Spectrofluorimetric study on the inclusion interaction between vitamin K3 with p-(p-sulfonated benzeneazo)calix[6]arene and determination of VK3.
The characteristics of host-guest complexation between p-(p-sulfonated benzeneazo) calix[6]arene (SBC6A) and vitamin K3 (VK3) were investigated by fluorescence spectrometry. A 1:1 stoichiometry for the complexation was established and was verified by Job's plot. An association constant of 4.95 x 10(3)L mol(-1) at 20 degrees C was calculated by applying a deduced equation. The interaction mechanism of the inclusion complex was discussed. It was found that the fluorescence of SBC6A could be remarkably quenched by an appropriate amount of VK3 especially when non-ionic surfactant Triton X-100 existed. According to the obtained results, a novel sensitive spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of VK3 based on supramolecular complex was developed with a linear range of 5.0 x 10(-7) -3.0 x 10(-5)mol L(-1) and a detection limit of 2.0 x 10(-7)mol L(-1). The proposed method was used to determine VK3 in commercial preparations with satisfactory results.


Detailed magneto heat capacity analysis of SnAs topological superconductor.
In this article, we report magneto heat capacity analysis of superconducting SnAs. Magneto heat capacity analysis of superconductors is an important tool to determine bulk superconductivity as well as the pairing mechanism of Cooper pairs. SnAs crystal is characterized through x-ray diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Magneto transport measurements of studied SnAs superconductor evidenced presence of superconductivity at around 4 K, which persists up to an applied field of 250 Oe. The bulk nature of superconductivity is determined through AC susceptibility (χ) along with the heat capacity measurements. Magneto heat capacity measurements show SnAs to be a fully gapped s wave superconductor. This finding is well supported by calculated physical parameters likeα(3.36),λe-ph(0.70) and ΔCel/γTc(1.41). Calculation of residual Sommerfeld coefficient (γres) at different fields, confirms node-less superconductivity in SnAs.


Universal gut microbial relationships in the gut microbiome of wild baboons.
Ecological relationships between bacteria mediate the services that gut microbiomes provide to their hosts. Knowing the overall direction and strength of these relationships is essential to learn how ecology scales up to affect microbiome assembly, dynamics, and host health. However, whether bacterial relationships are generalizable across hosts or personalized to individual hosts is debated. Here, we apply a robust, multinomial logistic-normal modeling framework to extensive time series data (5534 samples from 56 baboon hosts over 13 years) to infer thousands of correlations in bacterial abundance in individual baboons and test the degree to which bacterial abundance correlations are 'universal'. We also compare these patterns to two human data sets. We find that, most bacterial correlations are weak, negative, and universal across hosts, such that shared correlation patterns dominate over host-specific correlations by almost twofold. Further, taxon pairs that had inconsistent correlation signs (either positive or negative) in different hosts always had weak correlations within hosts. From the host perspective, host pairs with the most similar bacterial correlation patterns also had similar microbiome taxonomic compositions and tended to be genetic relatives. Compared to humans, universality in baboons was similar to that in human infants, and stronger than one data set from human adults. Bacterial families that showed universal correlations in human infants were often universal in baboons. Together, our work contributes new tools for analyzing the universality of bacterial associations across hosts, with implications for microbiome personalization, community assembly, and stability, and for designing microbiome interventions to improve host health.


Patient Identification of Lung Cancer Screening Follow-Up Recommendations and the Association with Adherence.
Rationale: Adherence to follow-up lung cancer screening (LCS) in real-world settings is suboptimal. Patient understanding of screening results and anticipated follow-up may be crucial to adherence. Objectives: To determine patient factors associated with identification of follow-up recommendations as a measure of patient understanding of screening results after LCS, and to determine whether misidentification of follow-up is associated with lower adherence to recommendations. Methods: We performed a prospective study of patients in the University of Washington/Seattle Cancer Care Alliance LCS registry who underwent an initial LCS examination between June 2017 and September 2019. We mailed potential participants a survey after the initial LCS examination, with additional data abstracted from the electronic health record and LCS registry. Participants were asked to identify the timing and next step for their follow-up, with answers corresponding to the lung imaging reporting and data system (Lung-RADS) recommendations. We examined associations between incorrect identification of recommended follow-up and patient-level characteristics, self-perceived benefit/harm of LCS, LCS knowledge, Lung-RADS score, and patient-reported method of LCS results communication (letter, telephone, or in-person). We used multivariable logistic regression to evaluate associations with incorrect identification of recommendations and assessed incorrect identification of recommendations as a potential mechanism for poor adherence in a separate regression model. Results: One hundred eighty-eight participants completed the survey (response rate 44%); 47% misidentified their follow-up recommendation. Those with Lung-RADS scores ⩾3 had higher odds of incorrectly identifying follow-up recommendations than those with scores <3, as did those with lower educational attainment. However, there was no significant association between incorrect identification of follow-up and ultimate adherence to follow-up. Conclusions: Understanding of LCS follow-up appears to be poor, especially among those with lower education levels and positive findings. Among survey responders, incorrect identification of follow-up was not associated with poor adherence, suggesting that other factors, such as provider interventions, may be driving adherence behavior. These results can inform efforts to target improved patient education regarding follow-up for LCS.


The German view: effects of nitrogen dioxide on human health--derivation of health-related short-term and long-term values.
The presented overview concerning health relevant effects caused by nitrogen dioxide (NO2) resumes the current state of results from animal experiments and human studies (epidemiology and short-term chambers studies). NO2 concentrations applied in animal experiments were mostly considerably higher than in ambient air. Therefore, short- and long-term limit values were derived from human data. Experimental studies conducted with humans demonstrate effects after short-term exposure to concentrations at or above 400 microg NO2/m3. Effects on patients with light asthma could not be observed after short-term exposure to concentrations below 200 microg/m3. On basis of epidemiological long-term studies a threshold below which no effect on human health is expected could not be specified. Two short-term limit values have been proposed to protect public health: a 1-h value of 100 microg/m3 and a 24-h mean value of 50 microg/m3. Due to the limitations of epidemiological studies to disentangle effects of single pollutants, a long-term limit value cannot be easily derived. However, applying the precautionary principle, it is desirable to adopt an annual mean of 20 microg NO2/m3 as a long-term mean standard to protect public health.


Genotoxic effects of a sub-acute low-level inhalation exposure to a mixture of carcinogenic chemicals.
A study was conducted using a combined testing protocol (CTP), to determine whether short-term biological end-points, singly or in combination, are sufficiently sensitive to identify damage induced by exposure to ambient levels of industrial chemicals. A small-scale inhalation set-up which is both economical and easy to assemble was designed. Mice were exposed to 4 concentrations of a custom-blend mixture of benzene, chloroprene, epichlorohydrin and xylene in a ratio of 2:2:1:2, respectively. The concentrations for benzene, chloroprene and xylene were 0, 0.1, 1.0 and 10 ppm each. Concentrations for epichlorohydrin were half those for the other components. Groups of 22 males and 22 female mice were exposed to each concentration of the mixture for 3 and 6 weeks. Selected biological end-points including urine mutagenesis, bone marrow cell aberrations and micronuclei, spleen lymphocyte aberrations and liver enzyme induction were monitored. The spleen lymphocyte aberrations and liver enzyme induction were the most sensitive end-points. The lymphocytes showed a significant induction of chromosome aberrations from exposure for 3 weeks to all 3 concentrations of the mixtures. After 6 weeks of exposure, significant induction of aberrations was observed after exposure to low and medium concentrations but not to the high concentration. This lack of response at the high concentration after 6 weeks exposure, appeared to correlate with a significant induction of glutathione S-transferase in the liver. Since this enzyme is known to detoxify 3 of the 4 chemicals in our mixture, it may indicate a detoxification mechanism after enzyme induction. The present study indicates that the CTP is sufficiently sensitive to identify toxicological effects after exposure to ambient levels of a gas mixture.


Is beta-amyloid fibrillogenesis a strict process of deposition inherently interactive in molecular terms?
Amyloid fibrillogenesis as a process of interactive molecular processes of deposition in Alzheimer's disease might function as a phenomenon that transforms intracellular amyloid segregation to a state of equilibration with extracellular deposition. beta-Amyloidosis might dynamically implicate loss of viability of vascular tunica media myofibers as a strict reflection of loss of viability of neurons in such an overall system of equilibration between intracellular and extracellular amyloid fibrillogenesis. In terms beyond simple concepts of strict biophysical equilibration, deposition of beta-amyloid in Alzheimer's disease might constitute a phenomenon of congophilic angiopathy as a strict pathobiologic index of activity of the Alzheimer process; such a correlate would perhaps involve a quantitative index that would qualitatively characterize the Alzheimer process as an interactive series of reactions between the intracellular and extracellular microenvironment.


[Electron-radioautographic study of the effect of potassium orotate on RNA and protein synthesis in fibroblasts during experimental wound healing].
Electron microscopic radioautography with the use of the double-labeling technique was applied to study potassium orotate influence on RNA and protein synthesis in fibroblasts of intact mouse skin and in granulation tissue on days 3 and 7 of the healing of a musculocutaneous wound. Experimental animals received potassium orotate per os in a daily dose of 0.2 g/kg immediately after operation. Intact animals received the drug for 3 days. According to the assay data potassium orotate did not potentiate the protein-synthesizing activity of an individual cell but apparently activated the proliferation of wound fibroblasts.


BC Ear Bank a victim of its own success as demand begins to outstrip supply.
Canada's only ear bank harvests auditory ossicles and tissue for ear repairs, grafts and transplants. The bank, which is now located at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, is a victim of its own success, says otolarygologist Chee Thong, with demand far exceeding supply.


Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase deficiency alters levels of glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid in brain tissue.
Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is an enzyme key regulator in folate metabolism. Deficiencies in MTHFR result in increased levels of homocysteine, which leads to reduced levels of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM). In the brain, SAM donates methyl groups to catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), which is involved in neurotransmitter analysis. Using the MTHFR-deficient mouse model the purpose of this study was to investigate levels of monoamine neurotransmitters and amino acid levels in brain tissue. MTHFR deficiency affected levels of both glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid in within the cerebellum and hippocampus. Mthfr (-/-) mice had reduced levels of glutamate in the amygdala and γ-aminobutyric acid in the thalamus. The excitatory mechanisms of homocysteine through activation of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor in brain tissue might alter levels of glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid.


Diagnostic accuracy of quantitative dual-energy CT-based volumetric bone mineral density assessment for the prediction of osteoporosis-associated fractures.
To evaluate the predictive value of volumetric bone mineral density (BMD) assessment of the lumbar spine derived from phantomless dual-energy CT (DECT)-based volumetric material decomposition as an indicator for the 2-year occurrence risk of osteoporosis-associated fractures. L1 of 92 patients (46 men, 46 women; mean age, 64 years, range, 19-103 years) who had undergone third-generation dual-source DECT between 01/2016 and 12/2018 was retrospectively analyzed. For phantomless BMD assessment, dedicated DECT postprocessing software using material decomposition was applied. Digital files of all patients were sighted for 2 years following DECT to obtain the incidence of osteoporotic fractures. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to calculate cut-off values and logistic regression models were used to determine associations of BMD, sex, and age with the occurrence of osteoporotic fractures. A DECT-derived BMD cut-off of 93.70 mg/cm3 yielded 85.45% sensitivity and 89.19% specificity for the prediction to sustain one or more osteoporosis-associated fractures within 2 years after BMD measurement. DECT-derived BMD was significantly associated with the occurrence of new fractures (odds ratio of 0.8710, 95% CI, 0.091-0.9375, p < .001), indicating a protective effect of increased DECT-derived BMD values. Overall AUC was 0.9373 (CI, 0.867-0.977, p < .001) for the differentiation of patients who sustained osteoporosis-associated fractures within 2 years of BMD assessment. Retrospective DECT-based volumetric BMD assessment can accurately predict the 2-year risk to sustain an osteoporosis-associated fracture in at-risk patients without requiring a calibration phantom. Lower DECT-based BMD values are strongly associated with an increased risk to sustain fragility fractures. •Dual-energy CT-derived assessment of bone mineral density can identify patients at risk to sustain osteoporosis-associated fractures with a sensitivity of 85.45% and a specificity of 89.19%. •The DECT-derived BMD threshold for identification of at-risk patients lies above the American College of Radiology (ACR) QCT guidelines for the identification of osteoporosis (93.70 mg/cm3 vs 80 mg/cm3).


Midwifery students׳ experiences of an innovative clinical placement model embedded within midwifery continuity of care in Australia.
midwifery continuity of care experiences can provide high quality clinical learning for students but can be challenging to implement. The Rural and Private Midwifery Education Project (RPMEP) is a strategic government funded initiative to (1) grow the midwifery workforce within private midwifery practice and rural midwifery, by (2) better preparing new graduates to work in private midwifery and rural continuity of care models. this study evaluated midwifery students׳ experience of an innovative continuity of care clinical placement model in partnership with private midwifery practice and rural midwifery group practices. a descriptive cohort design was used. All students in the RPMEP were invited to complete an online survey about their experiences of clinical placement within midwifery continuity models of care. Responses were analysed using descriptive statistics. Correlations between total scale scores were examined. Open-ended responses were analysed using content analysis. Internal reliability of the scales was assessed using Cronbach׳s alpha. sixteen out of 17 completed surveys were received (94% response rate). Scales included in the survey demonstrated good internal reliability. The majority of students felt inspired by caseload approaches to care, expressed overall satisfaction with the mentoring received and reported a positive learning environment at their placement site. Some students reported stress related to course expectations and demands in the clinical environment (e.g. skill acquisition and hours required for continuity of care). There were significant correlations between scales on perceptions of caseload care and learning culture (r=.87 p<.001) and assessment (r=.87 p<.001). Scores on the clinical learning environment scale were significantly correlated with perceptions of the caseload model (rho=.86 p<.001), learning culture (rho=.94 p<.001) and assessment (rho=.65 p<.01) scales. embedding students within midwifery continuity of care models was perceived to be highly beneficial to learning, developed partnerships with women, and provided appropriate clinical skills development required for registration, while promoting students׳ confidence and competence. The flexible academic programme enabled students to access learning at any time and prioritise continuity of care experiences. Strategies are needed to better support students achieve a satisfactory work-life balance.


Acute interstitial pulmonary fibrosis. Comparative light and electron microscopic study of 19 cases. Pathogenic and therapeutic implications.
Comparative light and electron microscopic studies of the lung were performed in 19 cases of diffuse acute interstitial fibrosis with various etiologies. Our observations emphasize the relation between hyaline membranes (HM) and the evolution of fibrosis. HM formation is due to fibrinous exudates and epithelial necrosis. This phenomenon recurs during the evolution of the disease and appears to be responsible for new waves of fibrosis. Its pathogenesis (humoral or neurovascular ...) remains hypothetical. Modifications of the alveolar epithelium consecutive to septal fibrosis can be clearly distinguished from "fibrinoid necrosis" -type lesions, which results in HM. The formation of HM is accompanied by fibroblastic stimulation which proceeds in spite of epithelial regeneration. The exact stimulus for the proliferation and collagen hypersecretion of fibroblasts remains to be determined. The use, in association with corticosteroid treatment, of a structural analogue of L lysine, acexamic acid, to impede collagenesis reveals encouraging perspectives for improved therapy.


What Factors Influence Delayed Referral to Spinal Surgeon in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis?
Retrospective review with qualitative phone interview. This study aims to identify the factors leading to delayed diagnosis or referral to a spinal surgeon in patients who subsequently require surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). AIS can be effectively treated with bracing to prevent curve progression in skeletally immature patients. Australia currently has in place a national self-detection screening program to diagnose AIS. A retrospective review was performed for patients who underwent surgery for scoliosis at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children and Royal Perth Hospital between June 1, 2010 and May 27, 2014. Data were retrieved from the digital medical record and a semistructured phone interview was used to determine path to diagnosis and referral. Mean Cobb angle at first specialist review was 49.5° ± 14.0° for patients who subsequently required surgery for AIS. These patients experienced an average interval of 20.7 months from detection of symptoms to review in a specialist clinic. In a condition in which early detection and intervention may halt progression of disease, AIS is detected relatively late and there are specific delays to diagnosis and referral to specialist clinics. 4.


Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Patients with Molecular Testing Exhibit Superior Survival Compared to Patients without Testing: Results from the Life Raft Group (LRG) Registry.
Mutational testing for Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST) patients remains underutilized. In this retrospective analysis, the target population (n = 1556) reported: 904 had molecular testing ("Tested") vs. 652 without testing ("Untested"). Overall survival (OS) was 14.7 vs. 12.7 years (p < 0.00001), in metastatic patients 1st line OS was 8.9 vs. 5.9 years in the Tested vs. Untested group (n = 416 vs. n = 254), respectively. From 1st - 3rd-line, no difference has been (self-)reported for progression-free survival (PFS). Dropout to/for further lines of treatment was 15% for patients with a Tested mutation vs. 47% in Untested patients.


Risk of first and recurrent stroke in childhood cancer survivors treated with cranial and cervical radiation therapy.
To assess, in a retrospective cohort study, rates and predictors of first and recurrent stroke in patients treated with cranial irradiation (CRT) and/or cervical irradiation at ≤18 years of age. We performed chart abstraction (n=383) and phone interviews (n=104) to measure first and recurrent stroke in 383 patients who received CRT and/or cervical radiation at a single institution between 1980 and 2009. Stroke was defined as a physician diagnosis and symptoms consistent with stroke. Incidence of first stroke was number of first strokes per person-years of observation after radiation. We used survival analysis techniques to determine cumulative incidence of first and recurrent stroke. Among 325 subjects with sufficient follow-up data, we identified 19 first strokes (13 ischemic, 4 hemorrhagic, 2 unknown subtype) occurring at a median age of 24 years (interquartile range 17-33 years) in patients treated with CRT. Imaging was reviewed when available (n=13), and the stroke was confirmed in 12. Overall rate of first stroke was 625 (95% confidence interval [CI] 378-977) per 100,000 person-years. The cumulative incidence of first stroke was 2% (95% CI 0.01%-5.3%) at 5 years and 4% (95% CI 2.0%-8.4%) at 10 years after irradiation. With each 100-cGy increase in the radiation dose, the stroke hazard increased by 5% (hazard ratio 1.05; 95% CI 1.01-1.09; P=.02). We identified 6 recurrent strokes; 5 had available imaging that confirmed the stroke. Median time to recurrence was 15 months (interquartile range 6 months-3.2 years) after first stroke. The cumulative incidence of recurrent stroke was 38% (95% CI 17%-69%) at 5 years and 59% (95% CI 27%-92%) at 10 years after first stroke. Cranial irradiation puts childhood cancer survivors at high risk of both first and recurrent stroke. Stroke prevention strategies for these survivors are needed.


Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet and Geographic Atrophy Enlargement Rate: Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 Report 29.
To determine whether closer adherence to a Mediterranean diet was associated with altered speed of geographic atrophy (GA) enlargement. Post hoc analysis of a cohort within the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2. The study included 1155 eyes (850 participants; mean age, 74.9 years) with GA at 2 or more visits. Geographic atrophy area was measured from color fundus photographs at annual visits. An alternative Mediterranean Diet index (aMedi) was calculated for each participant by food frequency questionnaire. Mixed-model regression of square root GA area was performed by aMedi. Change in square root of GA area over time. Over a mean follow-up of 3.1 years, the mean GA enlargement rate was 0.282 mm/year (95% confidence interval, 0.270-0.293). Enlargement was significantly slower in those with higher aMedi at 0.256 mm/year (0.236-0.276), 0.290 (0.268-0.311), and 0.298 (0.280-0.317; P = 0.008) for aMedi tertiles 3, 2, and 1, respectively. Of the 9 aMedi components considered separately, significant differences in enlargement rate were observed for 4 (whole fruit [P = 0.0004], red meat [P = 0.0002], alcohol [P = 0.006], and monounsaturated fatty acid to saturated fatty acid ratio ([MUFA:SFA] [P = 0.040]) but not for fish (P = 0.14). Enlargement was slower in those with higher whole fruit, lower red meat, moderate alcohol, and higher MUFA:SFA intake. In the 768 eyes with noncentral GA, aMedi was not associated with slower progression to central involvement: hazard ratios were 1.11 (0.83-1.48) and 0.95 (0.71-1.26) for tertiles 2 and 3, respectively. A Mediterranean-type diet was associated with slower GA enlargement. Diet patterns like this may therefore lead to clinically meaningful delays in vision loss. Several components seemed to contribute most to this association in a pattern that differed from those most associated with decreased progression to GA. Hence, the Mediterranean diet is associated with protection against both faster progression to GA and faster enlargement of GA but for partially distinct reasons. These findings may help inform evidence-based dietary recommendations. Understanding the mechanisms responsible may provide insights into the underlying biology and lead to the development of nutritional supplements.


Short-term mechanical circulatory support for recovery from acute right ventricular failure: clinical outcomes.
Acute right ventricular failure (ARVF) refractory to optimal medical management may require rescue therapy with mechanical circulatory support (MCS). The RV exhibits a greater capacity for rapid recovery than the left ventricle, making devices designed specifically for temporary RV MCS attractive. We report our experience with the Impella Right Direct (RD) and Right Peripheral (RP) temporary ventricular assist devices (Abiomed, Danvers, MA) in patients with ARVF. We conducted a retrospective cohort study examining the clinical outcomes of consecutive patients supported with the Impella RD or RP at 2 institutions during a 6-year period. During the study period, 18 patients (67% men; mean age 57 ± 10 years) received MCS, 15 with the Impella RD and 3 with the Impella RP. Before RV MCS, all patients required intravenous inotropes, 7 (39%) required inhaled nitric oxide, 7 (39%) required intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation, and 2 (11%) had experienced a cardiac arrest. Device implantation resulted in an improvement in cardiac index (2.1 ± 0.1 liters/min/m(2) pre-implant vs 2.6 ± 0.2 liters/min/m(2) post-implant, p = 0.04) and reduced central venous pressure (22 ± 5 vs 15 ± 4 mm Hg, p < 0.01). Fourteen (78%) patients recovered sufficient RV function to facilitate device explanation after 7 days (range, 2-19 days) of support, and 4 (22%) patients died on support after 6 days (range 1-11 days). Survival to 30 days was 72% and to 1 year was 50%. At 1-year follow-up, the mean New York Heart Association functional classification was 1.3 ± 0.5, and only 1 patient demonstrated severe RV dysfunction on echocardiography. Most patients with ARVF rapidly recover sufficient RV function to facilitate device explantation, highlighting an expanding role for minimally invasive temporary RV assist devices optimized for the treatment of recoverable ARVF.


In vitro study of drug accumulation in cancer cells via specific association with CdS nanoparticles.
We report a novel approach to enhance the efficient accumulation and utilization of anticancer drug daunorubicin on cancer cells through the combination with CdS nanoparticles. Our observations using confocal fluorescence scanning microscopy as well as electrochemical analysis methods demonstrate that CdS nanoparticles can readily bind with daunorubicin on the external membrane of the targeted cells and facilitate the uptake of drug molecules in the human leukemia K562 cells. Besides, our results also indicate that the competitive binding of CdS nanoparticles with accompanying anticancer drug to the membrane of leukemia K562 cells could efficiently prevent the drug release by the drug-sensitive and drug-resistant leukemia cells and thus inhibit the possible multidrug resistance of cancer cells, which could be further utilized to improve the future drug efficiency in respective tumor chemotherapies.


Prediction of carbon-dioxide activity coefficient for solubility in ionic liquids using multi-non-linear regression analysis.
Activity coefficient values offer insight into the intermolecular interactions between the solute and the solvent and the deviation from the ideal behavior. CO2 capture from different industrial processes is a globally pertinent issue and the search for suitable chemicals is required. To address the issue, knowledge of activity coefficient values is crucial for CO2 separation-based process. In this regard, a correlation is developed that predicts the coefficient of CO2 activity in ionic liquids by multi-nonlinear regression analysis. The correlation is developed between the pressure range of 1-50 bar and the temperature range of 298.15-33.15 K for mole fractions of 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7. Outliers' analysis is performed using the boxplot method to determine the suitability of ranges of the selected input parameters. The preceding literature does not predict the activity coefficient in relatively lower to higher temperature and pressure ranges for CO2 solubility in ionic liquids. Initially, the activity coefficient values from COSMO-RS were obtained and compared with the correlation results. The COSMO-RS and the correlation predicted results were subsequently validated with the experimental data. The average absolute error (AAE%) of the predicted correlation values is 19.53% while the root mean square error (RMSE) value is 0.465. The correlation can be used in the future to predict the CO2 activity coefficient values in ionic liquids to facilitate qualitative analyses of their CO2 capture efficiency.


Evidence that active protection following oral immunization of mice with live rotavirus is not dependent on neutralizing antibody.
Studies were performed to determine whether active immunity against murine rotavirus (EDIM) infection of mice correlated with titers of neutralizing antibody to the challenge virus. Neonatal mice administered either murine or heterologous rotaviruses all developed diarrhea and high titers of serum rotavirus IgG. However, only mice given EDIM, the murine EB, or simian SA11-FEM strains were protected against EDIM infection when challenged 60 days later. Other serotype 3 strains (RRV, SA11-SEM), as well as strains belonging to serotypes 5 and 6 (OSU, NCDV, WC3), were not protective. Serum neutralizing antibody titers to EDIM were almost undetectable after rotavirus infection with any strain and could not, therefore, be correlated with protection. Likewise, intestinal neutralizing antibody titers were extremely low 21 days after EDIM infection, and by 60 days after inoculation, EDIM-infected mice had no greater intestinal neutralizing antibody titers than uninoculated controls. Mice inoculated with SA11-FEM as neonates had much higher serum rotavirus IgG responses than mice inoculated as adults, and only those infected with this virus as neonates were protected. Thus, although immunity to EDIM did not correlate with the presence of neutralizing antibody to EDIM, it did correlate with the overall magnitude of the immune response after inoculation with SA11-FEM.


Radioimmunoassay of salivary digoxin by simple adaptation of a kit method for serum digoxin: saliva/serum ratio and correlation.
A robust commercial radioimmunoassay kit for serum digoxin was adapted to salivary assay by simple procedural modifications and shown to have satisfactory sensitivity, precision, accuracy, and specificity. The digoxin saliva/serum concentration ratio in 50 hospital patients was 0.67 +/- 0.10 (mean +/- SD), and the levels were well correlated (r = 0.96). Similar saliva/serum ratios were found in two normal subjects who took digoxin orally, and the free fraction in serum, determined by equilibrium dialysis, was found to equate with the salivary drug level. Digoxin appeared in saliva at its maximum level within 1 min of intravenous injection. Although previous studies of salivary digoxin have given widely discrepant results, the present findings are entirely consistent with the simple expectation that digoxin should appear in saliva by passive diffusion. Salivary sampling is suitable for the monitoring of digoxin therapy and pharmacokinetics, and the modified radioimmunoassay should be of value to laboratories wishing to introduce this technique.


CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic biopsy in the diagnosis of mediastinal masses: evaluation of 73 procedures.
This study was performed to evaluate the factors affecting the diagnostic accuracy and rate of complications of CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy of mediastinal masses. We reviewed 73 consecutive mediastinal biopsies in 70 patients. Final diagnoses were based on a retrospective analysis of surgical outcomes, results of repeat biopsies or findings of imaging and clinical follow-up lasting at least 4 months. Benign and malignant biopsy findings were compared with the final outcomes to determine the diagnostic accuracy of the method. Finally, we analysed the complications. CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy provided adequate samples in 61/73 cases, with a total sample rate of 83.6%. Of these 61 biopsies, 51 yielded a correct diagnosis with specific histological typing, mainly in the case of thymoma and metastasis. Lymphomas were less reliably diagnosed. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy values were 83.6%, 100%, 100%, 35.3% and 83.6%, respectively. Pneumothorax was the most common complication (5.5%). CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy is an easy, reliable and safe procedure that obviates the need for exploratory surgery in medically treatable or unresectable cases. It should be the first invasive procedure in the diagnostic workup of mediastinal masses.


Effects of altered rho gene product on the expression of the Escherichia coli histidine operon.
An altered rho gene product affects expression of the his operon of Escherichia coli. The effect is greater for the operator proximal portion of the his operon than for the operator distal portion. This "rho effect" appears to be independent of the site of action of hisT-altered histidyl-tRNA.


Sulfur mustard downregulates iNOS expression to inhibit wound healing in a human keratinocyte model.
Increased nitric oxide (NO) synthesized by inducible NO synthase (iNOS) is involved in inflammatory and pathological conditions. iNOS also regulates several biomarkers that accelerate normal wound healing. Effects of exposure to sulfur mustard (SM) on the skin include formation of blisters and slow-healing injuries. Promoting re-epithelialization is a challenging issue in the treatment of the delayed healing of SM-induced skin injuries. To clarify the role(s) of iNOS in wound healing and the effect of SM on iNOS expression in an in vitro wound assay to eventually develop therapies for SM skin injuries. A wound was created by scratching normal human epidermal keratinocytes grown in vitro. iNOS expression was monitored by Western blotting, fluorescence microscopy, and real-time RT-PCR. Wound healing was analyzed using digitalized image analysis software. The level of iNOS peaked 24-48h after wounding. SM exposure strongly reduced iNOS protein and mRNA levels. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that induction of iNOS expression by wounding and inhibition of iNOS expression by SM occurred not only in the cells at the wound edge but also in cells in the surrounding area, suggesting that wounding may induce and SM may inhibit release of cytokines that stimulate iNOS expression. iNOS-specific small interfering RNAs caused a marked decrease of iNOS expression irrespective of wounding. Gene silencing also completely inhibited wound healing. These results suggest that preventing SM-induced inhibition of iNOS may be a prospective strategy to promote wound healing in SM-exposed skin.


The effect of pH, temperature, and molecular size on the removal of dyes from textile effluent using manganese oxides-modified diatomite.
This work is an investigation on the use of manganese oxides-modified diatomite (MOMD) for the removal of color from textile wastewaters. The modification of the diatomite was carried out by treatment with manganese oxides; delta-bimessite type resulted. The surface area, pH(ZPC), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy of MOMD were studied. The influence of concentration, pH, particle size, and temperature on the adsorption capacities of methylene blue (MB) and hydrolyzed reactive black (RB) and reactive yellow (RY) was investigated. Key thermodynamic parameters such as deltaH degrees, deltaS degrees, and deltaG degrees were also determined. The deltaH degrees of MB and hydrolyzed RB and RY was +94.64, -143.1, and -38.78 kJ/mol, respectively, whereas the deltaG degrees values of -17.68, -27.93, and -23.26 kJ/mol were obtained, indicating a spontaneous process with low activation-energy requirements. The findings further indicated that coulomb interaction, molecular size, and orientation of the dye and its surface charge played an important role in the adsorption and attachment of the dyes to the bimessite layers of MOMD.


Pelvic floor muscle tenderness on digital palpation among women: convergent validity with central sensitization.
Tenderness on palpation of the pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) is a clinical assessment tool used alongside other tests to identify PFM involvement in pelvic complaints including pelvic pain. Although reliability of PFM tenderness has been determined, validity has yet to be established. To assess convergent validity of PFM tenderness on digital palpation with the presence of central pain mechanism, as determined by a score of greater than 40 on the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI). A secondary objective was to assess the agreement between PFM tenderness and self-reported symptoms of PFM sensitivity. Participants completed a battery of self-report questions, the CSI, and various physical assessments (blinded assessors). Convergent validity was assessed between tenderness on palpation and the CSI. Kappa statistics were used to determine agreement between tenderness on palpation and self-reported perineal pain, urinary urgency, dyspareunia, and dysmenorrhea. Ninety-nine female participants with hip or back pain and at least one self-reported symptom of pelvic floor dysfunction were included in the study (mean age 40.56±12.72 years). Convergent validity was found between PFM tenderness on palpation and scores greater than 40 on the CSI (X12=4.2,p=0.04). There was poor agreement between tenderness on palpation with dyspareunia (agreement 62.83%, Kappa=0.27), dysmenorrhea (agreement 55.75%, Kappa=0.14), or perineal pain (agreement 53.04%, Kappa=0.10). PFM tenderness on digital palpation confirmed convergent validity with CSI scores, suggesting central pain mechanisms. Clinicians may need to consider the role of central pain mechanisms in their clinical decision making when treating PFM dysfunction.


Effects of phosphogypsum and medical stone on nitrogen transformation, nitrogen functional genes, and bacterial community during aerobic composting.
This study explored the effects of adding phosphogypsum (PPG), medical stone (MS), and both (PPM) during composting on nitrogen transformation, nitrogen functional genes, the bacterial community, and their relationships with NH3 and N2O emissions. Adding MS and PPM reduced NH3 emissions by 25.78-68.37% and N2O emissions by 19.00-42.86%. PPG reduced NH3 emissions by 59.74% but slightly increased N2O emissions by 8.15%. MS was strongly correlated with the amoA-dominated nitrification process. PPG and PPM had strong correlations with nirS- and nirK-dominated, and nosZ-dominated denitrification processes, respectively. PPM promoted nitrification and denitrification processes more than PPG and MS. Different functional bacteria had key roles in nitrification and denitrification during different composting stages. Firmicutes probably contributed to the conversion and release of nitrogen in the thermophilic period, whereas Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Bacteroidetes, and other phyla might have played important roles in the cooling and maturation periods. PPM obtained the greatest reductions in NH3 and N2O release via the regulation of environmental variables, nitrogen functional genes, and the bacterial community. Overall, these results provide insights at a molecular level into the effects of PPG and MS on nitrogen transformation and NH3 and N2O emissions during composting.


Novel lap test determines the mechanics of delamination between annular lamellae of the intervertebral disc.
Delamination between lamellae of the annulus fibrosus is a crucial stage of intervertebral disc herniation, and to better understand the mechanics of the delamination process, a novel lap test was devised. Specimens consisting of two adjacent, naturally bonded lamellae were obtained from the cervical region of frozen porcine spines. They were cut into specimens nominally 3.5mm wide by 7 mm long and tabs of the deep and superficial layers were removed from opposite ends of the specimens so that a 4.5-5.0mm long intact interface remained between the lamellae. Specimens were mounted in a BioTester tensile instrument using BioRake attachments having 5 sharpened points side-by-side, and they were strained at 2%/s. Force-time curves were obtained and, using tracking software, a detailed map was made of the time course of the displacements within the specimens. Extensibility of the lamellae themselves was found to substantially complicate interpretation of the data. The experiments, together with mathematical analyses and finite element models, show that much of the shear load is transferred between lamellae at the ends of the bonded region, a finding of clinical importance. The inter-lamellae bond was found to have a peak strength of 0.30 ± 0.05 N/mm of specimen width (not to be confused with lap length), and the remarkable ability to carry substantial load even when lamellae had displaced up to 10mm relative to each other.


Inherited enzyme variation among JAX strains of domestic rabbits.
Twelve proteins were assayed for electrophoretic polymorphism in inbred and partially inbred JAX strains of the domestic rabbit. Four enzymes (mannosephosphate isomerase, soluble and mitochondrial malic enzyme, and methemoglobin reductase) were determined to be genetically polymorphic.


Ablation surgery failure after combined permanent atrial fibrillation ablation and mitral valve surgery.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the early and late results of a permanent atrial fibrillation (pAF) ablation concept carried out concomitantly with mitral valve (MV) surgery and to identify risk factors for ablation surgery failure. Between February 2001 and April 2006, 109 patients with pAF over a median time of 48 months (Perc25/75; range 6 - 396 months) underwent monopolar endocardial radiofrequency ablation procedures concomitantly with MV surgery. All patients were restudied to assess survival, conversion rate to stable sinus rhythm (SR) and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class early (3 +/- 1 months) and late after surgery (36 +/- 19 months). For data assessment an explorative data analysis including univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression was performed. Early and late survival was 95 % and 91 %, respectively; at follow-up stable SR was documented in 76 % (74 %) of patients. NYHA class improved significantly after surgery ( P = 0.009), particularly when stable SR was achieved ( P = 0.042). Among these MV patients left atrial (LA) enlargement and pAF of long-time duration prior to surgery were detected as risk factors for postoperative recurrence and persistence of atrial fibrillation ( P = 0.026 and P = 0.002); furthermore, advanced age and significant tricuspidal regurgitation at the time of surgery were also relevant. The best prediction (95 % of patients) for SR, as demonstrated in a multivariate model, was based on the factors LA size and pAF duration ( P = 0.052 and 0.005). Particularly the preoperative LA size and pAF duration seem to be useful parameters to evaluate the success rate of ablation performed concomitantly with MV surgery. It could be demonstrated that an established SR remains stable over time.


CAR-NKT cell therapy: a new promising paradigm of cancer immunotherapy.
Today, cancer treatment is one of the fundamental problems facing clinicians and researchers worldwide. Efforts to find an excellent way to treat this illness continue, and new therapeutic strategies are developed quickly. Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) is a practical approach that has been emerged to improve clinical outcomes in cancer patients. In the ACT, one of the best ways to arm the immune cells against tumors is by employing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) via genetic engineering. CAR equips cells to target specific antigens on tumor cells and selectively eradicate them. Researchers have achieved promising preclinical and clinical outcomes with different cells by using CARs. One of the potent immune cells that seems to be a good candidate for CAR-immune cell therapy is the Natural Killer-T (NKT) cell. NKT cells have multiple features that make them potent cells against tumors and would be a powerful replacement for T cells and natural killer (NK) cells. NKT cells are cytotoxic immune cells with various capabilities and no notable side effects on normal cells. The current study aimed to comprehensively provide the latest advances in CAR-NKT cell therapy for cancers.


Respiration-Deficient Astrocytes Survive As Glycolytic Cells In Vivo.
Neurons and glial cells exchange energy-rich metabolites and it has been suggested, originally based on in vitro data, that astrocytes provide lactate to glutamatergic synapses ("lactate shuttle"). Here, we have studied astrocytes that lack mitochondrial respiration in vitro and in vivo A novel mouse mutant (GLASTCreERT2::Cox10flox/flox) was generated, in which the administration of tamoxifen causes mutant astrocytes to fail in the assembly of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (COX). Focusing on cerebellar Bergmann glia (BG) cells, which exhibit the highest rate of Cre-mediated recombination, we found a normal density of viable astrocytes even 1 year after tamoxifen-induced Cox10 gene targeting. Our data show that BG cells, and presumably all astrocytes, can survive by aerobic glycolysis for an extended period of time in the absence of glial pathology or unspecific signs of neurodegeneration.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT When astrocytes are placed into culture, they import glucose and release lactate, an energy-rich metabolite readily metabolized by neurons. This observation led to the "glia-to-neuron lactate shuttle hypothesis," but in vivo evidence for this hypothesis is weak. To study astroglial energy metabolism and the directionality of lactate flux, we generated conditional Cox10 mouse mutants lacking mitochondrial respiration in astrocytes, which forces these cells to survive by aerobic glycolysis. Here, we report that these mice are fully viable in the absence of any signs of glial or neuronal loss, suggesting that astrocytes are naturally glycolytic cells.


The effects of Oradexone and Ambroxol pretreatment of the oxidative sensitivity of the red blood cells in preterm infants.
The antioxidant enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation in the red blood cells of cord blood were investigated and compared at different gestation times in preterm and full-term neonates, with and without pretreatment of the pregnant mothers with Oradexone (Dexamethasone) or Ambroxol. Administration of the two drugs not only stimulated the lung surfactant system, but also exerted favourable effects on the antioxidant enzyme activities while the lipid peroxidation was decreased.


UPR activation specifically modulates glutamate neurotransmission in the cerebellum of a mouse model of autism.
An increasing number of rare mutations linked to autism spectrum disorders have been reported in genes encoding for proteins involved in synapse formation and maintenance, such as the post-synaptic cell adhesion proteins neuroligins. Most of the autism-linked mutations in the neuroligin genes map on the extracellular protein domain. The autism-linked substitution R451C in Neuroligin3 (NLGN3) induces a local misfolding of the extracellular domain, causing defective trafficking and retention of the mutant protein in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR), due to misfolded proteins accumulating in the ER, has been implicated in pathological and physiological conditions of the nervous system. It was previously shown that the over-expression of R451C NLGN3 in a cellular system leads to the activation of the UPR. Here, we have investigated whether this protective cellular response is detectable in the knock-in mouse model of autism endogenously expressing R451C NLGN3. Our data showed up-regulation of UPR markers uniquely in the cerebellum of the R451C mice compared to WT littermates, at both embryonic and adult stages, but not in other brain regions. Miniature excitatory currents in the Purkinje cells of the R451C mice showed higher frequency than in the WT, which was rescued inhibiting the PERK branch of UPR. Taken together, our data indicate that the R451C mutation in neuroligin3 elicits UPR in vivo, which appears to trigger alterations of synaptic function in the cerebellum of a mouse model expressing the R451C autism-linked mutation.


Zonisamide at clinically relevant concentrations inhibits field EPSP but not presynaptic fiber volley in rat frontal cortex.
We investigated the effect of Zonisamide (ZNS), a newer anti-epileptic drug, on field potentials and neuropropagation in rat frontal cortex, with the aid of the 64-channel multi-electrode dish (MED64) system. The amplitude and propagation of field potentials were expressed dimensionally in the MED64 system. ZNS (3-100 microM) inhibited the amplitude and propagation of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSP) in a concentration dependent manner. In contrast, ZNS could not suppress the amplitude and propagation of the presynaptic fiber volley (PrV) at clinically relevant concentrations (10-30 microM). Stimulating dependency with reduction fEPSP was seen in the presence of ZNS at clinically relevant concentrations, but not with PrV. The reduction of fEPSP amplitude was not accompanied by a change in paired-pulse facilitation. These data suggest that at clinically relevant concentrations of ZNS, the suppression of neuronal propagation is at least partially due to the postsynaptic mechanism, probably through alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors.


Personalized liposome-protein corona in the blood of breast, gastric and pancreatic cancer patients.
When nanoparticles (NPs) are dispersed in a biofluid, they are covered by a protein corona the composition of which strongly depends on the protein source. Recent studies demonstrated that the type of disease has a crucial role in the protein composition of the NP corona with relevant implications on personalized medicine. Proteomic variations frequently occur in cancer with the consequence that the bio-identity of NPs in the blood of cancer patients may differ from that acquired after administration to healthy volunteers. In this study we investigated the correlation between alterations of plasma proteins in breast, gastric and pancreatic cancer and the biological identity of clinically approved AmBisome-like liposomes as determined by a combination of dynamic light scattering, zeta potential analysis, one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (1D-SDS-PAGE) and semi-quantitative densitometry. While size of liposome-protein complexes was not significantly different between cancer groups, the hard corona from pancreatic cancer patients was significantly less negatively charged. Of note, the hard corona from pancreatic cancer patients was more enriched than those of other cancer types this enrichment being most likely due to IgA and IgG with possible correlations with the autoantibodies productions in cancer. Given the strict relationship between tumor antigen-specific autoantibodies and early cancer detection, our results could be the basis for the development of novel nanoparticle-corona-based screening tests of cancer.


Compliance to radiation therapy of head and neck cancer patients and impact on treatment outcome.
The aims of the study were to evaluate head and neck cancer (HNC) patient's compliance to the planned radiation therapy (RT) using the department policy established in 2005 at IPOCFG and to estimate the impact on treatment outcome due to failure in receiving RT as prescribed. 359 HNC patients irradiated from 2007 to 2013 were included in this study. Patient cohort was divided into Group 1: patients receiving RT as prescribed and Group 2: patients that interrupted or suspended RT. Group Tox is the subgroup of patients that interrupted RT due to toxicity or intercurrent disease. Number and causes for treatment interruptions were assessed. The cumulative incidence of locoregional control (LRC), disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival for Groups 1 and 2 was determined. Cox regression was performed to investigate potential hazard factors and logistic regression was made to determine risk factors related to treatment interruptions. Major causes for treatment interruptions were toxicity plus intercurrent disease (41.7 %) and public holidays (30.1 %). 10.3 % of the patients interrupted 3-9 days. Significant differences in survival distributions of the LRC between Groups 1 and 2, of up to 19 %, were found in the subgroup of patients with N2-3 tumours, for post-operative RT and for concomitant RT. Treatment breaks larger than two days had an almost fourfold increased risk of poorer LRC and DFS. Twin accelerators and treating on public holidays are effective measures minimizing RT breaks. For HNC, patient compliance is mostly limited by RT side-effects. Efforts to maintain RT biological effective dose in HNC must be always undertaken.


First ultrastructural data on the human tapeworm Taenia asiatica eggs by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM).
Humans are definitive hosts of three species of the Taenia genus, namely Taenia solium, Taenia saginata and Taenia asiatica. The relative novelty of the latter explains the lack of knowledge concerning certain relevant aspects related to this parasite, such as its definite geographical distribution and whether its eggs can infect humans or not. So far, only the eggs of T. solium are known to be infective for humans, producing cysticercosis. Although eggs contain the infective stage, the oncosphere, there is a lack of research on the ultrastructure of eggs of human taeniids. We show, for the first time, the ultrastructure of eggs of T. asiatica by means of SEM and TEM analyses. We detected all the envelopes, namely the egg shell, vitelline layer, outer embryophoric membrane, embryophore, granular layer, basal membrane, oncospheral membrane and oncospheral tegument. Hooks surrounded by myofibrils and glycogen-like particles, the two types of secretory granules of the penetration glands, as well as several nuclei and mitochondria were also revealed in the oncospheres. In addition to the already known structures in eggs from other Taenia species, the presence of two types of small vesicles is described herein, possibly corresponding to exosomes and ectosomes because of their shape and size, which could participate in the host/parasite intercellular communication.


Inulin fibre promotes microbiota-derived bile acids and type 2 inflammation.
Dietary fibres can exert beneficial anti-inflammatory effects through microbially fermented short-chain fatty acid metabolites1,2, although the immunoregulatory roles of most fibre diets and their microbiota-derived metabolites remain poorly defined. Here, using microbial sequencing and untargeted metabolomics, we show that a diet of inulin fibre alters the composition of the mouse microbiota and the levels of microbiota-derived metabolites, notably bile acids. This metabolomic shift is associated with type 2 inflammation in the intestine and lungs, characterized by IL-33 production, activation of group 2 innate lymphoid cells and eosinophilia. Delivery of cholic acid mimics inulin-induced type 2 inflammation, whereas deletion of the bile acid receptor farnesoid X receptor diminishes the effects of inulin. The effects of inulin are microbiota dependent and were reproduced in mice colonized with human-derived microbiota. Furthermore, genetic deletion of a bile-acid-metabolizing enzyme in one bacterial species abolishes the ability of inulin to trigger type 2 inflammation. Finally, we demonstrate that inulin enhances allergen- and helminth-induced type 2 inflammation. Taken together, these data reveal that dietary inulin fibre triggers microbiota-derived cholic acid and type 2 inflammation at barrier surfaces with implications for understanding the pathophysiology of allergic inflammation, tissue protection and host defence.


Value of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Renal Cancer and in Comparison With Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography: A Meta-analysis.
The purpose of this meta-analysis was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in renal cancer and to compare it with contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT). A systematic search was performed to recruit eligible original studies published until December 2017. Two reviewers independently extracted data. A meta-analysis was performed, and the pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios, positive and negative predictive values, diagnostic odds ratio, summary receiver operating characteristic curve, and area under the curve were calculated. The extent and potential sources of heterogeneity were further explored. Moreover, a head-to-head comparison was also performed to compare the diagnostic value between CEUS and CECT in renal cancer. Twenty-two studies were included in this meta-analysis. The summary sensitivity and specificity of CEUS for detecting renal cancer were 0.96 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.94-0.97) and 0.82 (95% CI, 0.74-0.88), respectively. The summary diagnostic odds ratio was 102.04 (95% CI, 49.55-210.13). The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.97 (95% CI, 0.95-0.98). In the head-to-head comparison, CEUS showed higher diagnostic sensitivity than CECT (0.94 versus 0.85) for renal cancer, whereas the specificities were comparable between CEUS and CECT (0.77 versus 0.75). Contrast-enhanced US has high sensitivity and moderate specificity in the differential diagnosis of renal cancer. The diagnostic sensitivity of CEUS in renal cancer was higher than that of CECT, suggesting that CEUS could be used as a preferred diagnostic tool for renal cancer.


Analysis of ghrelin, leptin, and interleukin-6 salivary concentration among children aged 7-10 years and its relationship with nutritional status and some anthropometric data.
Obesity is a complex condition with multifactorial aetiopathogenesis. Adipose tissue is reservoir of many adipokines which play a great role in proinflammatory response in obesity. Aim of the study: Comparative assessment of ghrelin, leptin, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) salivary concentration among children having proper and excess of body mass. Analysis of the interrelationship between the obtained concentrations of substances and selected anthropometric parameters and blood pressure values in the studied children. The study group comprised 102 children aged 7-10 years. The nutritional status of children was assessed by the use of the BMI index. The control group (n = 74) comprised children with proper body mass, and the study group (n = 28) contained children having overweight/obesity. Saliva samples were taken from all children at school. Subsequently, some anthropometric parameters and blood pressure values of the children were measured. The laboratory assessment of substances was made by ELISA method. Next, statistical analysis of all obtained results was performed using professional software. Salivary ghrelin, leptin, and IL-6 concentrations were statistically significantly higher in the study group than in the control group (p = 0.001). The study revealed a positive correlation between salivary ghrelin concentration and BMI in the whole study population (p = 0.001), and between ghrelin concentration and body weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio in all subjects. In the study group, the BMI value was positively correlated only with IL-6 saliva concentration (p = 0.005). The study revealed significant differences between saliva ghrelin, leptin, and IL-6 concentration between the control group and the study group. The above findings can be a good predictor with which to detect co-existing metabolic alternations in obese patients.


Fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Comparison of procedures used in the diagnosis of lung cancer.
We have compared the relative value of various techniques used in association with fiberoptic bronchoscopy for the diagnosis of lung cancer. We analyzed the results in 114 patients who underwent diagnostic fiberoptic bronchoscopy and in whom a definite histologic diagnosis of lung cancer was made. A comparison of the diagnostic yield from cytologic examination of prebronchoscopy and postbronchoscopy sputum and of fiberoptic bronchial biopsy, brushing, and washing was made. Over-all, bronchial washings gave the highest diagnostic yield (75.4%) and forceps biopsy the next higher (65.8%). The combination of bronchial washings and forceps biopsy gave the highest diagnostic yield (95.8%). In six patients, postbronchoscopy sputum was the only source of positive diagnostis; in 20 patients only one procedure was positive. Our results suggest that although fiberoptic bronchoscopy washings and forceps biopsy have the highest diagnostic yield, brushings and postbronchoscopic sputum examination are also important diagnostic maneuvers and should be routinely performed.


Smoking, oncogenes and human lung cancer. A review of recent laboratory evidence linking smoking and lung cancer.
Recent molecular genetic experiments conducted in the USA and The Netherlands have isolated specific mutations in human lung cancer cells. These data implicate the activation of the K-ras oncogene in the pathogenesis of adenocarcinoma of the lungs of heavy smokers and the deletion of DNA from the short arm of chromosome 3 in small-cell and non-small-cell carcinoma of the lung. The implications of these results are discussed and explained in the light of current DNA-manipulative technology which is now available in RSA.


Discrimination of spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using sensory nerve action potentials.
Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are motor neuron diseases. Sensory impairment is sometimes observed, and electrophysiological involvement has been described in the sensory nerves of SBMA patients. We hypothesized that a sensory nerve conduction study (NCS) could be used to discriminate SBMA from ALS. We compared the results from NCSs in a total of 120 SBMA cases confirmed by genetic analysis, 188 ALS cases, and 50 normal subjects. Sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) amplitudes of the SBMA group were significantly lower than in the ALS and control groups. In addition, receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis for SNAP amplitude showed that a cut-off value of 13.8 μV for median, 10.7 μV for ulnar, and 9.9 μV for sural nerve best discriminated SBMA from ALS. The specific decrease of SNAP amplitude in SBMA provides another useful tool for the differential diagnosis of motor neuron diseases.


[Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in women].
For the past several years the number of women suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been steadily increasing. This fact prompts the debate which factors, in addition to considerably increasing prevalence of cigarette smoking among young women, are responsible for these epidemiologic changes. Differences in the natural history and prognosis of COPD in females and males are presented in the paper, as well as the number of potential ethiopathogenetic and pathophysiologic factors influencing these variations. Among them, differences in the COPD risk factors spectrum in both genders and in airways anatomy are pointed out, and the mechanisms responsible for greater women's susceptibility to components of cigarette smoke, which reflect genetic (enzyme polymorphisms), epigenetic (diminished DNA methylation) and hormonal (estrogens) influences on xenobiotics metabolism. Further, sex-related differences regarding COPD phenotypes (chronic bronchitis vs. emphysema), immunological markers and clinical manifestation of disease are underlined in the paper. More frequent coexistence of anxiety and depression, COPD exacerbations and worse quality of life in women are also emphasized. Other differences, pointed out by authors include autoimmunological conception of pathogenesis of COPD (greater female susceptibility to produce autoantibodies), risk factors of disease exacerbation and, at last, response to certain forms of COPD treatment (nicotine replacement therapy, long-term oxygen therapy).


Combined effect of veratridine and sodium aspartate on the rabbit retinas in vitro.
Combined effect of veratridine and sodium aspartate on rabbit retinas in vitro was studied. Observations suggested that mode of action of veratridine on the PII and PIII components of ERGs was modified by the presence of sodium aspartate in perfusate.


Evidence for metal inhibition of tumour membrane-bound neutral protease and the control of tumour-induced target cell cytolysis.
Previous studies have characterized the enzymatic properties and inhibition of a trypsin-like neutral protease on the surface of Ehrlich ascites cells by means of kinetic analysis. The present study links these kinetic studies with the recently reported role of a tumour-cell membrane-bound serine protease in tumour-induced target cell lysis. Low-mol.-wt inhibitors of this cell-surface trypsin-like neutral protease exhibited a corresponding ability to prevent tumour-induced haemolysis. High-mol.-wt inhibitors of trypsin in free solution had no inhibitory action either on the tumour-bound enzyme or on the ability of tumour cells to lyse erythrocytes. Fragments of tumour-cell membrane retain both the trypsin-like neutral protease activity and the ability for haemolysis. This study represents a correlation between an easily assayed membrane-bound enzyme on tumour cells and a function of possible biological relevance.


Cardiovascular risk of urate-lowering drugs: A study using the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan.
In the present study, we aimed to investigate the association between urate-lowering drugs and cardiovascular events, primarily focusing on the risk of febuxostat and topiroxostat when compared with allopurinol in Japan. We conducted an observational study with a cohort design using the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan, including new urate-lowering drugs users between August 1, 2010, and March 31, 2018. Exposure and control groups were defined based on the first prescription of urate-lowering drugs as follows: febuxostat or topiroxostat for exposure groups, allopurinol for the control group, and benzbromarone for the secondary control group. The primary outcome was cardiovascular events, defined as a composite of acute coronary syndrome, cerebral infarction, and cerebral hemorrhage. Hazard ratios were estimated using a Cox proportional hazards model. The number of patients in each exposure and control group was 1,357,671 in the febuxostat group, 83,683 in the topiroxostat group, 1,273,211 in the allopurinol group, and 258,786 in the benzbromarone group. The adjusted hazard ratios for the cardiovascular risk were 0.97 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.95-0.98) for febuxostat and 0.84 (95% CI: 0.78-0.90) for topiroxostat groups. The benzbromarone group exhibited similar results. No increased cardiovascular risk was observed with febuxostat or topiroxostat when compared with allopurinol in patients with hyperuricemia in Japan. These results provide real-world evidence regarding the cardiovascular risk associated with urate-lowering drugs, indicating that no additional safety-related regulatory actions are warranted in Japan.


Two novel ceramides with a phytosphingolipid and a tertiary amide structure from Zephyranthes candida.
Two novel ceramides, Candidamide A (1) with a phytosphingolipid structure, and Candidamide B (2) with a tertiary amide structure, together with 12 known compounds (3-14) have been isolated from the bulbs of Zephyranthes candida, The structures of 1 and 2 have been elucidated to be 1,3,5,6-tetrahydroxy-2-(2'-hydroxytetracosanoyl amino)-8-(E)-octadecadiene (1) and (2S,3S,4R,8E,2'R)-2-[N-(2'-hydroxyoctadecanoyl)-N-(1'',2''-dihydroxyethyl)-amino]-8-hexacosene-1,3,4-triol (2) on the basis of spectroscopic evidence including IR, MS, NMR ((1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR, DEPT, (1)H-(1)H COSY, HSQC, HMBC). The known compounds were identified as (2S)-3',7-dihydroxy-4'-methoxyflavan (3), (2S)-4'-hydroxy-7-methoxyflavan (4), (2S)-4',7-dihydroxyflavan (5), 7-hydroxy-3', 4'-methylenedioxyflavan (6), ambrettolide (7), beta-sitostero1 (8), beta-daucosterin (9), rutin (10), pancratistatin (11), lycorine (12), haemanthidine (13), and haemanthamine (14). In the antimicrobial assay, candidamide A (1) and candidamide B (2) displayed moderate activities against bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, and fungi Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans and Trichophyton rubrum.


Manipulating Pt-skin of porous network Pt-Cu alloy nanospheres toward efficient oxygen reduction.
Designing Pt-skin on the catalyst surface is critical to developing efficient and stable electrocatalysts toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. In this paper, an acidic reductant is proposed to synchronously manipulate in-situ growth of Pt-skin on the surface of alloyed Pt-Cu nanospheres (PtCuNSs) by a facile one-pot synthesis in an aqueous solution. Ascorbic acid can create a Pt-skin of three atomic layers to make the typical PtCu-alloy@Pt-skin core/shell nanostructure rather than the uniform alloys generated by using alkaline reductants. Surfactant as soft-template can make the alloyed PtCuNSs with a three-dimensional porous network structure. Multiple characterizations of XRD, XPS and XAFS are used to confirm Pt-alloying with Cu and formation of core/shell structure of such a catalyst. This PtCuNSs/C exhibits a half-wave potential of 0.913 V (vs. RHE), with mass activity and specific activity about 3.5 and 6.4 times higher than those of Pt/C, respectively. Fuel cell tests verify the excellent activity of PtCuNSs/C catalyst with a maximum power density of about 1.2 W cm-2. Moreover, this catalyst shows excellent stability, achieving a long-term operation of 40,000 cycles. Furthermore, theoretical calculations reveal the enhancement effect of characteristic PtCu-alloy@Pt-skin nanostructure on both catalytic ORR activity and stability.


Glycosyltransferases in Cancer: Prognostic Biomarkers of Survival in Patient Cohorts and Impact on Malignancy in Experimental Models.
Background: Glycosylation changes are a main feature of cancer. Some carbohydrate epitopes and expression levels of glycosyltransferases have been used or proposed as prognostic markers, while many experimental works have investigated the role of glycosyltransferases in malignancy. Using the transcriptomic data of the 21 TCGA cohorts, we correlated the expression level of 114 glycosyltransferases with the overall survival of patients. Methods: Using the Oncolnc website, we determined the Kaplan−Meier survival curves for the patients falling in the 15% upper or lower percentile of mRNA expression of each glycosyltransferase. Results: Seventeen glycosyltransferases involved in initial steps of N- or O-glycosylation and of glycolipid biosynthesis, in chain extension and sialylation were unequivocally associated with bad prognosis in a majority of cohorts. Four glycosyltransferases were associated with good prognosis. Other glycosyltransferases displayed an extremely high predictive value in only one or a few cohorts. The top were GALNT3, ALG6 and B3GNT7, which displayed a p < 1 × 10−9 in the low-grade glioma (LGG) cohort. Comparison with published experimental data points to ALG3, GALNT2, B4GALNT1, POFUT1, B4GALT5, B3GNT5 and ST3GAL2 as the most consistently malignancy-associated enzymes. Conclusions: We identified several cancer-associated glycosyltransferases as potential prognostic markers and therapeutic targets.


Rapid oxidation of dichlorodihydrofluorescin with heme and hemoproteins: formation of the fluorescein is independent of the generation of reactive oxygen species.
Oxidative stress and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of cellular damage. These events have usually been reported in terms of oxidation of a reporter molecule such as 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA). Treatment of HeLa cells with hemin or metalloporphyrins resulted in a rapid oxidation of DCFH in a time- and dose-dependent manner. This oxidation was inhibited by treatment of the cells with a large amount of superoxide dismutase and catalase, which is different from observations that these enzymes had no effect on the induction of heme oxygenase-1, a stress-induced protein, in hemin-treated cells. To examine the possibility that the oxidation of DCFH is independent of the generation of ROS, the oxidation was measured using hemoglobin-synthesizing erythroleukemia K562 cells. When K562 cells were treated with delta-aminolevulinic acid, a precursor of heme, oxidation of DCFH increased depending on the heme content in cells. Then DCFH-DA was oxidized directly with heme, hemoglobin, myoglobin and cytochrome c. These results suggest that oxidation of DCFH is not always related to the generation of ROS but may be related to heme content in cells.


Assessment of Barriers and Facilitators to Prescribing HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis by Primary Care Providers.
HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a highly effective class of drugs used to prevent the transmission of HIV-1. Despite its high efficacy, the uptake of PrEP has been very low. This project sought to understand the barriers and facilitators to prescribing PrEP in a community health clinic in a Midwestern state.


Quality of Life in Elderly Bladder Cancer Patients Following a Cystectomy.
Bladder cancer is the ninth most common cancer worldwide. The most common treatment for invasive cancer is radical cystectomy and urinary diversion (ileal conduit, continent urinary reservoir, orthotopic neobladder). In elderly patients, the standards methods of urinary diversion have been the ileal conduit and ureterocutaneostomy. Quality of life is an important consideration for patients with urinary diversion. The purpose of the present study was to review the literature on quality of life in elderly patients with bladder cancer following a cystectomy and urinary diversion. A literature review was conducted using the electronic databases PubMed and Google scholar covering the period of time from 2006 to 2016. The following key words were entered: "quality of life", "bladder cancer", "elderly" "cystectomy" and a combination thereof. The exclusion criteria for the articles were languages other than English. It was found that various questionnaires were used. Some instruments measure QoL in general, whereas others are more specific with respect to the unique ways in which urinary diversion can impact patients' lives. Furthermore, some findings are contradictory, with certain results indicating that there is no statistically significant difference between quality of life parameters when comparing patients with a neobladder to those with an ileal conduit. In another study, patients who underwent orthotopic neobladder reconstruction reported significantly better physical functioning, role functioning, social functioning and QoL in general throughout the first postoperative months compared to patients who had ileal conduit formation. All types of treatment have a number of advantages and disadvantages, the details of which should be explained to elderly patients thoroughly. This calls for comprehensive counseling sessions during which the patient and health professional discuss all relevant considerations.


Loss of patient centeredness in interpreter-mediated primary care visits.
To explore consequences of interpreter mediation of visit communication on patient centered dialogue and patient satisfaction with interpreter listening. Fifty-five professionally interpreted primary care visits were coded using the Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS). Two corresponding quantitative measures of patient-centered dialogue were calculated as ratios of psycho-emotional to biomedical statements based on (1) patient and clinician expressed codes and (2) interpreter conveyed codes. Multilevel models examined consequences of interpreter mediation on patient-centered dialogue and patient ratings of interpreter listening. Study participants included 27 Cantonese, 17 Mandarin and 11 Spanish-speaking primary care patients and 31 of their clinicians. Overall, clinicians expressed 2.26 times more statements and patients expressed 1.74 times more statements than interpreters conveyed. Interpreters conveyed significantly less patient-centered dialogue than expressed by patients and clinicians. All differences were evident within each study language. Interpreter conveyed patient centered dialogue positively predicted patient ratings of interpreter listening (B = 0.817; p < .007). The level of interpreter-conveyed patient-centered dialogue was both substantially lower than that expressed by patients and clinicians and a positive predictor of patient satisfaction with interpreter listening. Fuller interpretation of patient-centered dialogue may enhance patient experience with interpreters and thereby increase care quality.


White matter hyperintensities: a possible link between sarcopenia and cognitive impairment in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been reported to be associated with sarcopenia. White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are common in AD patients. However, the effect of WMH on sarcopenia in AD remains unclear. We hence aimed to investigate the possible association between regional WMH volumes and sarcopenic parameters in AD. 57 mild to moderate AD patients and 22 normal controls (NC) were enrolled. Sarcopenic parameters were assessed, including appendicular skeletal mass index (ASMI), grip strength, 5-times sit-to-stand (5-STS) time, and gait speed. The volumes of periventricular hyperintensities (PVH) and deep white matter hyperintensities (DWMH) were quantified using 3D-slicer software. AD subjects exhibited a lower ASMI, a slower gait speed, an increased 5-STS time, and larger volumes of PVH and DWMH than those in the NC group. In AD subjects, total WMH and PVH volumes were related to cognitive impairment, particularly executive function decline. Moreover, total WMH volume and PVH volume were negatively correlated with gait speed across various clinical stages of AD. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that PVH volume was independently associated with 5-STS time and gait speed, whereas DWMH volume was only independently associated with gait speed. WMH volume was associated with cognitive decline and various sarcopenic parameters. It thereby suggested that WMH may serve as the connection between sarcopenia and cognitive dysfunction in AD. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to determine whether sarcopenia interventions reduce WMH volume and improve cognitive function in AD.


Reduced beta-catenin expression in the hippocampal CA1 region following transient cerebral ischemia in the gerbil.
Beta-catenin, a transcription factor, plays a critical role in cell survival and degradation after stroke. In this study, we examined changes of expression in beta-catenin in the hippocampal CA1 region of the gerbil following 5 min of transient cerebral ischemia. We observed neuronal damage using cresyl violet staining, neuronal nuclei immunohistochemistry and Fluro-Jade B immunofluorescence. Four days after ischemia-reperfusion (I-R), most of pyramidal cells in the CA1 region were damaged. In addition, early damage in dendrites was detected 1 day after I-R by immunohistochemical staining for microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2), and MAP-2 immunoreactivity was hardly detected in the CA1 region 4 days after I-R. We found that beta-catenin (a synapse-enriched cell adhesion molecule) was well expressed in dendrites before I-R. Its immunoreactivity was well colocalized with MAP-2. Chronological change of beta-catenin immunoreactivity was novelty in the present study. Twelve hours after I-R, its immunoreactivity was decreased in the stratum radiatum of the CA1 region, however, its immunoreactivity was increased 1 and 2 days after I-R, and decreased sharply 4 days after I-R. However, we did not find any change in beta-catenin immunoreactivity in the CA2 and CA3 region. In brief, we suggest that early change of beta-catenin expression in the stratum pyramidale of ischemic hippocampal CA1 region is associated with early dendrite damage following transient cerebral ischemia.


Characteristics, source apportionment and health risk assessment of heavy metals in urban road dust of the Pearl River Delta, South China.
To investigate the characteristics of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Hg, Ni and Zn) in urban road dust from different cities and functional areas in the Pearl River Delta (PRD), South China, a total of 294 dust samples were analyzed. The contamination characteristics and health risk of heavy metals in the dust were assessed, their chemical speciation were distinguished, and their sources were identified by the correlations, cluster and principal component analysis (PCA). The mean concentrations of As (15.89 mg/kg), Cd (1.59 mg/kg), Cr (143.75 mg/kg), Cu (184.42 mg/kg), Pb (114.82 mg/kg), Hg (0.11 mg/kg), Ni (41.53 mg/kg) and Zn (645.94 mg/kg) in urban road dust were in high or moderate levels compare with other previous researches. In this case, the contamination of Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn in the industrial area (IA) and the contamination of Cd and Hg in the commercial area (CA) were significantly higher relative to other functional areas (P < 0.05), and the contamination of heavy metals in Foshan City was significantly higher than other cities (P < 0.01). The order of mobility of the heavy metals with higher concentration in urban road dust of the Pearl River Delta declined in the following order: Zn, Ni, Cu, Pb and Cr. Statistical analysis result showed the contaminated heavy metals in urban road dust were mainly contributed by industrial activities, traffic activities and building pollution. There were no significant carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic risks for adults, children however showed significant noncarcinogenic effect caused by As and Cr in partial points, albeit with low contamination level of the two metals. The ingestion was a principal pathway for heavy metals via urban road dust to exposure population. More protection measures should be considered to reduce children's exposure to the dust, especially in the CA and IA.


Proteomic analysis by SILAC and 2D-DIGE reveals radiation-induced endothelial response: four key pathways.
Epidemiological data show that ionising radiation increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. The endothelium is one of the main targets of radiation-induced damage. Rapid radiation-induced alterations in the biological processes were investigated after exposure to a clinically relevant radiation dose (2.5 Gy gamma radiation). The changes in protein expression were determined using the human endothelial cell line EA.hy926 as a model. Two complementary proteomic approaches, SILAC (Stable Isotope Labelling with Amino acids in Cell culture) and 2D-DIGE (Two Dimensional Difference-in-Gel-Electrophoresis) were used. The proteomes of the endothelial cells were analysed 4h and 24h after irradiation. Differentially expressed proteins were identified and quantified by MALDI-TOF/TOF and LTQ Orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry. The deregulated proteins were mainly categorised in four key pathways: (i) glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and synthesis/degradation of ketone bodies, (ii) oxidative phosphorylation, (iii) Rho-mediated cell motility and (iv) non-homologous end joining. We suggest that these alterations facilitate the repair processes needed to overcome the stress caused by irradiation and are indicative of the vascular damage leading to radiation-induced cardio- and cerebrovascular impairment.


The effects of being watched on resource acquisition in chimpanzees and human children.
Animals react in many different ways to being watched by others. In the context of cooperation, many theories emphasize reputational effects: Individuals should cooperate more if other potential cooperators are watching. In the context of competition, individuals might want to show off their strength and prowess if other potential competitors are watching. In the current study, we observed chimpanzees and human children in three experimental conditions involving resource acquisition: Participants were either in the presence of a passive observer (observed condition), an active observer who engaged in the same task as the participant (competition condition), or in the presence of but not directly observed by a conspecific (mere presence condition). While both species worked to acquire more resources in the competition condition, children but not chimpanzees also worked to acquire more resources in the observer condition (compared to the mere presence condition). These results suggest evolutionary continuity with regard to competition-based observer effects, but an additional observer effect in young children, potentially arising from an evolutionary-based concern for cooperative reputation.


Effects of fresh mango consumption on cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight and obese adults.
In vitro and animal studies show antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and cardioprotective properties of mangos. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of fresh mango consumption compared to an isocaloric control snack on body weight, glucose, insulin, lipid profiles, liver function enzymes, inflammation, and antioxidant activity in overweight and obese adults (BMI ≥26 kg/m2). In a crossover design, 27 participants consumed 100 kcal/d of fresh mangos or isocaloric low-fat cookies daily for 12 weeks each, separated by a four-week washout period. Blood glucose, C-reactive protein (CRP), and aspartate transaminase activity significantly decreased while total antioxidant capacity significantly increased following mango consumption. There were no significant changes in body weight, body fat %, blood pressure, insulin, or lipid profile following mango consumption. Cookie consumption significantly increased body weight, insulin, CRP, and triglycerides. These results suggest that relative to the control snack, mangos may improve certain risk factors associated with overweight and obesity including improved glycemic control and reduced inflammation. NCT03957928.


[The individual characteristics of the postradiation reaction of the cyclic nucleotides in rat thymocytes].
It was shown that X-irradiation of rats (4.3 Gy), which were preliminarily divided into two groups by the neutrophilic reaction in the peripheral blood to the effect of a three-hour immobilization, induced different reactions of the cyclic nucleotide system. Thus, in animals hyper-reactive to stress radiation injury to the above system was severe: relative reactivity made 22.8% of the initial value, and adenylate cyclase ability to respond to a hormonal stimulus was drastically inhibited. In hyporeactive animals, relative reactivity of adenylate cyclase system after irradiation made 47% throughout the same period of observation; inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity was also less pronounced.


[Surgical therapy for spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis].
The therapy for spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis is challenging in view of the large variety of treatment options. A general, standardized therapeutic concept has still not been established. Adequate therapy depends on different parameters and personal experience. Beside direct repair surgery of spondylolysis and low grade spondylolisthesis, dorsal, ventral and combined dorsoventral surgery, with or without instrumentation, are indicated depending on patients age and severity of the slip. Complications such as pseudarthrosis and progression of the slip develop in a given percentage of cases, but these are not significantly correlated with clinical symptoms. Decompression is necessary in high grade slippage with neurologic impairment, especially paresis. Reposition is associated with a higher risk of neurologic complications. Fusion in situ without instrumentation, even in moderate and severe spondylolisthesis, shows good clinical results with high fusion rates and without the increased risk of progression and pseudarthrosis. In many cases, it is an effective, safe and economic therapeutic option.


Psychobehavioral disturbance in epileptic children.
Psychobehavioral disturbances are frequently seen in epileptic children, but they vary in type and degree. This diversity depends on various factors: age at onset, type of epileptic syndrome and EEG pattern, and the drugs used. The early onset of an epileptic process (within the first year of life) has a profound effect on the organization of primary relational processes and on structuring of the ego. The cognitive and behavioral damage that results may become evident after just a few seizures and may persist through time when such damage is not definitive. Epilepsy with onset in childhood may be accompanied by practognosic deficits and impairment of memory, attention and analytical reasoning. These deficits occur much more frequently in the symptomatic forms. In adolescent forms of epilepsy prevalently idiopathic, disturbances of a neurotic type are relatively common. Psychobehavioral disturbances tied to drugs can be noticed mainly with the use of phenobarbital (hyperactivity, longer reaction times), phenytoin (torpor), and politherapy.


Fatigue Failure of Semiconstrained Total Knee Replacement: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Diagnosis With Tips and Tricks for Extraction and Reconstruction.
Modular components allow for the precise adjustment of sizing and balancing in knee replacement and are widely used in revision total knee arthroplasty. While they have a significant advantage over monoblock implants, these components may be associated with fretting and corrosion at modular junctions. We report the case of a fracture of a morse taper adapter bolt in a 65-year-old female with a history of multiple revision knee arthroplasties. Only a few cases of fracture of the taper adapter bolt have been previously reported. We reinforce 2 learning points in this report: the utility of magnetic resonance imaging as an aid in diagnosing total knee failure when initial radiographs are unremarkable and the use of techniques such as anterior quadrangular femoral osteotomy when an implant is unable to be removed via conventional techniques.


In situ relationship between energy reserves and steroid hormone levels in Nereis diversicolor (O.F. Müller) from clean and contaminated sites.
The aim of this study was to investigate, in situ, the temporal effects of urban effluent discharge on energy reserves and steroid hormone levels in the intrasedimentary worm Nereis diversicolor. Results have shown no differences in energy reserves (glycogen, lipids) in organisms originating from a contaminated site (Oued Souss) and a comparatively clean site (Oualidia). Both sites are located on the Moroccan Atlantic coast. In contrast, steroid hormone (progesterone, testosterone, and 17beta-estradiol) levels were significantly decreased in animals from Oued Souss. The differences in the responses suggest that organisms from the polluted site have been exposed to endocrine disruptors.


Iron and zinc bioavailability in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is dependent on chemical composition and cooking method.
The influence of genotype and domestic processing on iron and zinc bioavailability in common bean germplasm was investigated using an in vitro digestion model. Raw beans exhibited diversity in iron content (50 to >90 mg kg-1) although zinc content was similar (30-40 mg kg-1). Following preparation by different household cooking methods < 5% of the iron in raw beans was recovered in the bioavailable fraction following in vitro digestion. However, up to 20% of zinc present in dry seeds was bioavailable. A high proportion of iron and zinc in raw beans (up to 40%) was lost by leaching into cooking water when beans were prepared by boiling. Although untargeted LC/MS revealed genotype-dependent differences in grain chemistry, correlations between mineral bioavailability and antinutritional phytates and polyphenols were mostly insignificant. Our data highlight the need to consider losses during domestic processing and the related physicochemical traits in biofortification programmes.


The influence of socioeconomic status on menarcheal age among Chinese school-age girls in Tianjin, China.
The association between socioeconomic status and the onset age of menarche is still not conclusive. This cross-sectional study was conducted among primary and middle school girls aged 7 to 16 years old in Tianjin, China, to explore the distribution of menarcheal age and its association with socioeconomic status. A self-designed structured questionnaire was completed by students and their parents to collect information on socioeconomic status (i.e., family income, parental education level, living residence), menarcheal status, and covariates (weight status of girls and their parents, sleeping hours per day, physical activity). Information on menarcheal status included whether or not menarche had occurred (Yes/No) and the exact age at menarche. Linear regression analysis was used to explore the association between socioeconomic status and menarcheal age before and after covariate adjustment. Among 1485 eligible girls with complete information, 445 had experienced menarche, with an overall menarche rate of 30%. The mean age at menarche was 12.9 years (95% confidence interval 12.8-13.0). Urban girls experienced menarche earlier than rural girls did (12.1 years vs. 13.5 years). Univariate analysis showed that urban residence and higher parental education were associated with earlier onset of menarche. After covariate adjustment, the significance still existed. However, after adjusting further for residence, the significant association with the parental education disappeared. Only urban residence was still significantly associated, even after further adjustment for parental education and family income, with adjusted regression coefficients (95% confidence interval) of - 1.087 (- 1.340,-0.834), indicating that the onset age of menarche among urban girls was 1.087 years (0.834, 1.340) younger than that among rural girls. Family income was not related to the onset age of menarche in any analyses.Conclusion: Urban-rural differences played a more important role in the early onset of menarche than socioeconomic differences between families. What is Known: • The age at menarche varies by race and country, but the global trend is towards earlier onset as a result of changes in nutrition, family structure, socioeconomic status, and physical condition. What is New: • Urban girls experienced menarche earlier than rural girls, but this urban-rural difference could not be explained by family income, parental education, weight status of the participants and their parents, participants' physical exercise and sleeping hours. • Higher parental education was associated with earlier onset of menarche, but this association disappeared after adjustment for living residence.


Comparison of Operative and Conservative Treatment for Asymptomatic Moyamoya Disease: Preliminary Experience in Small Retrospective Series.
The best management of asymptomatic moyamoya disease (MMD) remains controversial. In this study, the authors aimed to explore an experience for treatment modality for asymptomatic MMD. The authors retrospectively reviewed a total of 23 patients (age range 30-58 years) with asymptomatic MMD during the past 5 years at their institutions. The patients were divided into 2 groups: The surgical group included 11 patients, and the conservative group included 12 patients. The demographic, radiologic, and clinical findings of the patients were evaluated. At follow-up over 13-65 months, the future clinical and radiologic progression events were evaluated. During the follow-up period, 3 patients suffered from future clinical progression events in the conservative group: 1 experienced stroke, and 2 experienced transient ischemic attack. Among the patients in the surgical group, only 1 experienced transient ischemic attack. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients undergoing surgeries had longer clinical progression-free survival times compared with patients in the conservative group (P = 0.002). Surgical treatment may be an alternative choice for patients with asymptomatic MMD. However, the best strategy for asymptomatic MMD in order to reduce future cerebrovascular risks still needs to be further explored.