiving the composite quality measure were associated with older patient age (adjusted cumulative OR per 1-year older age, 0.97 [95% CI, 0.95-0.99]; P=0.01) and Southern hospitals (adjusted cumulative OR for South vs North, 0.54 [95% CI, 0.31-0.94]; P=0.03). Differences in receipt of guideline-concordant procedures after AIS exist between patients with pre-existing MCI and normal cognition. These differences were largely explained by patient and regional factors associated with receiving less AIS care.


Iron- and manganese-containing superoxide dismutases can be distinguished by analysis of their primary structures.
The iron- and manganese-containing superoxide dismutases have very similar three-dimensional structures but can be distinguished by various biochemical means. The primary structures of six manganese-containing and three iron-containing superoxide dismutases are known. Analysis of the aligned amino acid sequences of these enzymes taken together with structural data from X-ray diffraction studies demonstrates that the two classes of enzyme can be distinguished on the basis of a small number of single-site substitutions that are positioned in and close to the active site of the enzyme.


Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in Facilitating Wound Healing After Surgical Decompression for Metastatic Spine Disease.
The risk of wound-related complications, including surgical site infections (SSIs), in patients undergoing surgery for metastatic spine disease (MSD) is high. Consequently, patients requiring wound revision surgery face delay in resuming oncological care and incur additional hospitalization. Recent reports suggest that negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) applied on a closed wound at the time of surgery significantly reduces postoperative wound complications in degenerative spine disease and trauma setting. Here, we report a single institution experience with incisional NPWT in patients undergoing surgery for MSD. We compared rates of wound complications requiring surgical revision in a surgical cohort of patients with or without NPWT from 2015 to 2020. Adult patients with radiographic evidence of MSD with mechanical instability and/or accelerated neurological decline were included in the study. NPWT was applied on a closed wound in the operating room and continued for 5 days or until discharge, whichever occurred first. A total of 42 patients were included: 28 with NPWT and 14 without. Patient demographics including underlying comorbidities were largely similar. NPWT patients had higher rates of prior radiation to the surgical site (36% vs. 0%, P = 0.017) and longer fusion constructs (6.7 vs. 3.9 levels, P < 0.001). Three patients (21%) from the control group and none from the NPWT group contracted SSI requiring wound washout (P = 0.032). Our data suggest that SSI and wound dehiscence are significantly reduced with the addition of incisional NPWT in this vulnerable population.


Experimental and clinical double lung transplantation.
We have previously demonstrated the technical feasibility of an en bloc double lung transplantation in acute canine experiments. We have now conducted survival experiments in cynomolgus monkeys. Profound hypothermia and circulatory arrest were used to avoid the need for cardiopulmonary bypass in these very small animals. Because of the complexities of this technique, few long-term survivals resulted, but these experiments did confirm excellent lung function and satisfactory tracheal healing. On the basis of these experiments, we have performed our first clinical double lung transplantation on a 42-year-old woman with end-stage emphysema caused by alpha 2-antitrypsin deficiency. The patient has returned to normal activities with excellent lung function.


Cardiovascular disease in systemic lupus erythematosus: has the time for action come?
The recognition that inflammation is a hallmark of atherosclerotic disease has led to a series of studies reporting accelerated atherogenesis in chronic inflammatory diseases. Indeed, systemic lupus erythematosus is associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease and the etiology thereof deserves closer attention. The association between systemic lupus erythematosus and accelerated atherosclerosis has recently been confirmed by surrogate-marker studies for cardiovascular disease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Since the propensity towards cardiovascular disease cannot solely be explained by classical risk factors, disease-specific pathways have been put forward as additional risk factors. In the present review, we will discuss several of these factors as well as their potential impact for future prevention strategies in systemic lupus erythematosus.


Transferability of genetic risk scores in African populations.
The poor transferability of genetic risk scores (GRSs) derived from European ancestry data in diverse populations is a cause of concern. We set out to evaluate whether GRSs derived from data of African American individuals and multiancestry data perform better in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) compared to European ancestry-derived scores. Using summary statistics from the Million Veteran Program (MVP), we showed that GRSs derived from data of African American individuals enhance polygenic prediction of lipid traits in SSA compared to European and multiancestry scores. However, our GRS prediction varied greatly within SSA between the South African Zulu (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), R2 = 8.14%) and Ugandan cohorts (LDL-C, R2 = 0.026%). We postulate that differences in the genetic and environmental factors between these population groups might lead to the poor transferability of GRSs within SSA. More effort is required to optimize polygenic prediction in Africa.


Double cardiac rupture after direct infarct coronary angioplasty: report of a case.
The occurrence of double cardiac rupture (DCR) after a successful direct infarct coronary angioplasty (DICA) is extremely uncommon. We describe herein the case of a patient who underwent delayed DICA and despite successful recanalization, subsequently suffered DCR, as a postinfarction ventricular septal defect (PIVSD) with left ventricular free wall rupture (LVFWR). Emergency surgery was performed, and the patient is now doing well more than 2 years after his operation. The possible mechanisms of DCR after delayed DICA are discussed following the presentation of this unusual case.


Immune System Dysfunction Criteria in Critically Ill Children: The PODIUM Consensus Conference.
Immune system dysfunction is poorly represented in pediatric organ dysfunction definitions. To evaluate evidence for criteria that define immune system dysfunction in critically ill children and associations with adverse outcomes and develop consensus criteria for the diagnosis of immune system dysfunction in critically ill children. We conducted electronic searches of PubMed and Embase from January 1992 to January 2020, using medical subject heading terms and text words to define immune system dysfunction and outcomes of interest. Studies of critically ill children with an abnormality in leukocyte numbers or function that is currently measurable in the clinical laboratory in which researchers assessed patient-centered outcomes were included. Studies of adults or premature infants, animal studies, reviews and commentaries, case series (≤10 subjects), and studies not published in English with inability to determine eligibility criteria were excluded. Data were abstracted from eligible studies into a standard data extraction form along with risk of bias assessment by a task force member. We identified the following criteria for immune system dysfunction: (1) peripheral absolute neutrophil count <500 cells/μL, (2) peripheral absolute lymphocyte count <1000 cells/μL, (3) reduction in CD4+ lymphocyte count or percentage of total lymphocytes below age-specific thresholds, (4) monocyte HLA-DR expression <30%, or (5) reduction in ex vivo whole blood lipopolysaccharide-induced TNFα production capacity below manufacturer-provided thresholds. Many measures of immune system function are currently limited to the research environment. We present consensus criteria for the diagnosis of immune system dysfunction in critically ill children.


Cannabis and metformin on diabetic male Wistar rat sperm and reproductive organ parameters.
Cannabis use has reportedly increased in type 2 diabetic users as a possible co-treatment for associated pain and inflammation. Both cannabis and metformin (an anti-diabetic drug) have a limited number of studies completed on their effect on male reproductive parameters in a diabetic model. This study determined if cannabis and metformin administration alter various reproductive parameters in diabetic male rats. Male Wistar rats (n = 35) were fed on a high fat diet and injected with streptozotocin (30 mg/kg rat) to induce a type-2 diabetic model. Treatment groups received cannabis based on Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentrations of 1.25, 2.5 and 5 mg/kg per rat and metformin (50 mg/kg) every alternate day for 10 weeks. Organ weight; serum testosterone levels and sperm count, motility, lipid peroxidation, citrate synthase and lactate dehydrogenase activities were measured. Cannabis treatment induced a significant concentration dependent decrease in sperm motility at 5 mg/kg rat THC (P = 0.009) administration. Metformin significantly (P = 0.035) increased sperm counts and lactate dehydrogenase activity (P = 0.002). Both cannabis and metformin negatively affected testosterone concentrations. Cannabis needs to be used cautiously as an alternative treatment in diabetic males based on the negative effects observed for the various reproductive parameters in this diabetic rat model.


Field evidence that shrimp predation regulates meiofauna.
The grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio, a suspected predator/disturber on meiofauna, and other large natant forms (>2 mm) were selectively excluded from microecosystem tanks for nine months during which time replicability between the tanks was established. Subsequently, shrimp were reintroduced into one of the four tanks via an aquarium and the meiofauna populations monitored in the "shrimp" and control tanks. In the presence of the predator/disturber, total meiofauna, nematode, oligochaete, and polychaete densities were significantly lower than in control tanks. In the presence of the predator/disturber, total meiofauna, nematode, oligochaete, and polychaete densities were significantly lower than in control tanks. Shrimp predation/disturbance significantly reduced meiofauna abundance in this salt marsh habitat but it did not alter the species diversity of the dominant taxon. The meiobenthos displayed characteristics common to other biologically regulated assemblages and our data provide the first field evidence of macrofaunal control of meiofauna community structure.


Perturbation of N-linked oligosaccharide structure results in an altered incorporation of [3H]palmitate into specific proteins in Chinese hamster ovary cells.
Increased [3H]palmitate incorporation into specific cellular proteins has been reported to occur in Chinese hamster ovary (Wellner, R. B., Ray, B., Ghosh, P. C., and Wu, H. C. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 12788-12793) and yeast (Wen, D., and Schlesinger, M. J. (1984) Mol. Cell. Biol. 4, 688-694) mutant cells. In this paper we report studies concerning the relationship between N-linked oligosaccharide structure and [3H]palmitate incorporation into proteins of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. We have compared the incorporation of [3H]palmitate into proteins of wild-type and four different mutant CHO cell lines defective in various steps of N-linked protein glycosylation. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoretic analysis showed that three of the mutants exhibited increased [3H]palmitate incorporation into several CHO cellular proteins (approximately 30,000-38,000 molecular weight) as compared to the wild-type cells. One of the affected mutants which accumulates the Man5Gn2Asn intermediate structure was examined in detail. In agreement with earlier reports, virtually all of the [3H] palmitate-labeled proteins of both wild-type and mutant cell lines are membrane-bound. Pretreatment of the mutant cell line with tunicamycin blocked the increased [3H]palmitate incorporation into the two specific proteins (both of approximately 30,000 molecular weight) observed in untreated cells; the decreased incorporation of [3H]palmitate into the 30,000 molecular weight species was accompanied by a concomitant increase in the incorporation of [3H]palmitate into two proteins of approximately 20,000 molecular weight. Pretreatment of wild-type cells with tunicamycin also caused increased [3H]palmitate incorporation into the 20,000 molecular weight species. Endoglycosidase H treatment of [3H]palmitate-labeled extracts from the mutant cell line resulted in the disappearance of the heavily labeled 30,000 molecular weight species and the appearance of intensely labeled 20,000 molecular weight species. Pretreatment of the mutant cell line with either castanospermine or deoxynojirimycin reduced the [3H]palmitate incorporation in to the 30,000 molecular weight species increased in untreated cells, but did not cause increased [3H]palmitate incorporation into the 20,000 molecular weight species. Our results indicate that perturbation of N-linked oligosaccharide structure results in altered incorporation of [3H]palmitate into specific proteins in CHO cells.


Cardiac involved and autopsy in two patients with systemic sclerosis: Two cases report.
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease with high mortality. One of the most common causes of death in potential SSc patients is cardiac arrest. However, the pathogenesis of cardiac death is not very clear. As far as we know, there are few autopsy reports on this subject. Our autopsy report on two fatal cases of heart injury in SSc patients revealed evidence of myocarditis, focal myocardial necrosis, and myocardial fibrosis. Our findings suggest that chronic inflammation of the heart may lead to extensive fibrosis, which could contribute to the high mortality rate observed in SSc patients. Early detection of heart injury in SSc patients using existing technology is necessary to improve patient outcomes. Future research should focus on developing more effective methods for early detection and management of heart involvement in SSc.


An unusual complication of gastric banding: recurrent small bowel obstruction caused by the connecting tube.
Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) is a widely performed surgical procedure for morbid obesity. The application of this mini-invasive approach has given the benefits of shorter hospital stay, less postoperative pain and quicker functional recovery. LAGB complications are related either to the access-port, such as port-site infection or tubing disconnection, or to the band, such as band slippage, pouch dilatation, or intragastric migration. We report a case of recurrent small bowel obstruction caused by the connecting tube around a jejunal loop, in a woman who had under-gone LAGB 3 years before. The diagnosis was difficult to establish because the clinical history and examination were non-specific. A 3-dimensional CT scan was needed to explain the cause of the recurrent abdominal pain, and the small bowel loop was freed from the connecting tube at laparoscopy.


Methanol-enhanced degradation of carbon tetrachloride by alkaline activation of persulfate: Kinetic model.
Carbon tetrachloride (CT), a chlorinated organic compound widely used in the chemical industry during the 20th century, is nowadays a ubiquitous contaminant in groundwater and in situ technologies for its destruction are required. In this work, the degradation of CT by the alkaline activation of persulfate (PS) has been studied. Among the pool of radical species generated (hydroxyl radicals, sulfate radicals and superoxide radicals), O2∙- resulted to be the only species responsible for CT abatement. It has been found that the presence of other solvents less polar than water (hydrogen peroxide, acetone, propanol and methanol) improves CT degradation. Among them, methanol was selected as the most adequate co-solvent, leading to the complete elimination of CT (100 mg L-1, 24 h) with a moderate unproductive consumption of the oxidant. The degradation of CT increased proportionally with the concentration of this solvent (from 0.1 to 10 g L-1). The ratio NaOH:PS (from 1 to 8) did not affect the degradation of CT when working with a constant concentration of PS and highly alkaline conditions were maintained. The removal rate of CT increased as the concentration of PS increased (from 20 to 60 g L-1), while the conversion of this pollutant did not depend on its initial concentration (from 10 to 100 mg L-1). A kinetic model that considers the concentration of PS, MeOH and CT and can predict the concentration of CT with reaction time at different operating conditions, has been developed from the experimental data.


High-Quality Draft Genome Sequence of Kibdelosporangium philippinense, Generated by Hybrid Assembly of Short and Long Sequencing Reads.
The glycopeptide antibiotic-producing soil actinobacterium Kibdelosporangium philippinense A80407 (=ATCC 49844) was sequenced using Illumina and Nanopore sequencing methodologies, and a hybrid genome assembly was generated for this type strain, with a total predicted genome length of 12,054,556 bp, 10,953 protein-coding sequences, 79 RNAs, 298 pseudogenes, and a G+C content of 65.13%.


Thumb metacarpophalangeal joint ligament reconstruction with a triangular tendon graft in posttraumatic chronic instability.
The purpose of this study was to report the results of static triangular ligament reconstruction, in thumb metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint chronic posttraumatic laxity using a tendon graft with a proximal apex in ten patients. The mean postoperative follow-up was 40.2 months. The mean postoperative thumb MCP joint stress testing was 43° less than before surgery, and 6.5° less than in the non-injured hand. The mean range of flexion was 10.5° lower in the operated thumb than in the contralateral one, and the mean range of extension was 8° lower. Minimal differences in the values of the Kapandji score, grip and key-pinch strength were found. The preoperative pain became an occasional discomfort after surgery. All patients had a subjective sense of stability until final follow-up. All patients returned to their work or daily activities. For therapeutic studies investigating the results of treatment.


[Relations between postnatal weight loss and feeding of newborn infants with breast milk].
Data presented in this study prove that in term neonates as well as in premature newborns the normal postnatal fall of the body weight is of a smaller extend when breast milk, especially breast milk from their own mothers, is used for nutrition.


Amyloid PET in European and North American cohorts; and exploring age as a limit to clinical use of amyloid imaging.
Several radiotracers that bind to fibrillar amyloid-beta in the brain have been developed and used in various patient cohorts. This study aimed to investigate the comparability of two amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) tracers as well as examine how age affects the discriminative properties of amyloid PET imaging. Fifty-one healthy controls (HCs), 72 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 90 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) from a European cohort were scanned with [11C]Pittsburgh compound-B (PIB) and compared with an age-, sex- and disease severity-matched population of 51 HC, 72 MCI and 84 AD patients from a North American cohort who were scanned with [18F]Florbetapir. An additional North American population of 246 HC, 342 MCI and 138 AD patients with a Florbetapir scan was split by age (55-75 vs 76-93 y) into groups matched for gender and disease severity. PET template-based analyses were used to quantify regional tracer uptake. The mean regional uptake patterns were similar and strong correlations were found between the two tracers across the regions of interest in HC (ρ = 0.671, p = 0.02), amyloid-positive MCI (ρ = 0.902, p < 0.001) and AD patients (ρ = 0.853, p < 0.001). The application of the Florbetapir cut-off point resulted in a higher proportion of amyloid-positive HC and a lower proportion of amyloid-positive AD patients in the older group (28 and 30 %, respectively) than in the younger group (19 and 20 %, respectively). These results illustrate the comparability of Florbetapir and PIB in unrelated but matched patient populations. The role of amyloid PET imaging becomes increasingly important with increasing age in the diagnostic assessment of clinically impaired patients.


Sex/gender differences in metabolic syndrome among cancer survivors in the US: an NHANES analysis.
The purpose of this study was to assess the association of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its individual components in cancer survivors (CS) by gender, in comparison to participants without a history of cancer who have at least one chronic disease (CD) and those without a chronic disease diagnosis (NCD). Data from participants 40 years and older (n = 12,734) were collected from the 2011 to 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey dataset. MetS was defined based on the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel III. Chi-square test and multivariate-adjusted logistic regression was used to assess group comparisons and associations respectively. Compared to NCD, CS and CD men had increased odds of meeting MetS, OR 2.60 (CI 1.75-3.87) and OR 2.18 (CI 1.59-2.98) respectively. For women, CS and CD participants also had higher odds of meeting MetS criteria compared to their healthy counterparts, OR 2.05 (CI 1.44-2.93) and OR 2.14 (CI 1.63-2.81) respectively. In subgroup analysis by cancer site, CS men with a history of hematologic malignancies (OR 4.88, CI 1.30-18.37) and CS women with cervical cancer (OR 4.25, CI 1.70-10.59) had highest odds of developing MetS, compared to NCD. CS men also showed a strong association with elevated waist circumference, low high density lipoprotein-c, and elevated triglycerides, even by cancer site, but there were no consistent findings among women. This study indicates that CS men have a strong association with MetS, especially among those with blood-related cancers.


Electroencephalographic Changes in Sleep During Acute and Subacute Phases After Sports-Related Concussion.
Little is known about sleep after a concussion, a form of mild traumatic brain injury. Given the importance of sleep for both maintaining brain health and recovery from injury, we sought to examine sleep acutely and subacutely after concussion. Athletes who experienced a sports-related concussion were invited to participate. Participants underwent overnight sleep studies within 7 days of the concussion (acute phase), and again eight-weeks after the concussion (subacute phase). Changes in sleep from both the acute and subacute phases were compared to population normative values. Additionally, changes in sleep from acute to subacute phase were analysed. When compared to normative data, the acute and subacute phases of concussion showed longer total sleep time (p < 0.005) and fewer arousals (p < 0.005). The acute phase showed longer rapid eye movement sleep latency (p = 0.014). The subacute phase showed greater total sleep spent in Stage N3% (p = 0.046), increased sleep efficiency (p < 0.001), shorter sleep onset latency (p = 0.013), and reduced wake after sleep onset (p = 0.013). Compared to the acute phase, the subacute phase experienced improved sleep efficiency (p = 0.003), reduced wake after sleep onset (p = 0.02), and reduced latencies for both stage N3 sleep (p = 0.014) and rapid eye movement sleep (p = 0.006). This study indicated sleep during both the acute and subacute phases of SRC was characterised by longer and less disrupted sleep, along with improvements in sleep from the acute to subacute phases of SRC.


Influence of laying hen systems on the mite fauna (Acari) community of commercial poultry farms in southern Brazil.
Intensive production of confined laying hens affects their welfare and increases the risk of epidemics. Ectoparasites as hematophagous and feather mites cause low productivity and decreased egg quality. This study aimed to determine the diversity of mites captured with traps in different commercial systems of laying hens (Gallus gallus L.) (Phasianidae) in Taquari Valley, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Samplings were conducted from August 2013 to August 2014, totaling 21 sampling events in three different commercial laying hen systems: automatic production systems (A(1), (2), (3)), semiautomatic systems (S(1), (2)), and free-range system (FR). A total of 9981 mites belonging to 21 families, 31 genera, and 35 species were found. Acaridae, Caligonellidae, and Cheyletidae showed the highest richness with four species each. Megninia ginglymura (Mégnin, 1877) (Analgidae) was the most abundant ectoparasite species with 1328 specimens and was present in all commercial laying hen systems. No hematophagous mites were found. Cheyletus malaccensis(Cheyletidae) (3503), Typhlodromus transvaalensis (Phytoseiidae) (304), and Blattisocius keegani (Blattisocidae) (181) were the predators present in all systems. The similarity with control system (S(1)--without pesticide) was low (36.5 %) when compared to all other commercial laying hen systems, and it had the highest richness. In FR, low populations of mites and highest diversity were observed. The commercial laying hen system and the management influence the mite fauna in poultry farms.


Molecular characteristics in Chinese with chronic lymphocytic leukemia by next-generation sequencing: A single-center retrospective analysis.
Although the prevalence of Asian chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients is not as high as that of Caucasians, there are more atypical CLLs in Asia whose genetic characteristics and their clinical significance are distinct and remain unclear. A retrospective analysis of 85 CLL samples in our center was conducted from 2019 to 2022. We used next-generation sequencing with a 172 gene panel to explore the multi-gene mutational data and the mutational status of immunoglobulin heavy variable (IGHV) gene. MYD88 (20.0%) was the most frequently mutated gene, much higher than in Europe, followed in order by TP53 (18.8%), NOTCH1 (14.1%), IGLL5 (11.8%), and DNMT3A (8.2%). In addition, the incidence of ATM and SF3B1 mutations was relatively lower in our centre compared to Europe. Mutated (M)-IGHV patients were more likely to have a cooccurrence of MYD88 mutation, while complex karyotype and DNMT3A mutation were more common in the unmutated (U)-IGHV group. MYD88 mutated CLL was characterized by prevalence in young males in high-risk staging, with isolated 13q deletion and concomitant mutation of IGLL5. CLL patients with MYD88 and TP53 mutation showed an unfavorable prognosis. These results would be valuable in helping to understand the characteristics and significance of cytogenetic genetics in Chinese patients with CLL.


Patterns of expression of steroidogenic enzymes during the first wave of the ovine estrous cycle as compared to the preovulatory follicle.
The expression patterns of steroidogenic enzymes in ovarian antral follicles at various stages of growth in a follicular wave have not been reported for sheep. Ovaries were collected from ewes (n=4-5 per group) when the largest follicle(s) of the first wave of the cycle, as determined by ultrasonography, reached (i) 3 mm, (ii) 4 mm, (iii) > or =5 mm in diameter or when there was a single (iv) preovulatory follicle in the last wave of the cycle, 12h after estrus detection. The expression pattern of steroidogenic enzymes was quantified using immunohistochemistry and grey-scale densitometry. The expression of CYP19 in the granulosa and 3beta-HSD and CYP17 in the theca increased (P<0.01) progressively from 3 to > or =5 mm follicles in the first wave of the cycle and was lower (P<0.01) in the preovulatory follicle compared to > or =5 mm follicles. However, the expression of 3beta-HSD in the granulosa increased (P<0.05) from 3 to > or =5 mm follicles and was maintained (P<0.05) at a high level in the preovulatory follicles. The amount of CYP19 in the granulosa of the growing follicles correlated positively (r=0.5; P<0.03) with the concurrent serum estradiol concentrations. We concluded that the expression pattern of steroidogenic enzymes in theca and granulosa of follicles growing in each wave in the ewe, paralleled with serum estradiol concentrations, with the exception that concentrations of 3beta-HSD in granulosa increased continuously from follicles 3mm in diameter to the preovulatory follicle.


Transcriptional and translational analysis of the murine 84- and 86-kDa heat shock proteins.
The mammalian 85-90-kDa heat shock protein(s) (hsp) have been shown to exist as two species of 84 and 86 kDa (Ullrich, S. J., Robinson, E. A., Law, L. W., Willingham, M., and Appella, E. (1986) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 83, 3121-3125). Two cDNA clones corresponding to the two forms have been isolated which specifically hybridize to either a 2.85- or a 3.0-kilobase pair transcript corresponding to hsp 84 and 86, respectively (Moore, S. K., Kozak, C., Robinson, E. A., Ullrich, S. J., and Appella, E. (1987) Gene (Amst.) 56, 29-40, and this paper). The regulation of these hsp were examined in nontransformed NIH-3T3 and chemically transformed Meth A cells. The basal level of the hsp 84 mRNA transcript was approximately 2.5-fold greater than the hsp 86 transcript, with a corresponding ratio of hsp 84 to hsp 86 protein synthesis of approximately 2.5:1. After a transient heat shock (10 min, 44 degrees C), the rate of transcription of hsp 84 and 86 increased approximately 4.5- and approximately 7-fold, respectively, within 0.5 h and remained elevated for approximately 2 h. Northern blot analysis performed on NIH-3T3 and Meth A cells, during recovery from a transient heat shock, indicated that in both cells mRNA levels of both hsp increased rapidly, peaking at 5 h post-heat shock; hsp 84 and 86 transcripts were 1.5- and 2-fold higher than in non-heat-shocked cells, respectively. The increased rate of hsp synthesis after heat shock correlated with the increased levels of each transcript in both cell lines. In the transformed Meth A cells the basal mRNA, hsp synthesis, and steady state levels of each hsp in vitro were 2-3-fold higher than in the nontransformed NIH-3T3 cells. In Meth A tumors in vivo, the steady state level of hsp 84 was reduced compared to in vitro levels. Thus, in normal and in transformed murine cells, both hsp are heat-inducible, transcriptionally and translationally, with the transformed cells expressing higher levels of synthesis of both hsp 84 and 86. The data suggest that hsp 84 and 86 syntheses are primarily transcriptionally regulated.


Hyperthyroidism as a cause of persistent choreic movements.
A patient is described who had thyrotoxicosis more than 30 years ago and suffers since that time from presistent choreic movements. This case suggests for the first time that chorea induced by hyperthyroidism may outlast the endocrine disorder and become irreversible.


Applications of Umbilical Cord Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Autoimmune and Immunological Disorders: From Literature to Clinical Practice.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) enable a novel approach to stem cell therapy. Bone Marrow (BM) was the first source used in MSCs therapy. However, BM has a number of key limitations as a source of MSCs, such as the existence of only a small number of MSCs in the tissue; the painful, ethically problematic, and invasive nature of the associated collection process; and a decrease in MSC specifications as the age of donors increases. As a result, there has been increasing scholarly attention towards identifying alternative sources for MSCs. In specific, Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells (UC-MSCs) have been identified as a valuable source from which MSC may be obtained with potentially fewer ethical issues. MSCs can regulate the immune response, promote tissue repair, increase regeneration, and improve anticancer effects. Thus, they are significant allogenic and autologous representatives for curing malignant and non-malignant disorders. In this review, therefore, the prospective applications for curing autoimmune disorders will be considered.


Association between socioeconomic status and cognitive functioning among older adults in Ghana.
Extensive analysis of the associations between socioeconomic status and cognition has been conducted among older adults. However, it is not clear whether associations in high-income countries are similar in low-and middle-income countries. This research aims to investigate the association between the socioeconomic status of older adults in Ghana and their cognitive function by using a sample of older adults that is nationally representative. Data were obtained from a sample of older Ghanaian adults (50+) from the Study of Global AGEing and Adult Health Wave 1 (n = 3710) of the World Health Organization. Objectively, cognition was measured by verbal recall, verbal fluency, forward digit span, and backward digit span, while variations in cognition overall were evaluated against socioeconomic factors using linear regression. Older age, older women, rural life, increasing memory difficulty, and being diagnosed with stroke were the most significant determinants of impaired cognitive function. Higher education and higher income were significantly associated with a better cognitive function than those with no formal education and low income. These results provide new evidence for public health programs in Ghana and other low-and middle-income countries to tackle cognitive impairments in growing populations.


The effects of probiotic and selenium co-supplementation on parameters of mental health, hormonal profiles, and biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the co-administration of probiotic and selenium on parameters of mental health, hormonal profiles, and biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in women with PCOS. Data on the effects of selenium and probiotic co-supplementation on mental health, hormonal and inflammatory parameters of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are scarce. This investigation was carried out to evaluate the effects of selenium and probiotic co-supplementation on mental health, hormonal and inflammatory parameters in women with PCOS. This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted on 60 subjects, aged 18-40 years old. Participants were randomly allocated into two groups to intake 8 × 109 CFU/day probiotic plus 200 μg/day selenium supplements (n = 30) or placebo (n = 30) for 12 weeks. Hormonal and inflammatory parameters were measured at baseline and after the 12-week intervention. Probiotic and selenium co-supplementation resulted in a significant improvement in beck depression inventory (β - 0.76; 95% CI, - 1.26, - 0.26; P = 0.003), general health questionnaire scores (β - 1.15; 95% CI, - 1.97, - 0.32; P = 0.007) and depression anxiety and stress scale scores (β - 1.49; 95% CI, - 2.59, - 0.39; P = 0.009) compared with the placebo. Furthermore, probiotic and selenium co-supplementation significantly reduced total testosterone (β - 0.26 ng/mL; 95% CI, - 0.51, - 0.02; P = 0.03), hirsutism (β - 0.43; 95% CI, - 0.74, - 0.11; P = 0.008), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (β - 0.58 mg/L; 95% CI, - 0.97, - 0.19; P = 0.004) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (β - 0.29 μmol/L; 95% CI, - 0.56, - 0.02; P = 0.03), and significantly increased total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (β + 84.76 mmol/L; 95% CI, + 48.08, + 121.44; P < 0.001) and total glutathione (GSH) levels (β + 26.78 μmol/L; 95% CI, + 4.33, + 49.23; P = 0.02) compared with the placebo. Overall, the co-administration of probiotic and selenium for 12 weeks to women with PCOS had beneficial effects on mental health parameters, serum total testosterone, hirsutism, hs-CRP, TAC, GSH and MDA levels. This study was prospectively registered in the Iranian website ( www.irct.ir ) for registration of clinical trials ( http://www.irct.ir : IRCT20170513033941N22). IRCT20170513033941N22 .


Retroperitoneal abscess following sclerotherapy for hemorrhoids.
A case report of a patient who underwent submucosal injection sclerotherapy for hemorrhoids is presented. Subsequent necrosis of the underlying tissues produced a rectal perforation and retroperitoneal abscess, which necessitated emergency laparotomy and defunctioning colostomy. Healing of the perforation allowed later closure of the stoma. A brief review of the known complications of this technique has been made. It would appear that necrosis and perforation with abscess formation can be added to this list.


Shaping the endoplasmic reticulum in vitro.
Organelles in eukaryotic cells often have complex shapes that deviate significantly from simple spheres. A prime example is the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that forms an extensive network of membrane tubules in many mammalian cell types and in reconstitution assays in vitro. Despite the successful hunt for molecular determinants of ER shape we are still far from having a comprehensive understanding of ER network morphogenesis. Here, we have studied the hitherto neglected influence of the host substrate when reconstituting ER networks in vitro as compared to ER networks in vivo. In culture cells we observed cytoplasm-spanning ER networks with tubules being connected almost exclusively by three-way junctions and segment lengths being narrowly distributed around a mean length of about 1μm. In contrast, networks reconstituted from purified ER microsomes on flat glass or gel substrates of varying stiffness showed significantly broader length distributions with an up to fourfold larger mean length. Self-assembly of ER microsomes on small oil droplets, however, yielded networks that resembled more closely the native ER network of mammalian cells. We conclude from these observations that the ER microsomes' inherent self-assembly capacity is sufficient to support network formation with a native geometry if the influence of the host substrate's surface chemistry becomes negligible. We hypothesize that under these conditions the networks' preference for three-way junctions follows from creating 'starfish-shaped' vesicles when ER microsomes with a protein-induced spontaneous curvature undergo fusion.


Video-analytic study of manual kinesics and its lateralization in the course of treatment of depressive syndromes.
Video-taped interviews of 47, predominantly endogenous depressive in-patients, recorded on days 0 and 21 of pharmacotherapy were analysed with respect to frequency, duration and side-preference of defined hand movements. The data were related to clinical improvement or deterioration as assessed by judgement of the syndromal aspects: retardation and agitation. 1. Above all, improvement is marked by a decrease of Continuous body-focused movements (C) and an increase of Object-focused movements (O) of the speech primacy type (OS)-deterioration by an increase of C and decrease of OS. 2. The degree of retardation corresponds to O, the degree of agitation, above all to C. 3. O show no side-preference with a higher degree of retardation or agitation respectively, but a marked right perference with a lower degree of retardation or agitation, Discrete body touching (D) shows a left preference only, with a higher degree of retardation. A comparison of sidedness of O between interviews 1 and 2 shows no lateralization trend, either in the improvement or the deterioration group. In contrast, D changed from left weightiness to symmetry, coinciding with improvement but not with deterioration, With reference to the latter findings we discuss the possibility of a particular mode of cerebral lateralization predisposing to endogenous depression.


[Lung infection by Mycobacterium szulgai].
Mycobacterium szulgai is an uncommon atypical mycobacterium human pathogen. The clinical manifestations and radiographic findings in a 31-year-old woman were strongly suggestive of pulmonary tuberculosis. The mode of transmission could not be determined. Mycobacterium szulgai was identified. The patient was treated with antituberculosis antibiotics and the clinical course was favorable. Mycobacterium szulgai is an atypical mycobacterrium difficult to identify. Its epidemiological features are unknown. This potential pulmonary pathogen is rarely described in the literature. Most cases have involved pulmonary, bone and joint or skin infections in immunodepressed patients. M. szulgai is relatively susceptible to classic antituberculosis antibiotics although standard regimens have not been established. Our patient required intensive care for mechanical ventilation.


Characteristics and distribution of microplastics in the coastal mangrove sediments of China.
Mangroves are a unique and important type of coastal wetlands in the tropical and subtropical zones worldwide. The abundance and spatial distribution of microplastics in the mangrove sediments however are still poorly understood. The present study aimed to illustrate the characteristics, abundance and spatial distribution of microplastics in different mangrove sediments along the south-eastern coastal zones of China. Microplastic samples (roughly 10-20 kg fresh sediments at each site) taken from 21 sampling sites showed various shapes, colors, composition, sizes, surface morphology, abundance and strong spatial heterogeneity. Five different shapes of microplastics with a variety of colors were detected in the mangrove sediments, among which foams (74.6%) and fibers (14.0%) were the dominant types. The polymer composition of the microplastics identified based on the FT-IR and μ-FTIR covered polystyrene (75.2%), polypropylene (11.7%), rayon (4.6%), polyester (3.4%), polyethylene (2.8%) and acrylic (2.4%). The observed microplastics with a size range of less than 2 mm made up 58.6% of the total microplastic particles. The microplastics had various surface morphologies, exhibiting complicated weathered surfaces. The abundance of microplastics showed a substantial variation among the sampling sites, ranging from 8.3 to 5738.3 items kg-1 (dry sediment). Altogether, our study provides a better understanding of microplastic pollution status and prevention policy-making of mangrove habitats in China.


Frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser for the treatment of exudative diabetic maculopathy.
To determine the clinical efficacy of frequency-doubled Nd:YAG (FD YAG) laser for the treatment of diabetic clinically significant macular oedema (CSMO). A prospective pilot study was carried out on 55 eyes with CSMO. FD YAG laser exposures were applied in a focal or grid pattern. The results were evaluated by Snellen visual acuity, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, colour photography and fundus fluorescein angiography. At mean review of 5.3 months, macular oedema had resolved either completely or partly in 44 (80%) eyes, was unchanged in 10 (18%) eyes and progressed in 1 (2%) eye. Visual acuity improved in 11 (20%), stabilised in 40 (73%) and deteriorated in 4 (7%) eyes. FD YAG laser therapy is effective in the treatment of CSMO. It combines the ergonomic advantages of a solid-state laser with the benefits of its wavelength. A comparison between the clinical results of FD YAG and other lasers used in the treatment of CSMO is, however, required.


MR angiographic evaluation is limited in intracranial aneurysms embolized with Nexus coils.
Nexus coils are a type of bioactive coil used to embolize intracranial aneurysms. The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of the noninvasive follow-up of aneurysms treated with Nexus coils by means of magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). Three-dimensional (3D) time-of-flight (TOF) MRA images of patients treated with Nexus coils (the Nexus coil group) or bare platinum coils (the control group) were compared for the severity and frequency of artifacts. The reviewers were unaware of the coil types used. In the Nexus coil group, 17 MRA examinations were performed in 14 patients harboring 15 aneurysms treated with Nexus coils using 3-T (n = 11) and 1.5-T (n = 6) MR units. The findings of these examinations were compared to those of 28 MRA studies conducted on 24 control patients (bare platinum coils). Conventional angiograms, maximum intensity projections, and source data of 3D-TOF MRA were reviewed in terms of residual flow within aneurysms and parent arterial patencies. The qualities of the MRA images were rated from grade 0 (no significant signal loss) to grade 2 (complete segmental signal loss of the parent artery). The normalized ratio, defined as the diameter of signal loss on MRA axial source images (in mm) divided by that of coil mass on plain radiographs (in mm), was calculated to compare the sizes of coil-related artifacts in the two groups. The quality of the MRA image for the Nexus coil group was significantly poorer than that for the control group (p < 0.0001) due to signal loss caused by the presence of artifacts in the former. In particular, the interpretation of aneurysmal status was impossible in all cases of coiled aneurysms due to segmental signal loss. The sizes of the MRA artifacts were also significantly larger in the Nexus coil group (normalized ratio 1.61 +/- 0.22 vs. 1.15 +/- 0.20; p < 0.0001). Follow-up evaluations by 3D-TOF MRA of aneurysms treated with Nexus coils are severely limited.


Melittin interactions with adenylate cyclase.
Melittin, a basic polypeptide from bee venom, inhibits basal and thyrotropin-stimulated adenylate cyclase of beef thyroid membranes with a Ki approximately 10 micron. Although this property resides in the basic C-terminal and not the N-terminal portion of the molecule, inhibition is due primarily to its detergent-like nature rather than charge effects. There is also a small enhancing effect of both basal and thyrotropin-stimulated adenylate cyclase of 0.3-3 micron melittin.


Circadian rhythms in Neurospora crassa: clock gene homologues in fungi.
Computer-based analysis of a total of 17 filamentous fungal and yeasts genomes has shown: (1) homologues of frq, wc-1, wc-2, and vvd, key gene components of the Neurospora crassa clock, are present in Magnaporthe grisea, Gibberella zeae, and Podospora anserina, suggesting an frq-based oscillator in these organisms; (2) some fungal species that are more distantly related to Neurospora, such as Rhizopus oryzae do not appear to have frq homologues; (3) many fungal species that do not appear to contain frq, such as Aspergillus nidulans, do contain wc homologues; (4) of 11 well-described genes classified as clock-controlled genes (ccgs), in Neurospora, all of them were found to have homologues in other fungi; (5) the ccg-8 gene of N. crassa has homologies to opi1p, a transcriptional regulatory gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae involved in inositol regulation. This suggests the possibilities of rhythmic inositol regulation, and/or a cascade of rhythmic activation of other genes in N. crassa.


Targeting and killing of metastatic cells in the transgenic adenocarcinoma of mouse prostate model with vesicular stomatitis virus.
Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) is an oncolytic virus which selectively infects and kills cancer cells. The goal of the present study was to determine whether VSV is capable of targeting metastatic lesions that arise in situ in the transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate (TRAMP) model. The interferon (IFN)-responsive luciferase containing VSV(AV3) strain was injected intraprostatically into both control and TRAMP mice. Distribution, infectivity, apoptosis, and status of the IFN response were evaluated at the site of viral injection (prostate), as well as in metastatic lesions (lymph nodes), through plaque, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and immunohistochemical analysis. Bioluminescence analyses demonstrated that VSV(AV3) persisted at high levels in the prostate region of TRAMP mice for up to 96 hours, but at relatively low levels and for only 48 hours in control mice. Live virus was discovered in the lymph nodes of TRAMP mice, but not in control mice. TUNEL staining revealed increased cell death in VSV(AV3) infected metastatic cells present in the lymph nodes of TRAMP mice. There was an evidence of IFN activation in lymph nodes containing metastatic cells. Our results indicate that intraprostatic injections of VSV(AV3) can be used as a means to infect and kill metastatic lesions associated with advanced prostate cancer.


Quantifying the lubricity of mechanically tough polyvinyl alcohol hydrogels for cartilage repair.
Polyvinyl alcohol hydrogels are biocompatible and can be used as synthetic articular cartilage. Their mechanical characteristics can be tailored by various techniques such as annealing or blending with other hydrophilic polymers. In this study, we quantified the coefficient of friction of various candidate polyvinyl alcohol hydrogels against cobalt-chrome alloy or swine cartilage using a new rheometer-based method. We investigated the coefficient of friction of polyvinyl alcohol-only hydrogels and blends with polyethylene glycol, polyacrylic acid, and polyacrylamide against swine cartilage and polished cobalt-chrome surfaces. The addition of the functional groups to polyvinyl alcohol, such as acrylamide (semi-interpenetrating network) and acrylic acid (blend), significantly reduced the coefficient of friction. The coefficient of friction of the polyvinyl alcohol-only hydrogel was measured as 0.4 ± 0.03 against cobalt-chrome alloy, and 0.09 ± 0.004 against cartilage, while those measurements for the polyvinyl alcohol-polyacrylic acid blends and polyvinyl alcohol-polyacrylamide semi-interpenetrating network were 0.07 ± 0.01 and 0.1 ± 0.003 against cobalt-chrome alloy, and 0.03 ± 0.001 and 0.02 ± 0.001 against cartilage, respectively. There was no significant or minimal difference in the coefficient of friction between samples from different regions of the knee, or animals, or when the cartilage samples were frozen for 1 day or 2 days before testing. However, changing lubricant from deionized water to ionic media, for example, saline or simulated body fluid, increased the coefficient of friction significantly.


The Effect of Pressure Glove Tightness on Forearm Muscle Activity and Psychophysical Responses.
The impact of pressure glove tightness on maximum grip force, muscle activity, and psychophysical responses is investigated to facilitate the prescription of a suitable reduction factor (RF) for pressure treatment. The wearing of pressure therapy gloves is often considered to hinder hand performance and cause discomfort, resulting in unsatisfactory treatment adherence during burn rehabilitation. A wear trial was carried out with 10 participants for three custom-made pressure gloves that consist of different RFs-10%, 15% and 20%-as well as for the bare hand. The surface electromyography of three forearm muscles was measured during tasks that involve moving marbles, buttoning a shirt, and typing. The psychophysical responses were also recorded. The use of pressure gloves results in a reduction in the maximum gripping force. Gloves with tighter pressure contribute to lower perceived comfort and ease of hand motion. Increased glove tightness (with RFs of 15% and 20%) decreases muscle activity as compared to the bare-hand condition when buttoning a shirt. In terms of typing, the forearm muscle activity increases with high glove pressure (RF of 20%). The forearm muscles are significantly affected by glove tightness in performing different daily tasks that required gripping, pinching, and typing. The increase of RF of pressure gloves causes negative impact on psychophysical response and handgrip strength. Glove tightness in relation to hand performance and comfort is important in prescribing an optimal pressure therapy glove for hypertrophic scar treatment. The findings give insight into the impacts of pressure glove tightness on muscle activity, thus providing a reference for glove development.


SPARC, a phase-I trial of pre-operative, margin intensified, stereotactic body radiation therapy for pancreatic cancer.
Following resection of pancreatic cancer, risk of positive margins and local recurrence remain high, especially for borderline-resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC). We aimed to establish the maximum tolerated dose of a margin-intensified five-fraction stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) regimen designed to treat the region at risk. We conducted a prospective multicentre phase-1 rolling-six dose-escalation study. BRPC patients received pre-operative SBRT, with one dose to the primary tumour and an integrated boost to the region where tumour was in contact with vasculature. Four dose-levels were proposed, with starting dose 30 Gy to primary PTV and 45 Gy to boost volume (PTV_R), in five daily fractions. Primary endpoint was maximum tolerated dose (MTD), defined as highest dose where zero of three or one of six patients experienced dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). Twelve patients were registered, eleven received SBRT. Radiotherapy was well tolerated with all treatment completed as scheduled. Dose was escalated one level up from starting dose without encountering any DLT (prescribed 32.5 Gy PTV, 47.5 Gy PTV_R). Nine serious adverse reactions or events occurred (seven CTCAE Grade 3, two Grade 4). Two patients went on to have surgical resection. Median overall survival for SBRT patients was 8.1 months. The study closed early when it was unable to recruit to schedule. Toxicity of SBRT was low for the two dose-levels that were tested, but MTD was not established. Few patients subsequently underwent resection of pancreatic tumour after SBRT, and it is difficult to draw conclusions regarding the safety or toxicity of these therapies in combination.


Association of lactate to albumin ratio and bicarbonate with short-term mortality risk in patients with acute myocardial infarction.
Previous studies have indicated that the ratio of lactate/albumin (L/A) has predictive value for the prognosis of critically ill patients with heart failure. Some studies have also indicated that a low serum bicarbonate concentration is inversely related to the mortality risk of patients with cardiogenic shock. However, the value of bicarbonate and the L/A ratio for predicting the mortality risk of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is still unclear. We therefore conducted a retrospective study to research this problem. The subjects of this study were patients with AMI, and the data source was the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III database. The primary endpoint was 30-day all-cause mortality after admission. The Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to compare the predictive value of L/A ratio, lactate and albumin for end-point events. The effects of different L/A ratio levels and different bicarbonate concentrations on 7-day and 30-day all-cause mortality were compared using Kaplan-Meier (K-M) curves. Hazard ratios for different L/A ratio and different bicarbonate concentrations were investigated using COX proportional hazards models. The Area Under Curve (AUC) of L/A ratio, lactate, and albumin were 0.736, 0.718, and 0.620, respectively. (1) L/A ratio: The patients were divided into three groups according to their L/A ratio: tertile T1 (L/A ratio ≤ 0.47), tertile T2 (L/A ratio ≤ 0.97), and tertile T3 (L/A ratio > 0.97). The T2 and T3 groups had higher 30-day all-cause mortality risks than the T1 group. The restricted cubic spline (RCS) model indicated that there was a nonlinear relationship between L/A ratio and 30-day mortality (P < 0.05). (2) Bicarbonate concentration: The patients were also divided into three groups based on their bicarbonate concentration: G1 (22-27 mmol/L), G2 (< 22 mmol/L), and G3 (> 27 mmol/L). The G2 and G3 groups had higher 30-day all-cause mortality risks than the G1 group. The RCS model indicated that there was a nonlinear relationship between bicarbonate concentration and 30-day mortality (P < 0.05). The RCS model indicated that there was a nonlinear relationship between hemoglobin level and 30-day all-cause mortality (P < 0.05). L/A ratio and bicarbonate concentration and hemoglobin level have predictive value for predicting 30-day mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction.


Investigation the effect of water addition on intermolecular interactions of fatty acids-based deep eutectic solvents by molecular dynamics simulations.
In this work, we focused on the interaction between hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA) and hydrogen bond doner (HBD) in the binary mixtures. The results showed that Cl- anion plays a key role in the formation of DESs. Also, the structural stability of deep eutectic solvents based on fatty acids (FAs) and choline chloride (Ch+Cl-) at different ratios was investigated in water using molecular dynamics simulations. We observed that the interaction between the chloride anion and the hydroxyl group of the cation leads to the transition of HBA to the water-rich phase. These atomic sites have important rule in the stability of the eutectic mixtures based on FAs and Cl- anion. However, it seems that the binary mixtures with the mole percent at 30% of [Ch+Cl-] and 70% of FAs have more stability than other ratios.


Endometriosis and pelvic pain.
The majority of patients with pain associated with endometriosis will obtain benefit from the many and varied therapies available for the treatment of endometriosis. The minority who fail to obtain relief from the conventional therapies may obtain benefit from referral to a pain clinic.


Relation of health-related quality of life with abnormal weight: A cross-sectional study prior to the weight reduction intervention.
Obesity is a major health issue that is well-documented association with morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and abnormal body mass index (BMI) levels. This descriptive study assessed 134 healthy individuals with abnormal BMI aged 18-39 years, clustered into three weight categories. The Short-form (SF)-36 Questionnaire was used for measuring of HRQOL. Linear-regression analyses discovered the negative correlation between BMI and the general health element of HRQL, however, a positive relation to role emotional dimension. But BMI was not associated with other six dimensions, and also with physical and mental component summary and with total health quality of life. BMI was an important detriment factor for the general health dimension of HRQL with regression analysis. The higher grade of abnormal BMI had a negative influence on general health and positive effect on the role emotional dimension of HRQOL.


Incidence of Venous Thromboembolism After Hip Arthroscopy Is Low With or Without Prophylaxis but Risk Factors Include Oral Contraceptive Use, Obesity, and Malignancy.
To determine the incidence of and risk factors for symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) after hip arthroscopy (HA) and thromboprophylaxis prescription utilization for this procedure. The PearlDiver Mariner database was queried using Current Procedural Terminology codes to identify adult patients (aged ≥ 18 years) who underwent HA between 2010 and 2020. Patient demographic information, including age, oral contraceptive use, and medical comorbidities, as well as perioperative thromboprophylaxis utilization, was recorded using International Classification of Diseases codes and National Drug Codes. The incidence of postoperative VTE within 90 days was determined. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify predictors of perioperative thromboprophylaxis utilization and risk factors for VTE. The queried records identified 60,181 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Of these patients, 367 (0.6%) experienced VTE, including deep venous thrombosis (0.5%) and/or pulmonary embolism (0.2%). Approximately 2.1% of patients used thromboprophylaxis, including aspirin (1.1%), low-molecular-weight heparin (0.9%), and oral factor Xa inhibitors (0.1%). Oral contraceptive pill use (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34-3.46), obesity (aOR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.05-1.79), and a history of malignancy (aOR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.12-2.54) were associated with increased odds of experiencing VTE. Perioperative thromboprophylaxis (aOR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.19-1.39) was not significantly associated with decreased odds of experiencing VTE. However, obesity (aOR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.00-1.38) and hypertension (aOR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.02-1.36) were associated with increased odds of thromboprophylaxis prescription utilization. Although the overall risk of symptomatic VTE after HA remains low, oral contraceptive use, obesity, and a history of malignancy are associated with increased odds of thromboembolic events within 90 days. Routine thromboprophylaxis after HA may not be indicated in all patients but can be considered based on patient-specific risk factors. Level III, retrospective prognostic comparative trial.


Estimating asthma control questionnaire (ACQ) scores from claims data.
Asthma control is the main focus of treatment guidelines. Valid instruments such as the Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) require prospective survey. These surveys may be challenging for large population health applications. To develop an algorithm for estimating ACQ-5 scores from commonly available claims data. Data was derived from four prospective surveys including the ACQ-5 combined with retrospective claims of Kaiser Permanente of Colorado (KPCO) patients. The statistical approach consisted of derivation and validation of a prediction algorithm including medical and pharmacy claims data using stepwise regression elimination. Validation was conducted by estimating mean squared error (MSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) in one hundred split-sample iterations. Ordinary least squares (OLS), Tobit and Median regression were used. There were 2,657 individuals with valid ACQ-5 scores, claims and eligibility at baseline. The following had statistically significant associations with ACQ-5 scores: gender, use of oral corticosteroids and short-acting beta agonists, the number of asthma drug classes, and emergency and outpatient visits. Average MSE and MAE were similar for the estimation and validation samples. This research provides preliminary results of the feasibility of predicting ACQ-5 scores using commonly available medical and pharmacy claims data. The resulting algorithm may facilitate public health and population level analyses of asthma control. Future studies in different populations will be important to validate the algorithm.


Differing clinical features in Aboriginal vs. non-Aboriginal children presenting with type 2 diabetes.
Childhood type 2 diabetes (T2D) is increasing and may present differently across various populations. This study compares clinical features of T2D at diagnosis in Aboriginal children with Caucasian children and children from other high-risk ethnic groups. This retrospective observational study used data from a Canadian surveillance study where newly diagnosed cases of childhood T2D were reported (n = 227). Using descriptive statistics, clinical features at diagnosis of T2D were compared across different ethnic groups including Aboriginal (n = 100), Caucasian (n = 57), and other high-risk ethnic groups (n = 64). Comparisons were made between Aboriginal children living in central Canada (Manitoba/northwestern Ontario) (n = 74) and Aboriginal children from other regions of Canada (n = 26). Aboriginal children were younger, less obese, and less likely to have polycystic ovarian syndrome and dyslipidemia when compared to Caucasian children and children from other high-risk ethnic groups (p < 0.05). Aboriginal children from central Canada vs. those from other regions of Canada did not differ in age, body mass index z-score, family history of T2D, or presence of acanthosis nigricans. Those from central Canada had lower hemoglobin A1c levels (p < 0.05) and were less likely to have dyslipidemia than Aboriginal children from other regions (p < 0.05). Clinical features and rates of comorbidity in children with newly diagnosed T2D differ across various populations (Caucasian, Aboriginal, and children who belong to other high-risk ethnic groups) and across distinct Aboriginal populations (those living in central Canada vs. those living in other regions of Canada). Future research should determine specific genetic and environmental factors that contribute to these differences.


Altered gallbladder concentration of biliary lipids during early cholesterol gallstone formation.
Whether gallbladder absorptive function is altered during formation of cholesterol gallstones is unclear. We tested the hypothesis that alterations in biliary lipid composition present during early cholesterol gallstone formation enhance gallbladder absorption, as manifested by an increase in the ratio of gallbladder to hepatic bile lipid concentrations. Prairie dogs received either control or a 0.4% cholesterol-enriched chow for two or six weeks. The bile acid pool of each animal was labeled with [14C]cholic acid. Gallbladder and hepatic bile were analyzed for lipid composition with calculation of indices for cholesterol saturation, gallbladder stasis, and gallbladder absorption. Animals maintained on cholesterol-enriched chow for two weeks had a significant increase, as compared to controls, in the ratio of gallbladder to hepatic bile concentrations of cholesterol (8.66 +/- 1.09 vs 5.76 +/- 0.48), phospholipids (4.76 +/- 0.42 vs 3.21 +/- 0.34), bile acids (6.42 +/- 2.20 vs 3.54 +/- 0.46), and total lipid content (6.22 +/- 0.94 vs 3.64 +/- 0.43). These changes occurred at a time when gallbladder stasis is present and cholesterol crystals are forming, but prior to stone formation. Similar findings were noted in six-week cholesterol-fed prairie dogs. We propose the uniformly increased ratios of biliary lipids result from enhanced gallbladder absorption of water and sodium. The resulting increase in solute concentration may promote nucleation and, therefore, may be an important etiologic factor in cholesterol gallstone formation.


Computational elucidation of potential antigenic CTL epitopes in Ebola virus.
Cell-mediated immunity is important for the control of Ebola virus infection. We hypothesized that those HLA A0201 and HLA B40 restricted epitopes derived from Ebola virus proteins, would mount a good antigenic response. Here we employed an immunoinformatics approach to identify specific 9mer amino acid which may be capable of inducing a robust cell-mediated immune response in humans. We identified a set of 28 epitopes that had no homologs in humans. Specifically, the epitopes derived from NP, RdRp, GP and VP40 share population coverage of 93.40%, 84.15%, 74.94% and 77.12%, respectively. Based on the other HLA binding specificity and population coverage, seven novel promiscuous epitopes were identified. These 7 promiscuous epitopes from NP, RdRp and GP were found to have world-wide population coverage of more than 95% indicating their potential significance as useful candidates for vaccine design. Epitope conservancy analysis also suggested that most of the peptides are highly conserved (100%) in other virulent Ebola strain (Mayinga-76, Kikwit-95 and Makona-G3816- 2014) and can therefore be further investigated for their immunological relevance and usefulness as vaccine candidates.


Effects of selenite on the responses of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) to polystyrene nano-plastic stress.
Nowadays, nano-plastics are widespread in agricultural soils and could be uptaken by crops to cause an increased risk for food safety. As a beneficial element for plants, selenium (Se) can alleviate oxidative damages under various environmental stresses (eg. heavy metals, heat, cold). This study investigated the single and co-applications of nano-size polystyrene (PS) (80 nm and 200 nm) and selenite (0.8 ppm and 5 ppm) in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). Results showed nano-PS significantly decreased the root-shoot fresh biomass ratios, inhibited physiological functions in roots and leaves (e.g. root length, chlorophyll content and net photosynthetic rate), as well as stimulated the activities of the antioxidant enzymes in roots and shoots with greater toxicity at the smaller particle size (80 nm). However, both exogenous selenite applications significantly alleviated the above toxic effects of nano-PS in lettuces, especially at a high Se level of 5 ppm. Regression Path Analysis (RPA) revealed that regulation of chlorophyll levels by Se might be a key mechanism for counteracting PS stress in lettuces, which led to the increase in indigenous defense capacity. The present findings provide a novel but safer and cleaner agricultural strategy to alleviate or minimize nano-plastics toxicity in agricultural soils for staple crops and vegetables via application of Se.


Barriers to cervical screening among older women from hard-to-reach groups: a qualitative study in England.
Cervical screening attendance among 50-64 year-olds is suboptimal. Understanding attitudes to screening and reasons for non-attendance in older women will help to identify the content of interventions for this age group. This study aimed to explore barriers to cervical screening among women aged 50-64 years from hard-to-reach groups whose perspectives are often absent from research on cervical screening but are critical to developing appropriate interventions to increase engagement with the screening offer. Qualitative methodology was used. Six focus groups were carried out with women aged 50-64 years from lower socio-economic and ethnic minority backgrounds (n = 38). Focus group discussions were recorded, transcribed verbatim and translated where necessary. Data were analysed using the Framework Approach, a type of thematic analysis. All women had heard of cervical screening, but many felt they had poor knowledge. Women's reasons for non-attendance were wide-ranging and included discomfort and embarrassment, negative perceptions of health professionals, worry and trust in the results, concern about the procedure, idiosyncratic beliefs, and extreme negative experiences. Some women reported not receiving letters or prompts to be screened. Information designed specifically for older women should ensure they understand the purpose of screening and its relevance to them. Emphasising changes to the programme that have made the experience less uncomfortable, and improved sample taker awareness of how women feel, may help to allay concerns related to previous negative experiences.


Author Correction: Mutually suppressive roles of KMT2A and KDM5C in behaviour, neuronal structure, and histone H3K4 methylation.
An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.


Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty in a child after failed penetrating keratoplasty.
Use of Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) has been reported in children for the treatment of postoperative endothelial decompensation and Descemet membrane break after forceps delivery. Rapid visual recovery and minimally induced postoperative astigmatism make DSAEK preferable to penetrating keratoplasty for the management of isolated endothelial disorders in this age group. We present a case of DSAEK in a 4-year-old boy for the management of irreversible endothelial rejection after penetrating keratoplasty. Three months after the procedure, the cornea remained clear with the donor button in place.


Variation in dimethyl sulfoxide use in stem cell transplantation: a survey of EBMT centres.
The cryoprotectant dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is known to have toxic side effects, yet guidelines for its use in stem cell transplantation do not exist. To assess current practice in the use of DMSO and the incidence of DMSO-related complications, a single page questionnaire was mailed to 444 EBMT centres involved in autologous transplantation. The responses from 97 centres showed a wide variation in practice between transplant units regarding the concentration of DMSO used, daily DMSO dose restriction and the use of cell washing. The overall incidence of DMSO toxicity was approximately one in 70 transplants and most cases were cardiovascular and respiratory in nature. There was a trend to reduced complication rates in centres using lower concentrations of DMSO or washing cells prior to return. A large-scale prospective study of the strategies for reduction in exposure to DMSO and reduction in toxic effects is required before guidelines in the use of DMSO in stem cell cryopreservation can be promulgated.


Synthesis of a new 1,2,3,4,5-pentasubstituted cyclohexanol and determining its stereochemistry by NMR spectroscopy and quantum-chemical calculations.
The presence of substituents in cyclohexane can influence to the ratio of conformers; for some cases, the boat form is preferable. The new six-membered cyclohexanol derivative 2 has been obtained by the synthesis of (E)-1-(bromophenyl)-3-phenylpropen-2-one (1). The NMR and quantum-chemical conformational analysis for the 2 have carried out, and its possible mechanism of formation was given. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Earthquakes and extreme rainfall induce long term permeability enhancement of volcanic island hydrogeological systems.
Earthquakes affect near-surface permeability, however temporal permeability evolution quantification is challenging due to the scarcity of observations data. Using thirteen years of groundwater level observations, we highlight clear permeability variations induced by earthquakes in an aquifer and overlaying aquitard. Dynamic stresses, above a threshold value PGV > 0.5 cm s-1, were mostly responsible for these variations. We develop a new model using earth tides responses of water levels between earthquakes. We demonstrate a clear permeability increase of the hydrogeological system, with the permeability of the aquifer increasing 20-fold and that of the aquitard 300-fold over 12 years, induced by fracture creation or fracture unclogging. In addition, we demonstrate unprecedented observations of increase in permeability due to the effect of extreme tropical deluges of rainfall and hurricanes. The water pressure increase induced by the exceptional rainfall events thus act as piston strokes strong enough to unclog congested fractures by colloids, particles or precipitates. Lastly, an analysis of regional permeabilities also highlights a permeability increase over geological timeframes (× 40 per million years), corroborating the trend observed over the last decade. This demonstrates that permeability of aquifers of andesitic volcanic islands, such as the Lesser Antilles, significantly evolve with time due to seismic activity and extreme rainfall.


Genome-wide manipulations of Drosophila melanogaster with transposons, Flp recombinase, and ΦC31 integrase.
Transposable elements, the Flp recombinase, and the ΦC31 integrase are used in Drosophila melanogaster for numerous genome-wide manipulations. Often, their use is combined in a synergistic fashion to alter and engineer the fruit fly genome. Transposons are the foundation for all transgenic technologies in flies and hence almost all innovations in the fruit fly. They have been instrumental in the generation of genome-wide collections of insertions for gene disruption and manipulation. Many important transgenic strains of these collections are available from public repositories. The Flp protein is the most widely used recombinase to induce mitotic clones to study individual gene function. However, Flp has also been used to generate chromosome- and genome-wide collections of precise deletions, inversions, and duplications. Similarly, transposons that contain attP attachment sites for the ΦC31 integrase can be used for numerous applications. This integrase was incorporated into a transgenesis system that allows the integration of small to very large DNA fragments that can be easily manipulated through recombineering. This system allowed the creation of genomic DNA libraries for genome-wide gene manipulations and X chromosome duplications. Moreover, the attP sites are being used to create libraries of tens of thousands of RNAi constructs and tissue-specific GAL4 lines. This chapter focuses on genome-wide applications of transposons, Flp recombinase, and ΦC31 integrase that greatly facilitate experimental manipulation of Drosophila.


Effect of CO2 on short-term human lymphocyte culture in vitro.
There was no significant difference in the mitotic indices of the cultures maintained at different CO2 concentrations, i.e. 0 percent, 5 percent and 10 percent. However, considerable variation was recorded among different individuals.


Polychlorinated biphenyls and the developing nervous system: cross-species comparisons.
Polychlorinated biphenyls are stable, lipophilic industrial compounds that are present in residue levels in human tissue, wildlife, and freshwater sediment. They are toxic, and are known to cross the placenta and intoxicate the fetus. Two large outbreaks of PCB poisoning have occurred in Asia; women pregnant at or after the exposures had children who were developmentally impaired. Laboratory experiments in rhesus monkeys and rodents, designed to assess neural or developmental effects, show altered activity levels, impaired learning, and delayed ontogeny of reflexes. Children exposed transplacentally to levels considered to be background in the U.S. have hypotonia and hyporeflexia at birth, delay in psychomotor development at 6 and 12 months, and poorer visual recognition memory at 7 months. Allowing for differences in testing, effects are roughly similar across species, but current methods used to calculate allowable or reference doses give results up to 4 orders of magnitude apart, with the lowest level based on the neurotoxicology level coming from the human data.


Laryngeal schwannoma: case report and literature review.
Neurogenic tumours of the larynx, particularly schwannomas are rare. We report a case report of a schwannoma in a 30-year-old woman which was excised endoscopically. The aim of this paper is to highlight this rare condition and management options to the otolaryngological community.


Identical variant TSG101 transcripts in soft tissue sarcomas and various non-neoplastic tissues.
Inactivation of the TSG101 gene was recently shown to induce malignant transformation of NIH/3T3 fibroblasts. Abnormal TSG101 transcription profiles were observed in various human cancers, and large intragenic deletions of the TSG101 gene were reported for a series of human breast cancer specimens, pointing to a potential tumor-suppressive activity of TSG101. However, subsequent more detailed studies on a large panel of breast carcinoma samples did not confirm the tumor-associated genomic deletions. Here we analyzed the transcription patterns of the TSG101 gene in soft-tissue sarcomas and non-neoplastic human tissues. Forty-five of 71 soft tissue sarcoma samples (63%) displayed variant transcripts; however, identical aberrant transcripts were also detected in seven of 15 non-neoplastic control tissues. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the TSG101 gene excluded major genomic rearrangements in the soft tissue sarcoma samples. Northern blot analysis revealed a very low abundance of variant transcripts as compared with the wild-type TSG101 transcript. These data point to aberrant splicing of the TSG101 mRNA in normal and transformed human mesenchymal tissues rather than tumor specific alterations of the TSG101 gene. In summary, this analyses does not support a pathogenic role for altered TSG101 expression in human soft tissue sarcomas.


A comparison of the efficacy of levobupivacaine 0.125%, ropivacaine 0.125% and ropivacaine 0.2%, all combined with sufentanil 0.5 microg/mL, in patient-controlled epidural analgesia after hysterectomy under combined epidural and general anesthesia.
We compared the relative potencies of ropivacaine and levobupivacaine in combination with sufentanil 0.5 microg/ml in postoperative epidural analgesia after abdominal hysterectomy. In this randomized, prospective, double-blinded study we studied sixty-three patients scheduled for abdominal hysterectomy. They were randomly allocated to receive ropivacaine 0.2% with sufentanil 0.5 microg/ml (group 1), ropivacaine 0.125% with sufentanil 0.5 microg/ml (group 2) or levobupivacaine 0.125% with sufentanil 0.5 microg/ml (group 3) for postoperative pain relief. The primary outcome was the analgesic efficacy of levobupivacaine and ropivacaine in patient-controlled epidural analgesia, as assessed by the number of requests for epidural bolus injections. Secondary outcomes included local anesthetic consumption, numerical rating scale (NRS) scores and neural block characteristics, hemodynamic data and the incidence of side effects, in particular nausea, pruritus, hypotension and sedation. There was no difference between the groups in the number of epidural bolus requests. The hourly consumption of local anesthetic in mg/h in group 2 (8.5 +/- 1.5 mg/h) and group 3 (8.1 +/- 0.6 mg/h) was similar. However, patients in group 1 (13.1 +/- 1.6 mg/h) used significantly more local anesthetic compared to the other groups. In the context of this study there was no clinical difference in potency between epidural ropivacaine and levobupivacaine in a concentration of 0.125% combined with sufentanil 0.5 mg/mL because local anesthetic consumption was primarily driven by sufentanil. Increasing the concentration of ropivacaine to 0.2% did not result in better analgesia or reduction in sufentanil consumption.


Editorial.
It is fair to say that many fledgling healthcare researchers feel intimidated by the prospect of using statistics in their studies. Nurses and others who originally entered their profession because they wanted to care for others may initially feel uncomfortable about handling statistical material and find some of the terms confusing and alien. But, as the first article in this issue of Nurse Researcher notes, the relationship between nursing and statistics has a long history.


Functionality of Mozzarella cheese analogues prepared using varying protein sources as influenced by refrigerated storage.
The functional properties (shredability, meltability, fat leakage, stretchability) of Mozzarella Cheese Analogue (MCA) prepared using acid casein (ACMCA), rennet casein (RCMCA) and their admixture (ARCMCA) were monitored with those of Natural Mozzarella Cheese (NMC) during refrigerated storage. The shredability of analogues was superior over such attribute of NMC. The MCAs had good shredability up to 28 days, while that of NMC started deteriorating from 21 days onwards. The meltability of both NMC and MCAs improved with advancement of storage; the extent of increase in meltability during span of 35 days period was 2.65, 2.85, 2.78 and 2.63 for NMC, ACMCA, RCMCA and ARCMCA respectively. The stretch value of the MCAs exhibited an increase up to 21 days of refrigerated storage followed by decline up to 35 days, whereas NMC exhibited a linear increase in stretch value with advancement of storage till 35 days. There was a steady decline in the fat leakage in case of any of the MCAs with advancement in storage period; the difference in the values of fat leakage up to 35 days was to the tune of 1.50 cm2, 1.39 cm2 and 1.43 cm2 for ACMCA, RCMCA and ARCMCA respectively. Conversely, NMC exhibited linear increase in fat leakage with progressive storage up to 35 days. It is concluded that MCAs had better functional stability as compared to NMC during refrigerated storage. Amongst MCAs, ARCMCA performed better in terms of baking qualities than those prepared using AC or RC alone. MCAs had better storage stability as compared to NMC.


Arieti and Bowlby: convergence and direct influence.
Arieti was a great specialist of schizophrenia and Bowlby was the initiator of attachment theory. Working independently on the two sides of the Atlantic, they converged on a range of topics, such as evolutionary theory, mourning, trauma, violence, and therapy as art and science. Later, Bowlby exerted a direct influence on Arieti, which Arieti acknowledged in his Love Can Be Found. Finally, the two authors cooperated in the second edition of the American Handbook of Psychiatry.


The effect of grazer size manipulation on periphyton communities.
We examined the effect of grazer size on periphyton biomass, size structure, and species compostion by removing the largest invertebrate grazers on artificial macrophytes planted in the littoral of Lake Memphremagog (Que-Vt). A series of exclosures with increasingly fine mesh prevented colonization by large invertebrates but allowed in smaller grazers. Oligochaetes, chironomids, and cladocerans effectively replaced snails so that total grazer biomass in the various treatments was not significantly different from the controls. With one exception, algal biomass, measured as chlorophyll a, did not differ significantly among the various treatments. However algal size and taxonomy were affected because the dominance of large blue-green colonies was apperantly related to the presence of large grazers. The results of the size manipulations were qualitatively similar to those induced in phytoplankton communities by size selective zooplankton grazing and are consistent with models based on general allometric equations.


The in situ synthesis of Ag/amino acid biopolymer hydrogels as mouldable wound dressings.
This manuscript introduces a one-pot fabrication procedure for the preparation of supramolecular hybrid hydrogels from low-cost commercially available natural products through a "green" strategy. In particular, the hybrid hydrogels, which are developed with Fmoc-Glu-OMe, silver nanoparticles and chitosan, exhibit outstanding antibacterial properties and can be regarded as excellent mouldable wound healing biomaterials.


Anaesthesia's legacy: carpe diem.
Intraoperative mortality is now rare. In contrast, 30-day postoperative mortality remains common, with most deaths occurring during the initial hospitalisation. The legacy of anaesthesiology will be determined by our success in dealing with postoperative mortality, which is currently the major problem in perioperative medicine. Carpe diem!


Association of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist +2018 gene polymorphism with Japanese chronic periodontitis patients using a novel genotyping method.
Genetic variants at multiple loci have been shown to be associated with periodontitis risk. In this study, we have focused on nine functional gene polymorphisms encoding immunoregulation-related molecules such as cytokines (interleukin-1 (IL-1), transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1)) and cell surface receptors (immunoglobulin G and A Fc receptors (Fc gamma R and Fc alpha R)). In total, 113 Japanese patients with chronic periodontitis (CP) and 108 race-matched healthy controls were genotyped with the modified serial invasive signal amplification reaction. There was a significant difference in the distribution of IL-1 receptor antagonist (RN) +2018 T/C allele between the patient and control groups, with enrichment of the +2018 C in controls (P = 0.021, odds ratio = 0.38). An increased frequency of the IL-1 haplotype comprising IL-1A +4845 G, IL-1B -31 C, and IL-1RN +2018 C was observed in controls (P = 0.004). Moreover, a multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that subjects with IL-1RN +2018 C allele were less likely to have CP (P = 0.016, odds ratio = 0.29). These findings document the association of IL-1RN +2018 C with reduced susceptibility to CP in the Japanese.


The effects of a shank guide on cycling biomechanics of an adolescent with cerebral palsy: a single-case study.
To examine 3-dimensional lower-extremity joint kinematics and muscle activity during cycling with and without a shank guide for a single subject with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (CP). Single case. Pediatric referral hospital. A 13-year-old adolescent with spastic diplegic CP and limited ambulation abilities. Not applicable. Kinematic data were collected for 6 joint motions and electromyographic data for 7 muscles during 10- to 15-second trials. Average variability in the kinematic curves was calculated, and kinematic and electromyographic data were analyzed descriptively. With the guide, the subject cycled at 40.1+/-2.0 rpm compared with 13.7+/-4.0 rpm without it. In addition, there was less variability in the kinematic curves (P=.03) and muscles tended to turn on sooner and off later. These results indicate that this subject could cycle faster with the guide, which is desirable for cardiovascular health, and that there was a possible increase in motor control due to reduced needs to control excessive joint motions. Based on these findings, a shank guide may allow some people with CP to cycle faster and provide improved joint kinematics.


Segmentation of object outlines into parts: a large-scale integrative study.
In this study, a large number of observers (N=201) were asked to segment a collection of outlines derived from line drawings of everyday objects (N=88). This data set was then used as a benchmark to evaluate current models of object segmentation. All of the previously proposed rules of segmentation were found supported in our results. For example, minima of curvature (i.e. locations along the contour where negative curvature takes an extreme value) were often used as segmentation points. The second point of a pair connected by a segmentation line often depended on more global shape characteristics such as proximity, collinearity, symmetry, and elongation. Based on these results, a framework is presented in which all of the previously proposed (and now empirically validated) segmentation rules or rules for part formation are integrated.


Identification of new single nucleotid polymorphisms (SNP) in alcohol dehydrogenase class IV ADH7 gene within a French population.
Many epidemiological studies have explored the possible link between the susceptibility to alcohol related cancers, such as oesophageal cancers, and genetic variants of alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs). Alcohol dehydrogenase class IV ADH7 is mainly expressed in the upper aero-digestive tract and is involved in the first pass ethanol metabolism. As far as we know, no study has described single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within ADH7 exons in the Caucasian population. Therefore, in a pilot study, we used the denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) method to screen 49 oesophageal cancer cases for SNPs in the ADH7 gene. A total of 5 SNPs was observed in this study: one SNP in the 5' non-translated regions of exon 1, two SNPs in introns 3 and 4 and two others SNPs in exons 3 and 4. The SNP located in the exon 1, which has never been described before, occurred in a reverse TATA box whereas the SNP of exon 3 was a non-silent polymorphism. Because these two SNPs could potentially affect the transcription and/or the enzyme activity, their distribution was evaluated in a representative sample of healthy Caucasians (n = 89) recruited in Lower Normandy. Frequencies of heterozygous samples ranged from 11% (exon 3) to 28% (exon 1). No homozygous samples were found. In this pilot study, the DHPLC method was suitable for both SNP screening and genotyping and allowed the detection of five SNPs in the ADH7 gene, two of which have never been described before, among the European population.


Discovery of an opportunistic starfish pathogen, Orchitophrya stellarum, in captive blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus.
Histophagous scuticociliate infections were discovered in blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus, held in research facilities at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Ciliates were observed infecting every tissue examined including the gills, heart, muscle, hepatopancreas, and epidermis. Hemolymph smears and histological tissue sections indicated a morphological similarity to Mesanophrys chesapeakensis, the only recorded histophagous ciliate infecting blue crabs. However, subsequent analysis of the ribosomal ITS region (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) of the ciliate indicated the parasite was Orchitophrya stellarum, a parasitic ciliate previously reported infecting sea stars from Europe, Australia, and North America. A simple Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR-RFLP) assay was developed to detect and differentiate between O. stellarum and M. chesapeakensis. Its application confirmed the presence of O. stellarum infecting blue crabs held in an additional research facility in Maryland. For growth studies, cultures of O. stellarum grew optimally on 10% blue crab serum in crustacean saline held at 10-20°C. A field survey of blue crabs collected during the winters of 2011-2012 and sea stars (Asterias forbesi) during the winter of 2010 from the Chesapeake Bay and eastern shore of Virginia did not identify additional infected individuals.


Structural changes occurring in internal tissue of the duck (Anas platyrhynchos) following adenohypophysectomy and treatment in vivo and in vitro with corticotropin.
Adrenal glands from ACTH-treated intact ducks and chronically adenohypophysectomized ducks showed clear zonation into a subcapsular zone (SCZ) and an inner zone (IZ). Adenohypophysectomy caused ultrastructural changes in the IZ but not in the SCZ cells. These included increases in lipid droplets, changes in mitochondrial cristae from tubular to shelf-like, and changes in the shape of the nuclei from spherical to crenated. These changes were reversed by treatment with ACTH. Also, cells of the IZ, but not the SCZ, of adrenals from intact birds given ACTH showed more SER, more dense bodies, fewer lipid droplets and more prominent Golgi complexes. IZ cells incubated in buffer containing no ACTH developed mitochondria with shelf-like cristae and numerous opaque granules in the matrix. Exposure to buffer containing ACTH caused the mitochondrial cristae to become tubular and the matrix granules either decreased in number or disappeared. The granules could be extracted by incubating sections with chelating agents. The mitochondria in SCZ cells did not respond structurally to the presence of ACTH in the incubation medium but the matrix granules, like those in IZ cells, responded to the presence of chelating agents.


Cytogenetic study of bone marrow and blood cells in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma before and after antitumor therapy.
Non-clonal and clonal abnormal cells (hypodiploid, polyploid, and with chromosome aberrations) were detected by the G-method in the bone marrow and blood of the majority of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphomas before therapy. The manifestation of these abnormalities changed individually after treatment. The most incident were clones -22, del(1)(q42-43), del(2)(q-33-35), del(3)(q27), 4q-, and del(6q).


Metabolism of vitamin D is not affected by sport activity.
Higher levels of physical activity are related to higher 25-(OH)D levels. Total 25-(OH)D (25-(OH)DT) are routinely used in clinical practice to assess vitamin D, however novel biomarkers are currently being investigated as free 25-(OH)D (25-(OH)DF) or vitamin D metabolite ratios (VMRs). The primary aim of our study was to assess 25-(OH)DF, vitamin D metabolites and VMRs in inactive men and athletes. A secondary aim was to check whether regular physical activity influence on vitamin D metabolome. A tertiary aim was to determine the relationship between 25-(OH)DT, 25-(OH)DF, vitamin D binding protein (VDBP), vitamin D metabolites and VMRs in this cohort. A total of 69 participants (27 inactive men, 18 indoor and 24 outdoor athletes) participated in the study. Vitamin D metabolites (25-(OH)DT, 24,25-(OH)2D3, 3-epi-25-(OH)D3, and 1,25-(OH)2D) were assessed using LC-MS/MS. The 25-(OH)DF concentration was calculated based on serum albumin and VDBP levels. There were no differences in vitamin D metabolites and VMRs between inactive men and between the two groups of athletes. We showed a strong relationship between 25-(OH)DT, 25-(OH)DF and 24,25-(OH)D3, 3-epi-25(OH)D3, 24,25-(OH)2D3:25-(OH)D3 VMR in each group. Analysis showed that 25-(OH)DT, 25-(OH)DF inversely associated with 25-(OH)D3:24,25-(OH)2D3, 25-(OH)D3:3-epi-25-(OH)D3, 1,25-(OH)2D:24,25-(OH)2D3 ratios in inactive men and athletes (indoor and outdoor). On the basis of our results, we concluded that regular long-term physical activity has no effect on the concentration of vitamin D metabolites at rest. Furthermore, free vitamin D does not correlate more strongly with vitamin D metabolites and VMRs compared to total.


Self-healing in non-lepromatous leprosy in the area of the ELEP Leprosy Control Project Dharmapuri (Tamil Nadu).
A study to assess the evolution of the disease in non-lepromatous group, who have taken no treatment in a six year period 1970-1975, was undertaken. Among the 714 patients who did not take treatment, only 432 cases (60.5%) could be examined. The majority of these patients (425) had single lesions. The study revealed that nearly 74% of these "N" patients became self-healed.