Electro-Responsive Breathing Transition of Conductive Hydrogel for Broadband Kinetic Energy Harvesting.
Reclaiming kinetic energy from vibrating machines holds great promise for sustainable energy harvesting technologies. Nevertheless, the impulsive current induced by vibrations is incompatible with conventional energy storage devices. The energy-management system necessitates novel designs of soft materials for lightweight, miniaturized, and integrated high-frequency electrochemical devices. Here, this work develops a conductive hydrogel with an electro-responsive polymeric network. The electro-responsive breathing transition of the crosslinking points facilitates the expeditious formation of a localized electrolyte layer. This layer features an exceedingly high local charge density, surpassing that of a saturated electrolyte solution by an order of magnitude, and thus enabling rapid charge transport under the influence of an applied voltage. The micro-capacitor based on the gel exhibits record-high capacitance of ≈2 mF cm-2 when the frequency of energy input reaches up to 104 Hz. This work also demonstrates a prototype battery charger that harvests energy from a running car engine. This study presents a feasible strategy for waste energy recycling using integrated electrochemical devices, opening a new avenue for ambient energy management.


Abciximab in primary coronary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction improves short- and medium-term outcomes.
The purpose of this study was to compare the outcome of primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction (MI) when performed with or without the platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antibody, abciximab. Abciximab improves the outcome of angioplasty but the effect of abciximab in primary angioplasty has not been investigated. Data were collected from a computerized database. Follow-up was by telephone or review of outpatient or hospital readmission records. A total of 182 consecutive patients were included; 103 received abciximab and 79 did not. The procedural success rate was 95% in the two groups. At 30-day follow-up, the composite event rate of unstable angina, reinfarction, target vessel revascularization and death from all causes was 13.5% in the group of patients who did not receive abciximab, 4% (p < 0.05) in the abciximab group and 2.4% (p < 0.05) in the subgroup of patients (n = 87) who completed the 12-h abciximab infusion. At the end of follow-up (mean 7+/-4 months), the composite event rate was 32.4%, 17% (p < 0.05) and 13.1% (p < 0.01) in these three categories respectively. Abciximab bolus followed by a 12-h infusion was an independent predictor of event-free survival, in a Cox proportional hazards model (relative risk 0.49; 95% confidence interval 0.24 to 0.99; p < 0.05). Abciximab given at the time of primary angioplasty may improve the short- and medium-term outcome of patients with acute MI, especially when a 12-h infusion is completed.


Hormonal reactions to fighting in rat colonies: prolactin rises during defence, not during offence.
Male Wistar rats living in colonies of 4 males plus 4 females were compared to noncolony males, cohabitating with a female. Irreversible dominance relationships developed between one dominant male (D) and three subordinates (S). Dominants developed high basal testosterone levels and large preputial glands. Subordinates had reduced preputial glands despite normal testicle weights and normal basal testosterone levels. Basal corticosterone was elevated in both ranks, in S more so than in D, while in acute encounters both ranks showed a similar increase in the corticosterone-to-ACTH ratio. They also underwent a similar reduction in thymus weight, while an increase in adrenal weight was more pronounced in D. In D-S-I encounters, during which D simultaneously attacked S and an intruder (I) for 20 minutes, both defenders showed a 3-4 fold increase in plasma prolactin, while in the offensive dominant the level remained low. Similar, but weaker hormonal contrasts between offence and defence were found for beta-endorphin, ACTH, and corticosterone, while alpha-MSH and testosterone did not discriminate. In our view, the marked hyporesponsiveness of prolactin to acute offence may be associated with a specific offensive setting of dopaminergic inhibitory and beta-adrenergic stimulatory influences.


Conversion of the LXR-agonist TO-901317--from inverse to normal modulation of gamma-secretase by addition of a carboxylic acid and a lipophilic anchor.
TO-901317, a LXR agonist, is an inverse modulator of Alzheimer's disease associated gamma-secretase. We synthesized TO-901317 analogous compound but replaced the hexafluorocarbinol moiety by an oxyacetic acid functionality and hypothesized that the replacement would change the mode of action from an inverse modulation to normal modulation of gamma-secretase. As anticipated, acid 9 was found to be an effective modulator of gamma-secretase and displayed activity at low micromolar concentration. This significant modification can be applied to several inverse gamma-secretase modulators. Such modulators may preserve the cleavage of other gamma-secretase substrates such as Notch.


Anti-inflammatory action of β-hydroxybutyrate via modulation of PGC-1α and FoxO1, mimicking calorie restriction.
β-Hydroxybutyrate (HB) is a ketone body used as an energy source that has shown anti-inflammatory effects similar to calorie restriction (CR); Here, PGC-1α, an abundantly expressed co-factor in the kidney, was reported to interact with both FoxO1 and NF-κB although the definitive interactive mechanism has not yet been reported. In this study, we investigated whether renal aging-related inflammation is modulated by HB. We compared aged rats administered with HB to calorie restricted rats and examined the modulation of FoxO1 and the NF-κB pathway through interactions with PGC-1α. We found that in aged rats treated with HB, pro-inflammatory signaling changes were reversed and showed effects comparable to CR. As FoxO1 and its target genes catalase/MnSOD were upregulated by HB treatment and PGC-1α selectively interacted with FoxO1, not with NF-κB, and ameliorated the renal inflammatory response. These findings were further confirmed using FoxO1 overexpression and siRNA transfection in vitro. Our findings suggest that HB suppressed aging-related inflammation as a CR mimetic by enabling the co-activation and selective interaction between FoxO1 and PGC-1α. This study demonstrates the potential therapeutic role of HB as a CR mimetic, which ameliorates inflammation by a novel mechanism where FoxO1 outcompetes NF-κB by interacting with PGC-1α in aging kidneys.


Relationship of body mass index to clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention.
Elevated body mass index (BMI) demonstrates lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortalities compared with normal-weight or lean patients in chronic diseases. This study investigated relationships between BMI and clinical outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients, together with the sex-specific impacts of BMI on mortality. We reviewed 1104 CAD patients who underwent PCI between 2006 and 2015. Patients were divided by BMI into three groups: lean, <18.5 kg/m2 ; normal, 18.5-24.9 kg/m2 ; and overweight/obese, ≥25 kg/m2 . The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality, and the secondary endpoint was 3-point major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated risks of all-cause death, and 3-point MACE were higher in lean patients compared with normal-weight and overweight/obese subjects (log-rank p < .001). Cox proportional hazard modelling showed overweight/obese was significantly associated with all-cause death (hazard ratio (HR) 0.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.48-0.95; p = .03), and lean was significantly associated with 3-point MACE (HR 2.02, 95% CI 1.15-3.53; p = .01). Cox proportional hazard analysis with restricted cubic spline showed non-linear associations between BMI and both all-cause mortality and 3-point MACE (p for effect = .002 and = .003, respectively). No significant interaction was evident between sex and BMI for all-cause mortality (p for interaction = .104) or 3-point MACE (p for interaction =0.122). Lean category was associated with adverse outcomes among CAD patients. An obesity paradox regarding the independent association of elevated BMI with reduced mortality after PCI is evident in both males and females.


Associations between fish consumption and metabolic syndrome. A large cross-sectional study from the Norwegian Tromsø Study: Tromsø 4.
Fish consumption may prevent or improve metabolic health. The aim of this study was to identify associations between fish consumption, both fatty and lean, and metabolic syndrome and its components. Associations between fish consumption and metabolic syndrome and its components were studied in a large sample from a Norwegian population (N = 23,907), using cross-sectional data from the Tromsø 4 survey (1994-1995). Metabolic syndrome was defined using the JIS definition, and dietary data was collected using food frequency questionnaires (FFQ). Blood samples were taken for biochemical assessments, and anthropometric and blood pressure measurements were carried out according to standard protocols. In this sample from an adult population (aged 26-70 years, mean age 44 years, SD 11.69, 48 % men), a higher fish consumption (≥1/week) was associated with a healthier lipid profile with increased HDL-C and decreased TG. Participants aged 60-70 years consuming fish once a week or more had significantly lower risk of having MetS, compared to those consuming fish less than once a week (OR 0.64, CI 0.45-0.91). When investigating fatty and lean fish separately, only lean fish consumption was associated with a reduced the risk of having MetS. Participants aged 60-70 years consuming lean fish once a week or more, had lower risk of having MetS compared to those consuming lean fish less than once a week (OR 0.65, CI 0.48-0.87). No association was found for consumption of fatty fish, or for lean fish in the age groups <45 or 45-59 years. These results indicates that fatty and lean fish consumption influences MetS risk differently, possibly also related to age. However, further investigation is needed to establish how various fish consumption may influence MetS and its components, particularly when stratified by fatty and lean fish.


Parathyroid hormone binding sites in the brain.
Parathyroid hormone (PTH) has been shown to have actions within the brain, suggesting the presence of central PTH receptors. This possibility was examined by determining the binding of 125I-labeled [Nle8,18,Tyr34]bovine PTH to the plasma membranes of rat and rabbit brains. Specific binding of the tracer to membranes of the whole brain was time and tissue dependent, and was greater with membranes from the hypothalamus than with membranes from the cerebellum, cerebrum, or brain stem. The binding of the tracer to rat hypothalamic membranes was saturable and competitively displaced by unlabeled PTH(1-34), PTH(3-34), [Nle8,18,Tyr34]PTH(1-34), and by PTH-related protein, indicating the presence of a single class of high-affinity (dissociation constant = 2-5 nM), low-capacity (maximum binding capacity, Bmax = 110-250 fmol/mg protein) binding site. The binding of radiolabeled PTH to these sites was not displaced by unrelated peptides of comparable molecular size (calcitonin, calcitonin-gene related peptide, adrenocorticotropin). The binding of PTH to these sites did not, however, appear to stimulate adenylate cyclase activity, as in peripheral PTH target sites. Thus, although these results indicate the presence of PTH receptors in the brain, these binding sites have a lower affinity than those in peripheral tissues and may utilize a different signal transduction system.


Morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses reveal three species of Colletotrichum in Shandong province, China.
Colletotrichum has numerous host range and distribution. Its species are important plant pathogens, endophytes and saprobes. Colletotrichum can cause regular or irregular depressions and necrotic lesions in the epidermal tissues of plants. During this research Colletotrichum specimens were collected from Mengyin County, Shandong Province, China. A multi-locus phylogenetic analysis of ITS, GAPDH, CHS-1, ACT, TUB2, CAL and GS sequence data combined with morphology, revealed a new species and two known species, viz. C.mengyinense sp. nov., C.gloeosporioides and C.pandanicola, belonging to the C.gloeosporioides species complex. The new species is described and illustrated in this paper and compared with taxa in the C.gloeosporioides species complex.


Extended-Release Naltrexone and Case Management for Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder in the Emergency Department.
To assess the feasibility of initiating treatment for alcohol use disorder with extended-release naltrexone and case management services in the emergency department (ED) and measure the intervention's impact on daily alcohol consumption and quality of life. This is a 12-week prospective open-label single-arm study of a multimodal treatment for alcohol use disorder consisting of monthly extended-release naltrexone injections and case management services initiated at an urban academic ED. Participants were actively drinking adult patients in ED with known or suspected alcohol use disorder and an AUDIT-C score more than 4. The main feasibility outcomes included the rates of participant enrollment, retention in the study, and continuing treatment after study completion. Efficacy outcomes were the change in daily alcohol consumption (drinks per day; 14 g ethanol per drink), measured by a 14-day timeline followback, and the change in quality of life measured with a single-item Kemp quality of life scale. One hundred seventy-nine patients were approached, and 32 were enrolled (18%). Of the 32 enrolled patients, 25 (78%) completed all visits, and 22 (69%) continued naltrexone after the trial. The mean baseline daily alcohol consumption was 7.6 drinks per day (interquartile range, 4.5, 13.4), and the mean quality of life was 3.6 (SD 1.7) on a 7-point scale. The median daily alcohol consumption change was -7.5 drinks per day (Hodges-Lehmann 95% confidence interval -8.6, -5.9). The mean quality of life change was 1.2 points (95% confidence interval 0.5, 1.9; P<.01). We found that initiation of treatment of alcohol use disorder with extended-release naltrexone and case management is feasible in an ED setting and observed significant reductions in drinking with improved quality of life in the short term. Multicenter randomized controlled trials are needed to further validate these findings.


Measurement of cytosolic free Ca2+ in individual small cells using fluorescence microscopy with dual excitation wavelengths.
Free Ca2+ concentrations in the cytosol of individual small cells can be recorded with a new fluorescent Ca2+ indicator, "fura-2", and a fluorescence microscope modified to chop rapidly between two wavelengths of excitation. Both fura-2 and its Ca2+ complex fluoresce strongly, but their excitation peaks differ in wavelength. Alternation between the two preferred wavelengths allows assessment of the ratio of Ca2+-bound dye to free dye and hence cytosolic free Ca2+. This ratio measurement largely cancels out the effects of cell thickness, dye content, or instrumental efficiency, uncertainties that can jeopardize measurements at single wavelengths. We describe instrumentation that supplies rapidly alternating excitation wavelengths to either a standard cuvet or a fluorescence microscope. Its use is illustrated by experiments showing changes in cytosolic [Ca2+] accompanying activation of human platelets in suspension or single mouse thymocytes on the microscope.


Hyaluronate binding proteins also bind to fibronectin, laminin and collagen.
Small molecular weight proteins, isolated from the culture medium of embryonic chick heart fibroblasts and 3T3 cell lines by hyaluronate affinity chromatography, bind in order of apparent affinity, to hyaluronate, fibronectin, collagen and laminin. Such proteins isolated from the MSV-transformed 3T3 cell line bind in greater amounts to the nectins and hyaluronate than do similar proteins isolated from heart fibroblasts or 3T3 cells. These small hyaluronate binding proteins are immunologically distinct from other well characterized proteins such as laminin, fibronectin, bovine serum albumin and actin. Their relationship to other small, extracellular proteins and their possible role in structuring of extracellular matrix are discussed.


Speech acceptability and olfaction in laryngectomees.
A number of hypotheses concerning the causal relationships and interrelationships between esophageal speech acceptability, olfactory abilities, and airflow volume in laryngectomees were tested. To assess the hypotheses, data were collected from 25 laryngectomees and comprised the following: (1) A measure of speech acceptability using a standard passage of prose; (2) odor identification test results in which 14 common odorants were used; (3) odor threshold test results in which an 11-step aqueous dilution series of l-butanol was used and: (4) a measure of nasal airflow volume in liters per minute. The null hypotheses linking speech acceptability, olfaction, and airflow volume were all tested and none of the path coefficients was significant. The results are discussed in relation to observations made by Gilchrist [Acta Otolaryngol. (Stockh.) 75:511-518 (1973)], who noted that those esophageal speakers who attained good speech maintained a greater sensitivity to smell. The findings in the present study do not support Gilchrist's observations.


Evaluating a two-step approach to sexual risk reduction in a publicly-funded STI clinic: rationale, design, and baseline data from the Health Improvement Project-Rochester (HIP-R).
Sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics provide an opportune setting for HIV prevention efforts. This randomized controlled trial evaluated a unique, two-step approach to sexual risk reduction at a publicly-funded STI clinic. During an initial visit, patients completed an audio-computer assisted self-interview (ACASI), were randomized to and received one of two brief interventions, obtained medical care, and completed a post-assessment. Next, two-thirds of the patients were assigned to attend an intensive sexual risk reduction workshop. At 3, 6, and 12 months, patients completed additional ACASIs and provided urine specimens to assess behavior change and incident STIs. During a 28-month interval, 5613 patients were screened, 2691 were eligible, and 1483 consented to participate and were randomized; the modal reason for declining was lack of time (82%). Consenting patients included 688 women and 795 men; 64% of participants were African-American. The sample was low-income, with 57% reporting an annual income of less than $15,000; most participants (62%) had a high school education or less, and 51% were unemployed. Sexual risk behavior was common, as indicated by multiple sexual partners (mean=32.8, lifetime; mean=2.8, past 3 months), unprotected sex (mean=17.3 episodes, past 3 months), and prior STIs (mean=3.3, lifetime; 23% at baseline). Bivariate analyses confirmed our prediction that HIV-related motivation and behavioral skills would be related to current sexual risk behavior. All patients received a brief intervention; patient satisfaction ratings were uniformly high for both interventions (all means >or=3.7 on 4-point scales). Fifty-six percent of invited patients attended the intensive workshop, and attendance did not differ as a function of brief intervention. Patient satisfaction ratings were also uniformly positive for the workshop interventions (all means >or=3.6). Return to follow-up assessments exceeded 70%. Results demonstrate that implementing an HIV preventive program in a busy, public clinic is feasible and well-accepted by patients. Ongoing evaluation will determine if the interventions reduce sexual risk behavior and lower incident STIs.


Beliefs of Alberta physicians concerning active euthanasia: analysis of qualitative data collected in the Alberta Euthanasia Survey.
Often the type of information collected in surveys of physicians' opinions about active euthanasia has not revealed their experiences and the rationale(s) they use in arriving at their opinions. This paper presents a qualitative analysis of comments made in a large survey of Alberta physicians' opinions about active euthanasia to identify issues physicians commented upon, and to explore the rationale(s) behind their opinions. This information adds an important qualitative perspective to the current debate about euthanasia and assisted suicide.


Intracellular ABC transporter A3 confers multidrug resistance in leukemia cells by lysosomal drug sequestration.
Multidrug resistance (MDR) seriously limits the efficacy of chemotherapy in patients with cancer and leukemia. Active transport across membranes is essential for such cellular drug resistance, largely provided by ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transport proteins. Intracellular drug sequestration contributes to MDR; however, a genuine intracellular ABC transport protein with MDR function has not yet been identified. Analyzing the intrinsic drug efflux capacity of leukemic stem cells, we found the ABC transporter A3 (ABCA3) to be expressed consistently in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) samples. Greater expression of ABCA3 is associated with unfavorable treatment outcome, and in vitro, elevated expression induces resistance toward a broad spectrum of cytostatic agents. ABCA3 remains localized within the limiting membranes of lysosomes and multivesicular bodies, in which cytostatics are efficiently sequestered. In addition to AML, we also detected ABCA3 in a panel of lymphohematopoietic tissues and transformed cell lines. In conclusion, we identified subcellular drug sequestration mediated by the genuinely intracellular ABCA3 as being a clinically relevant mechanism of intrinsic MDR.


Growth hormone induction of insulin-like growth factor I messenger RNA in primary cultures of rat liver cells.
Primary liver cells from adult rats were used to study the hormonal regulation of mRNA coding for insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I). IGF-I mRNA could be detected at a low concentration in liver cells prepared from hypophysectomized rats and cultivated for 3 days. When these cells were exposed to GH on the second day, a dose-dependent increase in IGF-I mRNA was observed. The continuous presence of serum was not a prerequisite for this response, since GH also induced IGF-I mRNA in a defined hormone-supplemented medium. It is concluded that GH can induced IGF-I mRNA in the liver by a direct mechanism.


Serum uric Acid as a marker of coronary calcification in patients with asymptomatic coronary artery disease with preserved left ventricular pump function.
Objective. To evaluate the interrelation between serum uric acid and artery calcification in asymptomatic coronary artery disease subjects. Design and Methods. 126 subjects with previously documented asymptomatic coronary artery disease were enrolled in the study. Results. Mean value of serum uric acid level was 23.84 mmol/L (95% confidence interval (CI) = 15.75-31.25 mmol/L). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, the results showed that serum uric acid levels (odds ratio (OR) = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.20-1.82; P < 0.001), osteopontin (OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.12-1.25; P < 0.001), osteoprotegerin (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.20-1.89; P < 0.001), type 2 diabetes mellitus (OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.20-1.72; P < 0.001), and total cholesterol (OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.10-1.22; P < 0.001) were factors that independently associated with coronary artery calcification. The Cox models suggested that high quartile of serum uric acid level is very significant in predicting Agatston score index. In conclusion, we suggested that high quartile of serum uric acid level (cutoff point equaled 35.9 mmol/L) was a very significant predictor of coronary calcification examined by Agatston score index in subjects with asymptomatic coronary artery disease.


Dipstick-type biosensor for visual detection of DNA with oligonucleotide-decorated colored polystyrene microspheres as reporters.
In recent years, there is a continuously growing interest in the development of biosensors for rapid, simple and inexpensive DNA tests suitable for the small laboratory or for on-site testing. Detection is accomplished through electrochemical, optical or gravimetric transduction. We report on the development of disposable dipstick-type DNA biosensors that employ oligonucleotide-decorated colored polystyrene microspheres as reporters and enable visual detection of DNA sequences without the use of instrumentation. The biosensors have been designed to detect DNA molecules that contain both, a biotin moiety and a segment that is complementary to the oligonucleotide attached on the surface of blue or red microspheres. Capture of the hybrids by immobilized streptavidin at the test zone results in the formation of a colored line. The biosensors were applied to: (a) detection of single-stranded DNA, (b) detection of PCR-amplified double-stranded DNA and (c) genotyping of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP). The results were compared with sensors based on gold nanoparticle reporters. It is also demonstrated that the microspheres offer the potential for multicolor detection of specific DNA sequences.


Synthesis of diglycolic acid functionalized core-shell silica coated Fe3O4 nanomaterials for magnetic extraction of Pb(II) and Cr(VI) ions.
Amine-terminated core-shell silica coated magnetite nanoparticles were functionalized with diglycolic acid for the first time to create acid moiety on the surface of the nanoparticles. The formation of magnetite nanoparticles was scrutinised through XRD, SEM, EDS, TEM, VSM and FTIR spectroscopy. The BET surface area of nano-sorbent was found to be 4.04 m2/g with pore size 23.68 nm. These nanomaterials were then utilized to remove the Pb(II) and Cr(VI) ions from their aqueous media and uptake of metal ions was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). A batch adsorption technique was applied to remove both ions at optimised pH and contact time with maximum adsorption efficiency for Pb(II) ions at pH 7 while for Cr(VI) ions at pH 3. Adsorption mechanism was studied using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms and equilibrium data fitted well for both the isotherms, showing complex nature of adsorption comprising both chemisorption as well as physio-sorption phenomena. The nanosorbents exhibited facile separation by applying external magnetic field due to the ferrimagnetic behaviour with 31.65 emu/g saturation magnetization. These nanosorbents were also found to be used multiple times after regeneration.


Idiopathic photodermatoses: clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects.
Idiopathic photodermatoses are a group of photosensitivity dermatoses, which are not very frequent with the exception of polymorphous light eruption. Therefore, their recognition may not be easy for dermatologists who are not familiar with photosensitivity diseases. The information in this review is intended for giving clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic clues for the correct management of patients. Clinical features will be described together with diagnostic relevant procedures and usual therapeutic measures.


Medical reversal of acquired hypophosphatemic osteomalacia.
Hypophosphatemic osteomalacia may present as severe disability from bone disease. This report describes a patient with long-standing disease and multiple fractures. Medical management of the phosphate loss may be successful in promoting bone healing when it is not possible to establish the cause of the phosphaturia. Judicious increases in calcium, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, and phosphorus supplements were carefully monitored to avoid failure of therapy or hypercalcemic complications from pharmacologic amounts of these supplements.


Coordination of VEGF receptor trafficking and signaling by coreceptors.
During development, regeneration and in certain pathological settings, the vasculature is expanded and remodeled substantially. Proper morphogenesis and function of blood vessels are essential in multicellular organisms. Upon stimulation with growth factors including vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs), the activation, internalization and sorting of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) orchestrate developmental processes and the homeostatic maintenance of all organs including the vasculature. Previously, RTK signaling was thought to occur exclusively at the plasma membrane, a process that was subsequently terminated by endocytosis and receptor degradation. However, this model turned out to be an oversimplification and there is now a substantial amount of reports indicating that receptor internalization and trafficking to intracellular compartments depends on coreceptors leading to the activation of specific signaling pathways. Here we review the latest findings concerning endocytosis and intracellular trafficking of VEGFRs. The body of evidence is compelling that VEGF receptor trafficking is coordinated with other proteins such as Neuropilin-1, ephrin-B2, VE-cadherin and protein phosphatases.


Hydrogen sulfide-induced chilling resistance in peach fruit is performed via sustaining the homeostasis of ROS and RNS.
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) application impacts on endogenous H2S, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) in cold-stored peach fruit were investigated. 20 μL L-1 H2S (NaHS as the donor) efficiently retarded the quality deterioration arising from chilling injury (CI), triggering endogenous H2S production, while enhancing antioxidant systems and ROS generation (NADPH oxidative enzyme). H2S promoted nitric oxide (NO) correlated with the S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR)-mediated GSNO reduction, while suppressing the peroxynitrite anion content. As the pivotal coenzyme of ROS and RNS, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) levels were elevated by H2S during late-stage storage via the tricarboxylic acid cycle, where reduced NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP-ICDH) activity and gene expression. Structural analysis of peach NADP-ICDH (UniProtKB M5WXP5) deduced that Cys79 and Tyr396 are the likeliest targets for S-nitrosylation and nitration, respectively. These results indicate that H2S counteracts the disorders of ROS and RNS to ameliorate CI of peach fruit.


Performance of a commercial-scale DiCOM demonstration facility treating mixed municipal solid waste in comparison with laboratory-scale data.
The current paper describes the performance of a commercial-scale (20,000 tpa) demonstration facility of the DiCOM process, a biological treatment for the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW). The 21-d process combines aerobic composting and high-solids (30%DM), thermophilic (55 °C) anaerobic digestion (AD), within a single vessel. Mechanically sorted OFMSW, derived from mixed household MSW (324 t), was exposed to sequential aerobic/anaerobic/aerobic treatment. The AD, initiated by adding anaerobic inoculum from a previous trial, was stable (without pH intervention) and the onset of methanogenesis, rapid (<3 h). Volatile fatty acids formed during AD (including propionate) were exhausted prior to reuse of the inoculum. As measured by an electron flux from solids to gaseous end-products, AD accounted for the greatest portion of solids degradation (86%=160 m(3)CH(4)/drytOFMSW). However, unlike laboratory trials, limited degradation occurred during initial aerobic treatment. The discharged solids were classified as a composted soil conditioner.


Time-dependent recovery of brain hypometabolism in neuro-COVID-19 patients.
We evaluated brain metabolic dysfunctions and associations with neurological and biological parameters in acute, subacute and chronic COVID-19 phases to provide deeper insights into the pathophysiology of the disease. Twenty-six patients with neurological symptoms (neuro-COVID-19) and [18F]FDG-PET were included. Seven patients were acute (< 1 month (m) after onset), 12 subacute (4 ≥ 1-m, 4 ≥ 2-m and 4 ≥ 3-m) and 7 with neuro-post-COVID-19 (3 ≥ 5-m and 4 ≥ 7-9-m). One patient was evaluated longitudinally (acute and 5-m). Brain hypo- and hypermetabolism were analysed at single-subject and group levels. Correlations between severity/extent of brain hypo- and hypermetabolism and biological (oxygen saturation and C-reactive protein) and clinical variables (global cognition and Body Mass Index) were assessed. The "fronto-insular cortex" emerged as the hypometabolic hallmark of neuro-COVID-19. Acute patients showed the most severe hypometabolism affecting several cortical regions. Three-m and 5-m patients showed a progressive reduction of hypometabolism, with limited frontal clusters. After 7-9 months, no brain hypometabolism was detected. The patient evaluated longitudinally showed a diffuse brain hypometabolism in the acute phase, almost recovered after 5 months. Brain hypometabolism correlated with cognitive dysfunction, low blood saturation and high inflammatory status. Hypermetabolism in the brainstem, cerebellum, hippocampus and amygdala persisted over time and correlated with inflammation status. Synergistic effects of systemic virus-mediated inflammation and transient hypoxia yield a dysfunction of the fronto-insular cortex, a signature of CNS involvement in neuro-COVID-19. This brain dysfunction is likely to be transient and almost reversible. The long-lasting brain hypermetabolism seems to reflect persistent inflammation processes.


Proteolytic activity of selected clinical isolates of Serratia marcescens against human serum proteins.
Six representative clinical isolates of Serratia marcescens were examined for proteolytic activity against various proteins of normal fresh human serum. The extent of proteolytic activity was screened with micro-scale immunoelectrophoresis and quantitatively documented with the aid of Laurell's rocket electroimmuno assay. The 6 S. marcescens strains regularly altered, albeit to varying degrees, complement components C3a, C3c, C4, C5, and C9, and haptoglobin. Apolipoprotein and immunoglobulin A, the latter derived from human colostrum, were attacked by 5 and 4 isolates, respectively. Two isolates altered alpha 1-antitrypsin, whereas only one isolate interacted with alpha 2-macroglobulin and transferrin. In contrast, alpha 2-HS-glycoprotein, alpha 1-antichymotrypsin, and serum IgA, IgG, and IgM immunoglobulins were not affected by the test strains.


Development and validation of a Japanese version of the Patient Centred Assessment Method and its user guide: a cross-sectional study.
The primary objective of this study was to develop the Japanese version of the Patient Centred Assessment Method (PCAM) and its user guide. The secondary objective was to examine the validity and reliability in the primary care setting. Cross-sectional study. Three family physician teaching clinics located in urban residential areas in Tokyo, Japan. Patients who were aged 20 years or older, and who had an appointment with physicians at the three participating clinics. Patient complexity measured by PCAM and complexity/burden level measured by a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Although confirmatory factor analysis using a model described in a previous study revealed that the indices did not meet the criteria for good fit, exploratory factor analysis revealed a new three-factor structure of 'Personal well-being,' 'Social interaction' and 'Needs for care/service.' Cronbach's alpha of PCAM was 0.86. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients between PCAM scores and VAS scores were 0.51 for complexity (p<0.001) and 0.41 for burden (p<0.001). There were 42 patients (14.3% of total patients) with PCAM scores greater than its mean of 16.5 but with complexity VAS scores less than its mean of 20.8. The Japanese version of PCAM and its user guide were developed through Japanese translation and cultural adaptation by cognitive debriefing. PCAM is a valid and reliable tool to assess patient complexity in the primary care settings in Japan. Additionally, although the correlation between total PCAM scores and complexity/burden as assessed by VAS was moderate, PCAM can more precisely identify patient complexity than skilled physician's intuition.


Assessment of quality of life in later life: development and validation of the QuiLL.
The aim was to develop a quality of life (QOL) instrument, informed by older people, carers and professionals in older peoples' services, for use by community care staff as part of their assessment, care-planning and outcome monitoring procedures. The multi-phase development project involved: qualitative interviews to generate the item pool; pre-testing; preliminary field-testing; and final testing in a community survey and in health and social care settings. The process was informed by over 100 interviews with older people, carers, professionals, academics and policy-makers. Two products emerged following data-reduction: a research instrument (64 items), and a shorter assessment tool suitable for routine use in clinical, therapeutic or case-management practice (27 items, taking 7-15 min to complete). A community survey using the research instrument achieved a 71% response rate (n = 249). Ninety six percent of people found the domain content of the assessment tool relevant, and 80% considered the items covered were important. Both instruments have good internal consistency (alpha = 0.85). Inter-rater reliability was good for research staff, but poor between them and operational staff. Little objective change took place during the 3-month follow-up study, but where it did the direction was consistent with subjective change. The instrument needs to be applied in different contexts to assess interventions of known impact. Together with daily living and health status measures it can form part of a comprehensive assessment for older people.


Efficacy study of a topical treatment with a plant extract with antibiofilm activities using an in vivo model of canine superficial pyoderma.
Canine pyoderma is a common skin infection caused predominantly by staphylococcal bacteria. Because of increasing rates of antimicrobial resistance in bacterial isolates, there is an urgent need for alternative or supplementary treatment options. W16P576, a Water Extract of Complex Mix of Edible Plants (WECMEP), has shown in vitro activity against a variety of bacteria, including Staphylococcus pseudintermedius. A canine model of pyoderma was developed which allows in vivo testing of antimicrobial agents in a controlled environment. To evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of topical application of W16P576 in a model of canine pyoderma. Nine laboratory housed beagle dogs. In an evaluator-blinded cross-over study with an eight week washout period, dogs were treated topically twice daily with W16P576 WECMEP or its vehicle, starting three days before bacterial challenge. On the day of challenge, each dog was treated with two concentrations of a clinical S. pseudintermedius strain on opposite sides of the body. Topical treatment was continued for 11 days and lesions of pyoderma were evaluated and scored for 14 days. All dogs developed lesions consistent with bacterial pyoderma. Lesion scores were generally higher on the side inoculated with a higher concentration of bacteria. Treatment with W16P576 significantly reduced lesion development and hastened resolution of lesions, compared to placebo. Topical application of W16P576 markedly reduced lesion development in this proof of principle study. Clinical trials are warranted to estimate benefits for dogs with naturally occurring pyoderma under field conditions.


Comparison of coronary plaque characteristics between diabetic and non-diabetic subjects: An in vivo optical coherence tomography study.
Postmortem series have reported that subjects with diabetes mellitus have coronary plaques with larger necrotic cores and increased macrophage infiltration. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a high-resolution imaging modality that allows in vivo characterization of atherosclerotic plaques. Using OCT imaging, we compared in vivo plaque characteristics between diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. Sixty-three patients undergoing cardiac catheterization were enrolled. OCT imaging was performed in culprit coronary arteries. Assessment of plaque lipid content, fibrous cap thickness and frequency of thin-cap fibroatheroma were made independently. Macrophage density was determined from the optical signal within fibrous cap. Eighty-two plaques in total were imaged (19 diabetic vs. 63 non-diabetic). There were no significant differences in frequency of lipid-rich plaques (68% vs. 71%; P=0.78), thin-cap fibroatheroma (29% vs. 36%; P=0.76) or minimum fibrous cap thickness (66.6microm vs. 62.9microm; P=0.87) between diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Fibrous cap macrophage density was higher in lipid-rich plaques (P=0.01) but showed no difference between diabetic and non-diabetic patients (5.94% vs. 5.94%; P=0.37). There were no significant differences in culprit vessel plaque characteristics between diabetic and non-diabetic patients presenting with coronary artery disease. This represents the first study to characterize coronary plaques in diabetic patients using OCT.


Kinetics of serologic cross-reactions between Ehrlichia canis and the Ehrlichia phagocytophila genogroups in experimental E. canis infection in dogs.
The serological cross-reactions between the Ehrlichia canis and Ehrlichia phagocytophila genogroups, and the kinetics of development of antibodies in dogs to the E. phagocytophila group after artificial infection with the Israeli strain of E. canis was investigated. Results of this study indicate that the development of antibodies to the E. phagocytophila genogroup in dogs after infection with E. canis is a time dependent event probably conditional on the continued propagation of the rickettsia in the host. After spontaneous clinical recovery, and at the beginning of the subclinical phase, no antibodies to E. phagocytophila were yet detectable. The first evidence of IgG antibodies to E. phagocytophila were found in two of the six dogs, 55 days after artificial infection with E. canis, while another two dogs became seropositive to E. phagocytophila 22 days later. All surviving dogs were seropositive to E. phagocytophila by 150 days PI. It is suggested that the appearance of E. phagocytophila antibodies following treatment of acute E. canis infection may be used to judge treatment failure and/or persistence of infection.


The diverse repertoire of ISG15: more intricate than initially thought.
ISG15, the product of interferon (IFN)-stimulated gene 15, is the first identified ubiquitin-like protein (UBL), which plays multifaceted roles not only as a free intracellular or extracellular molecule but also as a post-translational modifier in the process of ISG15 conjugation (ISGylation). ISG15 has only been identified in vertebrates, indicating that the functions of ISG15 and its conjugation are restricted to higher eukaryotes and have evolved with IFN signaling. Despite the highlighted complexity of ISG15 and ISGylation, it has been suggested that ISG15 and ISGylation profoundly impact a variety of cellular processes, including protein translation, autophagy, exosome secretion, cytokine secretion, cytoskeleton dynamics, DNA damage response, telomere shortening, and immune modulation, which emphasizes the necessity of reassessing ISG15 and ISGylation. However, the underlying mechanisms and molecular consequences of ISG15 and ISGylation remain poorly defined, largely due to a lack of knowledge on the ISG15 target repertoire. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the mechanistic understanding and molecular consequences of ISG15 and ISGylation. We also highlight new insights into the roles of ISG15 and ISGylation not only in physiology but also in the pathogenesis of various human diseases, especially in cancer, which could contribute to therapeutic intervention in human diseases.


An intraoral drug delivery system.
Topical drug therapy for ulcerative and vesiculobullous diseases of the oral mucosa has generally proved unsatisfactory because of the turbulent and changing nature of the oral cavity. The construction and use of an intraoral drug delivery system using custom carriers to deliver topical medication is described. The delivery system presented overcomes many of the obstacles associated with topical drug administration for oral lesions and provides a therapeutic alternative to systemic agents.


Folie à deux.
A review of folie à deux or induced psychotic disorder (DSM-III-R) is provided. The author believes it to be a more frequent phenomenon than usually thought, especially when hospitalized patients are evaluated with their families. An argument is made for viewing it as a description of a relationship and possible influence between individuals who may have very different disease processes. This includes, in the secondary partner, a continuum from being very "impressionable" to having an autonomous and independent delusional disorder. A case report and suggestions for treatment are given.


Local response in rat to liposome-associated Streptococcus mutans polysaccharide-protein conjugate.
The effect of gastric intubation with soluble or liposome-associated Streptococcus mutans serovar polysaccharide, 74-kDa saliva receptor (74K SR protein) or polysaccharide-74K SR protein conjugate on the locally induced salivary IgA response and memory in rats was investigated. Animals immunized on four successive days with soluble antigens showed a weak salivary anti-74K SR protein or anti-polysaccharide IgA response. Rats primed and boosted by a single injection of liposome-associated 74K SR protein or polysaccharide-74K SR protein conjugate developed a salivary anti-74K SR protein IgA and IgG primary and secondary response. A primary anti-polysaccharide response was only observed in saliva of animals immunized with either high concentration of liposome-associated polysaccharide or liposome-associated polysaccharide-74K SR protein conjugate. However, a secondary local anti-polysaccharide IgA response was detected in animals boosted with liposome-polysaccharide-74K SR protein conjugate. No such anamnestic response was seen when high dose of liposome-associated polysaccharide was used to boost the animals. Furthermore, the salivary anti-polysaccharide IgA response paralleled the anti-74K SR protein IgA response. These studies showed that intragastric immunization of rats with liposome-associated polysaccharide-74K SR protein conjugate produced a local anti-polysaccharide IgA memory.


Temporal and spatial variability in the interaction between the checkerspot butterfly, Euphydryas chalcedona and its principal food source, the Californian shrub, Diplacus aurantiacus.
The phenology of the Californian shrub, Diplacus aurantiacus has been shown to be closely tied to habitat water availability, and the life cycle of the checkerspot butterfly, Euphydryas chalcedona, is in turn tied to the phenological development of Diplacus. Here this relationship is further documented by showing how the activity patterns of both the shrub and the butterfly vary from year to year, but in synchrony, dependent on the breaking of the annual drought.The end of the feeding period for the post-diapause larvae coincides with flowering of Diplacus. At this time the quality of leaves as a food source for the larvae declines as nitrogen evidently moves from the leaves into plant reproductive parts.The abundance of leaves available as food for the larvae varies greatly with season. The few leaves present during the drought period, when the larvae are inactive, are low in nitrogen and high in resin content. Even during this period, though, these leaves contribute to the carbon economy of the plant. Of the leaves produced during the principal growing season, it is the youngest leaves with the highest nitrogen contents, and hence greatest potential carbon-gaining capacity, that have the highest resin contents. Larvae feed preferentially on the older, lower-resin-content leaves. It can be surmised thus that resin is a feeding deterrent and that its distribution within the plant results in the greatest protection of the plant's carbon-gaining capacity.


Coconut oil and medium-chain fatty acids attenuate high-fat diet-induced obesity in mice through increased thermogenesis by activating brown adipose tissue.
Coconut oil (CO) and its main ingredients, medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), present many benefits. Whether MCFA and CO play an equally valuable role in anti-obesity remains unclear. This study compared the anti-obesity effects of CO and MCFA [octanoic acid (C8:0) and decanoic acid (C10:0)] to gain insight into the underlying mechanism. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed either a low-fat diet (LFD) or high-fat diet (100% HFD) replaced with 2.5% MCFA (97.5% HFD + 2.5% MCFA) or 5% CO (95% HFD + 5% CO) for 17 weeks. CO and MCFA ameliorated the HFD-induced abnormal body and adipose depot weights, insulin sensitivity, and energy expenditure (EE), which was associated with brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis. Furthermore, CO enhanced the expression of thermogenesis markers in BAT, which was consistent with increased BAT activity. CO showed a better effect than MCFA in activating BAT to increase thermogenesis and energy metabolism to combat obesity, which may be attributed to the cooperation of MCFA and other substances in CO. This work provides evidence for the anti-obesity effects of CO, which could be a better alternative to lard in daily diet, rather than pure MCFA.


Eye color in skin cancer.
In Spain, 2175 patients with skin disease were studied for eye color; 425 had skin cancer and 1750 had other skin conditions. Of the skin cancer patients, 359 had light-colored eyes (blue, green, gray or light brown). Of the others, 60% had dark-colored eyes (black or dark brown).


Ditching the Disc: The Effects of Cloud-Based Image Sharing on Department Efficiency and Report Turnaround Times in Mammography.
In screening mammography, accessing prior examination images is crucial for accurate diagnosis and avoiding false-positives. When women visit multiple institutions for their screens, these "outside" examinations must be retrieved for comparison. Traditionally, prior images are obtained by faxing requests to other institutions and waiting for standard mail (film or CD-ROM), which can greatly delay report turnaround times. Recently, advancements in cloud-based image transfer technology have opened up more efficient options for examination transfer between institutions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of cloud-based image transfer on mammography department workflow, time required to obtain prior images, and report turnaround times. Sixty screening examinations requiring prior images were placed into two groups (30 each). The control group used the standard institutional protocol for requesting prior images: faxing requests and waiting for mailed examinations. The experimental group used a cloud-based transfer for both requesting and receiving examinations. The mean number of days between examination request and examination receipt was measured for both groups and compared. The mean number of days from examination request to receipt was 6.08 days (SD 3.50) in the control group compared with 3.16 days (SD 3.95) in the experimental group. Using a cloud-based image transfer to obtain prior mammograms resulted in an average reduction of 2.92 days (P = .0361; 95% confidence interval 0.20-5.65) between examination request and receipt. This improvement in system efficiency is relevant for interpreting radiologists working to improve reporting times and for patients anxious to receive their mammography results.


Environmental enrichment induces early heroin abstinence in an animal conflict model.
Heroin addiction is a significant health and societal problem for which there is no highly effective long-term behavioral or pharmacological treatment. Therefore, strategies that support heroin abstinence should be a primary focus of heroin treatment research. To this end, the current study used an animal conflict model that captures the aversive consequences of drug seeking (as are typical in humans, e.g., incarceration and job loss) to induce abstinence. Using this abstinence model, we examined the capacity of environmental enrichment (EE) to facilitate abstinence in heroin seeking rats. The procedure consisted of two phases: drug self-administration (phase 1) and electric barrier application (phase 2) that resulted in abstinence. For phase 1, male rats were trained to self-administer intravenous heroin under a fixed-ratio schedule of reinforcement. After self-administration was acquired, animals were housed either in EE or standard cages (non-EE control). During abstinence in phase 2, the electric barrier was introduced in the operant conditioning chambers by electrifying the floor area near the levers. We found that EE rats achieved abstinence (zero active lever presses for 3 consecutive sessions) in significantly fewer sessions than NEE rats. Further, EE rats abstained at significantly lower electric currents than NEE rats. EE facilitated abstinence in the conflict model. The current use of the abstinence-conflict model to investigate EE as a behavioral strategy to facilitate abstinence will help in the development of effective treatments for human addicts by bringing together the positive consequences of abstinent behavior in an enriched environment with the aversive consequences of drug seeking.


The Kaiser Permanente experience with ultrasound-guided percutaneous endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.
This study was conducted to determine the effect of ultrasound (US)-guided percutaneous access for percutaneous endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (PEVAR) on conversion to open repair by femoral cutdown. We also sought to identify other risk factors associated with failure of percutaneous access and conversion to femoral cutdowns. This is a single-center, retrospective review of 101 patients who underwent PEVAR between January 1, 2005 and July 31, 2009 (56 months). Risk factors that were evaluated for unsuccessful PEVAR included gender, age (≤65 and ≥66 years), US-guided percutaneous access, mechanical failure, abdominal aortic aneurysm size, and the following comorbidities: diabetes, hypertension, vessel calcification, and obesity (body mass index: ≥30 kg/m(2)). There were 10 (9.9%) conversions from percutaneous to femoral cutdown, yielding a success rate of 90.1% for a total percutaneous approach. Each converted patient had one groin converted, resulting in a cutdown rate per groin of 10/202 (5%). There were no 30-day mortalities. Univariate analysis showed that hypertension (P = 0.261), age ≥66 years (P = 0.741), current smoking history (P = 0.649), past smoking history (P = .093), diabetes (P = 0.908), vessel calcification (P = 0.8281), and body mass index ≥30 kg/m(2) (P = 0.052) did not significantly predict conversion to endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR). Mechanical failure significantly predicted conversion to cutdown EVAR (P = 0.0002), whereas US-guided percutaneous access influenced successful PEVAR (P = 0.030). Multivariate analysis showed that mechanical failure significantly predicted conversion to cutdown EVAR (P = 0.003) and US-guided percutaneous access influenced successful PEVAR (P = 0.040) after adjusting for smoking history and obesity. PEVAR is a viable option for aortic aneurysm repair that may be improved with US-guided percutaneous access by reducing the rate of femoral cutdowns.


Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Signaling-Mediated 13-S-Hydroxyoctadecenoic Acid Is Involved in Lipid Metabolic Disorder and Oxidative Stress in the Liver of Freshwater Drum, Aplodinotus grunniens.
The appropriate level of dietary lipids is essential for the nutrient requirements, rapid growth, and health maintenance of aquatic animals, while excessive dietary lipid intake will lead to lipid deposition and affect fish health. However, the symptoms of excessive lipid deposition in the liver of freshwater drums (Aplodinotus grunniens) remain unclear. In this study, a 4-month rearing experiment feeding with high-fat diets and a 6-week starvation stress experiment were conducted to evaluate the physiological alteration and underlying mechanism associated with lipid deposition in the liver of A. grunniens. From the results, high-fat-diet-induced lipid deposition was associated with increased condition factor (CF), viscerosomatic index (VSI), and hepatosomatic index (HSI). Meanwhile, lipid deposition led to physiological and metabolic disorders, inhibited antioxidant capacity, and exacerbated the burden of lipid metabolism. Lipid deposition promoted fatty acid synthesis but suppressed catabolism. Specifically, the transcriptome and metabolome showed significant enrichment of lipid metabolism and antioxidant pathways. In addition, the interaction analysis suggested that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-mediated 13-S-hydroxyoctadecenoic acid (13 (s)-HODE) could serve as the key target in regulating lipid metabolism and oxidative stress during lipid deposition in A. grunniens. Inversely, with a lipid intake restriction experiment, PPARs were confirmed to regulate lipid expenditure and physiological homeostasis in A. grunniens. These results uncover the molecular basis of and provide specific molecular targets for fatty liver control and prevention, which are of great importance for the sustainable development of A. grunniens.


Characterizing interactions in E-cadherin assemblages.
Cadherin intermolecular interactions are critical for cell-cell adhesion and play essential roles in tissue formation and the maintenance of tissue structures. In this study, we focus on E-cadherin, a classical cadherin that connects epithelial cells, to understand how they interact in cis and trans conformations when attached to the same cell or opposing cells. We employ coevolutionary sequence analysis and molecular dynamics simulations to confirm previously known interaction sites as well as to identify new interaction sites. The sequence coevolutionary results yield a surprising result indicating that there are no strongly favored intermolecular interaction sites, which is unusual and suggests that many interaction sites may be possible, with none being strongly preferred over others. By using molecular dynamics, we test the persistence of these interactions and how they facilitate adhesion. We build several types of cadherin assemblages, with different numbers and combinations of cis and trans interfaces to understand how these conformations act to facilitate adhesion. Our results suggest that, in addition to the established interaction sites on the EC1 and EC2 domains, an additional plausible cis interface at the EC3-EC5 domain exists. Furthermore, we identify specific mutations at cis/trans binding sites that impair adhesion within E-cadherin assemblages.


Two new cyclolanostanol glycosides from the aerial parts of Cimicifuga foetida.
Two new cyclolanostanol glycosides, cimifoetiside IV (1) and cimifoetiside V (2) and two known compounds have been isolated from the aerial part of Cimicifuga foetida L. On the basis of spectral and chemical evidences, the structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated to be 25-O-acetylcimigenol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1" --> 2')-beta-D-xylopyranoside (1) and cimigenol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1"' --> 2")-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1" --> 2')-beta-D-xylopyranoside (2). The known compounds were identified as 25-O-acetylcimigenol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)-beta-D-xylopyranoside (3) and 23-O-acetylshengmanol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)-beta-D-xylopyranoside (4).


Genetic analysis of homologous DNA recombination in vertebrate somatic cells.
The maintenance of genomic stability and the ability to repair induced DNA damage in vertebrate cells require homologues of the yeast RAD52 epistasis group genes. The homologous recombination carried out by the products of these genes is essential and appears to be closely linked to DNA replication. Defects in recombination and associated activities are implicated in human cancer. This review summarises recent biochemical and genetic findings on the roles played by the vertebrate RAD52 group gene products in recombination. We describe the phenotypic analysis of genetically engineered mammalian and chicken mutants of homologous recombination genes.


Mechanisms of polyclonal B-cell activation in autoimmune B6-lpr/lpr mice.
The influence of the lpr gene on spontaneous and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced immunoglobulin production was studied in B6 mice homozygous for the mutant lpr gene (B6-lpr/lpr). Male and female mice of this congenic strain were followed for 1 year and sera serially tested by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the production of antibodies to single-stranded DNA (anti-sDNA), immunoglobulin (anti-IgG), and keyhole limpet hemocyanin (anti-KLH), models of autoantibody and non-autoantibody responses, respectively. Female B6-lpr/lpr mice demonstrated marked spontaneous responses to all three antigens; the responses of male B6-lpr/lpr mice were significantly lower but still exceeded those of the congenic B6-+/+ controls. These results demonstrate a generalized influence of sex on lpr associated responses. To determine whether this sex difference could be demonstrated with other forms of B-cell activation, young B6-+/+ and B6-lpr/lpr male and female mice were immunized with lipopolysaccharide and the induced responses determined. This immunization caused significant increases in the IgM response only. The levels of the induced responses produced after LPS treatment were comparable for +/+ and lpr/lpr mice. These results indicate that the enhanced responsiveness of female mice to lpr action is not reflected in the polyclonal response to LPS, which, furthermore, was unaffected by the presence of lpr. The differential influence of sex on lpr and LPS-induced responses and their apparent independence suggests that lpr and LPS promote B-cell activation by dissimilar mechanisms.


Bilirubin excess, erythrophages and siderophages in differentiation of blood in cerebrospinal fluid.
Non-artificial blood admixture in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) can be proven by demonstrating siderophages and 'bilirubin excess'. Bilirubin excess exists when the bilirubin concentration measured in the CSF exceeds the expected CSF bilirubin concentration. The expected CSF bilirubin concentration is calculated by multiplying the serum bilirubin concentration by the albumin quotient. Given a certain method of determination, a difference between the above-mentioned concentrations of less than 0.15 mumol/l must not be regarded as excess. Bilirubin excess was exclusively found in CSF with non-artificial blood admixture. Cytological and spectrophotometric studies are sufficient in screening for non-artificial blood admixture. When there are indications of an increased bilirubin concentration, calculations should be made in order to establish whether bilirubin excess exists. Lumbar puncture within 48 hours of the suspected haemorrhage should be avoided if possible.


Functional analysis of nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms in human SLC26A9.
Slc26 anion transporters play crucial roles in transepithelial Cl(-) absorption and HCO(3)(-) secretion; Slc26 protein mutations lead to several diseases. Slc26a9 functions as a Cl(-) channel and electrogenic Cl(-)--HCO(3)(-) exchanger, and can interact with cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator. Slc26a9(-/-) mice have reduced gastric acid secretion, yet no human disease is currently associated with SLC26A9 coding mutations. Therefore, we tested the function of nonsynonymous, coding, single nucleotide polymorphisms (cSNPs) of SLC26A9. Presently, eight cSNPs are NCBI documented: Y70N, T127N, I384T, R575W, P606L, V622L, V744M, and H748R. Using two-electrode voltage-clamp and anion selective electrodes, we measured the biophysical consequences of these cSNPs. Y70N (cytoplasmic N-terminus) displays higher channel activity and enhanced Cl(-)--HCO(3)(-) exchange. T127N (transmembrane) results in smaller halide currents but not for SCN(-). V622L (STAS domain) and V744M (STAS adjacent) decreased plasma membrane expression, which partially accounts for decreased whole cell currents. Nevertheless, V622L transport is reduced to ∼50%. SLC26A9 polymorphisms lead to several function modifications (increased activity, decreased activity, altered protein expression), which could lead to a spectrum of pathophysiologies. Thus, knowing an individual's SLC26A9 genetics becomes important for understanding disease potentially caused by SLC26A9 mutations or modifying diseases, for example, cystic fibrosis. Our results also provide a framework to understand SLC26A9 transport modalities and structure-function relationships.


TNF-alpha and IL-6 signals from the bone marrow derived cells are necessary for normal murine liver regeneration.
In the present study, we used bone marrow transplanted mice and revealed the role of bone marrow derived cells in liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PH). Irradiated wild type (WT) mice received a bone marrow transplant from either WT, TNF (tumor necrosis factor)-alpha knockout (KO), or interleukin (IL)-6 KO donors. Both TNF-alpha KO- and IL-6 KO-transplanted mice compared with WT-transplanted mice showed decreased hepatocyte DNA synthesis after PH. TNF-alpha KO-transplanted mice showed no nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 binding after PH, while IL-6 KO-transplanted mice showed NF-kappaB, but not STAT3, binding. Lack of AP-1 or C/EBP binding or expression of c-jun or c-myc mRNA after PH was unrelated to the timing and amount of DNA replication. In conclusion, The TNF-alpha and IL-6 signals from the blood are necessary for liver regeneration and NF-kappaB and STAT3 binding are activated via TNF-alpha and IL-6 signal pathways.


Proton beam radiotherapy of choroidal melanoma: the Liverpool-Clatterbridge experience.
To report on outcomes after proton beam radiotherapy of choroidal melanoma using a 62-MeV cyclotron in patients considered unsuitable for other forms of conservative therapy. A total of 349 patients with choroidal melanoma referred to the Liverpool Ocular Oncology Centre underwent proton beam radiotherapy at Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology (CCO) between January 1993 and December 2003. Four daily fractions of proton beam radiotherapy were delivered, with a total dose of 53.1 proton Gy, and with lateral and distal safety margins of 2.5 mm. Outcomes measured were local tumor recurrence; ocular conservation; vision; and metastatic death according to age, gender, eye, visual acuity, location of anterior and posterior tumor margins, quadrant, longest basal tumor dimension, tumor height, extraocular extension, and retinal invasion. The 5-year actuarial rates were 3.5% for local tumor recurrence, 9.4% for enucleation, 79.1% for conservation of vision of counting fingers or better, 61.1% for conservation of vision of 20/200 or better, 44.8% for conservation of vision of 20/40 or better, and 10.0% for death from metastasis. Proton beam radiotherapy with a 62 MeV cyclotron achieves high rates of local tumor control and ocular conservation, with visual outcome depending on tumor size and location.


Second generation of the 1993 birth cohort, Pelotas (Brazil): Aims, design, preliminary results.
Longitudinal cohort studies examining different generations can explain how health problems can be transmitted through genetic and environmental mechanisms and their effects on the health of offspring. This study aimed to present the design and to describe the characteristics of the baseline sample of a second generation cohort. The 93Cohort-II is a dynamic prospective cohort composed of a second generation from the original 1993 Pelotas Birth Cohort (offspring), whose parents had their last follow-up at 22 years old. Biological parents were asked to answer questions addressing the type of birth, general health status, family composition, dietary habits, breastfeeding habits, and child-caregiver(s), among others, and the children's anthropometric measurements were evaluated. Of 1650 children identified, 1212 were evaluated (response rate, 73.4%), and 21 died before the baseline assessment. The age of the offspring ranged from 0 to 10 years (mean [±SD], 2.9 ± 2.1 years); most children (65.6%) lived with both parents and were born to young mothers and poor families. One-third of the children were breastfed until 6 months of age, one-half were born by cesarean section, 63.9% had used medication in the previous 15 days, 26.4% experienced hospitalization at least once since birth, and 14% had no updated vaccination; asthma/bronchitis (20.4%) and bronchiolitis (13.4%) were the most frequently reported diseases. More than 60% consumed ultra-processed foods, and the prevalence of overweight among those <5 and ≥6 years of age was 10.2% and 18.9%, respectively. The mean total Child Behavior Checklist score was 44.1 ± 23.61 (≥16 months), and the mean intellectual quotient score in children ≥6 years of age was 97.9 ± 15.4. Despite the difficulties in conducting intergenerational cohort studies, the results of the present investigation provide evidence supporting the feasibility of performing these types of studies in middle-income countries.


[Pelvic lymph nodes imaging].
Detecting metastatic pelvic lymph nodes is essential during the survey of a pelvic carcinoma. In routine clinical practice, CT scan is commonly used. However, its accuracy is quite low for small size lymph nodes. Diffusion-weighted imaging could be in the near future an efficient modality.


Reduction of the synaptophysin level but normal levels of glycerophospholipids in the gyrus cinguli in schizophrenia.
The 'membrane hypothesis' of schizophrenia postulates a disturbance in the metabolism and structure of membrane phospholipids resulting in a disturbance in the function of neuronal membrane proteins. Most studies exploring this hypothesis have examined components of peripheral blood. Since it may be questioned if these peripheral measurements reflect changes in the brain, we studied the fatty acid composition of glycerophospholipids in brain tissue. As a marker for synaptic density, we also measured the synaptic vesicle protein synaptophysin. Brain tissue (gyrus cinguli) from 11 schizophrenic patients (mean age 80 +/- 10 years) and 13 controls (mean age 75 +/- 14 years) was examined. The glycerophospholipid fatty acids were determined by gas chromatography. Synaptophysin protein level was determined using quantitative immunoblotting followed by Western blotting. There were no significant differences between the groups in the total or in any individual level of fatty acids, either in the n - 6 or n - 3 series. The level of synaptophysin was significantly p = (0.002) decreased in the schizophrenic group(0.73 + 0.18) as compared with the control group (1.02 + 0.21). The normal pattern and concentration of glycerophospholipids fatty acids found in the present study do not support the membrane hypothesis of schizophrenia. The possibility of a type II error should, however. be considered. On the other hand, the reduced synaptophysin' levels in the gyrus cinguli demonstrate that biological differences can be revealed in this relatively small sample. This also lends further support to the notion that a synaptic disturbance or loss is of importance in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.


Effects of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) on inflammatory mediators: a systematic review of preclinical studies.
The aim of the current systematic review was to gather the researches about the effect of quinoa (chenopodium quinoa) on inflammatory parameters interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Search was performed using PubMed, Scopus, WOS, ProQuest, and Google scholar databases without any restriction on language or publication date until July 2022 and search alert services were used to detect novel papers published after the initial search. Only 20 animal and in vitro investigations were eligible for this systematic review. According to in vitro researches and 8 of 14 animal investigations, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α level decreased remarkably after quinoa administration, which indicates the capability of quinoa in alleviating inflammatory factors. Quinoa is favorable but not yet a confirmed agent for alleviating systemic inflammation in inflammatory diseases.


Probiotics SOD inhibited food allergy via downregulation of STAT6-TIM4 signaling on DCs.
Bacterial probiotics are of increasing use against intestinal disorders such as food allergy. However, the detailed molecular mechanism underlying probiotics-mediated anti-allergic effect remains unknown. In the present study, we orally treated OVA-sensitized mice with Bifidobacterium infantis (BB) for two weeks. It was found that OVA specific-IgE and-IgG levels in serum were significantly decreased after BB administration. BB treatment also significantly reduced the release of IL-4, -5, -13 in splenocytes. Besides, after challenge with OVA, the occurrence of temperature drop and diarrhea was dramatically reduced in BB group. Moreover, the protective effect of BB on allergic mice was correlated with its antioxidative enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD). The antioxidative effect of BB on Dendritic cells (DCs0 was further demonstrated to be mediated by cAMP/PKA signaling. We also found that the mRNA and protein expression levels of TIM4 were attenuated in BB group. Finally, ChIP-qPCR assay studies indicate that BB reduced the binding of STAT6 to its response elements in the TIM4 promoter. In conclusion, orally administration of BB protected allergic mice via attenuation of oxidative stress, which further reduced TIM4 expression by inhibiting its transcription factor STAT6.


Fluorescent investigation of the interactions between N-(p-chlorophenyl)-N'-(1-naphthyl) thiourea and serum albumin: synchronous fluorescence determination of serum albumin.
The interactions between N-(p-chlorophenyl)-N'-(1-naphthyl) thiourea and serum albumin were investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy and UV absorption spectrum under physiological conditions. The results of spectroscopic measurements suggested that N-(p-chlorophenyl)-N'-(1-naphthyl) thiourea should have a strong ability to quench the intrinsic fluorescence of both bovine serum albumin and human serum albumin through static quenching procedure, and the hydrophobic interaction was the predominant intermolecular force stabilizing the complex. Thermodynamic parameter enthalpy changes (DeltaH) and entropy changes (DeltaS) were calculated according to the Vant'Hoff equation. The binding distances between N-(p-chlorophenyl)-N'-(1-naphthyl) thiourea and the proteins were evaluated on the basis of the theory of Föster energy transfer. In addition, the effects of other ions on the binding constants of complexes were also discussed. Synchronous fluorescence technology was successfully applied to the determination of serum albumins added to the CPNT solution.


Anthocyanin improves kidney function in diabetic kidney disease by regulating amino acid metabolism.
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is among the most important causes for chronic kidney disease. Anthocyanins (ANT) are polyphenolic compounds present in various food and play an important role in ameliorating hyperglycemia and insulin sensitivity. However, the effects of ANT in DKD are still poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the effect of ANT (cyanidin-3-O-glucoside [C3G]) on the renal function of DKD, and whether the anti-DKD effect of ANT is related to metabolic pathways. To explore the role of ANT in DKD, we performed the examination of blood glucose, renal function, and histopathology. As for the mechanism, we designed the label-free quantification proteomics and nontargeted metabolomics analysis for kidney and serum. Subsequently, we revealed the anti-DKD effect of ANT through the bioinformatic analysis. We showed that the fasting blood glucose level (- 6.1 mmol/L, P = 0.037), perimeter of glomerular lesions (- 24.1 μm, P = 0.030), fibrosis score of glomerular (- 8.8%, P = 0.002), and kidney function (Cystatin C: - 701.4 pg/mL, P = 0.043; urine creatinine: - 701.4 mmol/L, P = 0.032) were significantly alleviated in DKD mice after ANT treatment compared to untreated in the 20th week. Further, proteins and metabolites in the kidneys of DKD mice were observed to be dramatically altered due to changes in amino acid metabolism with ANT treatment; mainly, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism pathway was upregulated (P = 0.0001, t value = 5.97). Furthermore, upregulated tryptophan metabolism (P < 0.0001, t value = 5.94) and tyrosine metabolism (P = 0.0037, t value = 2.91) pathways had effects on serum of DKD mice as responsed ANT regulating. Our results suggested that prevention of the progression of DKD by ANT could be related to the regulation of amino acid metabolism. The use of dietary ANT may be one of the dietary strategies to prevent and treat DKD.


Assessment of a Consecutive Series of Orbital Floor Fracture Repairs With the Hess Area Ratio and the Use of Unsintered Hydroxyapatite Particles/Poly l-Lactide Composite Sheets for Orbital Fracture Reconstruction.
The purpose of this study is to report the outcomes of a series of orbital fracture repairs, their assessment with the Hess area ratio (HAR%), and the use of unsintered hydroxyapatite (HA) implants for reconstruction. This study involved 207 consecutive unilateral orbital fractures with symptomatic diplopia that underwent surgical repair within 28 days of injury. Ocular movement was measured presurgery and at 3 and 6 months postsurgery by Hess chart with calculation of the HAR%. Surgery was conducted on 207 patients (161 males and 46 females; mean age, 27.8 years) at a mean of 9.9 days postinjury and with a mean follow-up of 8.6 months. There were 160 patients with orbital floor fractures, 27 with medial wall fractures, and 20 with combined orbital medial wall and floor fractures, 135 of 207 patients had orbital blowout fractures, and 72 had orbital trap-door fractures. The HAR% improved significantly from a mean of 73.8% preoperatively to 92.7% postoperatively (P < .01). Orbital fractures were reconstructed with either unsintered HA particles/poly l-lactide composite sheet (133 patients), a silicone silastic sheet (47 patients), a combination of sheets (15 patients), or without an implant (12 patients). There was no significant difference in the HAR% improvement between the different implants. Very good outcomes can be achieved with early orbital floor fracture repair surgery, which can be assessed preoperatively and postoperatively by HAR%. Unsintered HA/poly l-lactide composite sheets are an effective absorbable material for orbital floor fracture reconstruction.


The cytoprotective capacity of processed human cardiac extracellular matrix.
Freshly isolated human cardiac extracellular matrix sheets (cECM) have been shown to support stem cell proliferation and tissue-specific lineage commitment. We now developed a protocol for standardized production of durable, bio-functional hcECM microparticles and corresponding hydrogel, and tested its cytoprotective effects on contractile cells subjected to ischemia-like conditions. Human ventricular myocardium was decellularized by a 3-step protocol, including Tris/EDTA, SDS and serum incubation (cECM). Following snap-freezing and lyophilization, microparticles were created and characterized by laser diffraction, dynamic image analysis (DIA), and mass spectrometry. Moreover, cECM hydrogel was produced by pepsin digestion. Baseline cell-support characteristics were determined using murine HL-1 cardiomyocytes, and the cytoprotective effects of ECM products were tested under hypoxia and glucose/serum deprivation. In cECM, glycoproteins (thrombospondin 1, fibronectin, collagens and nidogen-1) and proteoglycans (dermatopontin, lumican and mimecan) were preserved, but residual intracellular and blood-borne proteins were also detected. The median particle feret diameter was 66 μm (15-157 μm) by laser diffraction, and 57 μm (20-182 μm) by DIA with crystal violet staining. HL-1 cells displayed enhanced metabolic activity (39 ± 12 %, P < 0.05) and proliferation (16 ± 3 %, P < 0.05) when grown on cECM microparticles in normoxia. During simulated ischemia, cECM microparticles exerted distinct cytoprotective effects (MTS conversion, 240 ± 32 %; BrdU uptake, 45 ± 14 %; LDH release, -72 ± 7 %; P < 0.01, each). When cECM microparticles were solubilized to form a hydrogel, the cytoprotective effect was initially abolished. However, modifying the preparation process (pepsin digestion at pH 2 and 25 °C, 1 mg/ml final cECM concentration) restored the cytoprotective cECM activity. Extracellular matrix from human myocardium can be processed to yield standardized durable microparticles that exert specific cytoprotective effects on cardiomyocyte-like cells. The use of processed cECM may help to optimize future clinical-grade myocardial tissue engineering approaches.


[Arsenic trioxide induces human tumor cell apoptosis and G2 + M arrest whereas causes HPV16 DNA immortalized cervical epithelial cells G1 block].
To investigate whether As2O3 induces tumor cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. DNA agarose gel electrophoresis, flowcytometry analysis, RT-PCR, and Western blot. As2O3 induced G2 + M arrest of tumor cells such as GLC-82, MGC-803, SGC-7901, Eca109 and HeLa cells before inducing apoptosis and decreased c-myc gene expression, whereas caused G1 block of HPV16 DNA immortalized cervical epithelial HCE16/3 cells and did not affect c-myc expression. As2O3 caused apoptosis was related with cell cycle arrest. However, the phase of arrest of tumor cells was different from the pre-tumor cell HCE16/3 cells, which could be related to the change of c-myc gene expression.


Activation behavior of the novel CO2 foaming agent for mining on fly ash.
Although there have been many research results on the chemical activation of fly ash (FA) as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) in cementitious materials. However, there is a lack of research on the use of CO2 foaming agent (sodium bicarbonate and potassium aluminum sulfate) to activate fly ash. In this experiment, the effects of CO2 foaming agent, sodium bicarbonate, and potassium aluminum sulfate on the activity of FA mixed paste were investigated. The mechanism of FA activation by activator was revealed by selective acid dissolution, QXRD, BSE-EDS statistical analysis, and quantitative analysis of TGA. The results showed that the remaining fly ash amounts of MG, SBG, and PASG after 28 days were 17.5%, 25.9%, and 43.3% lower than those of the control group, respectively. In addition, potassium aluminium sulphate promoted hydration to generate more CH to activate the FA. Sodium bicarbonate promoted hydration and produces more CH to activate FA by generating nano-CaCO3. The mixture of sodium bicarbonate and potassium aluminum sulfate took advantage of both nano-CaCO3 and potassium aluminum sulfate to promote silicate hydration to provide CH. As a result, the two synergistically activate FA. The above results show that CO2 foaming agents can be used not only as foaming agents to prepare lightweight materials, but also as chemical activators to activate solid waste. This will have a high practical application value.


The vacuolar (H+)-ATPases--nature's most versatile proton pumps.
The pH of intracellular compartments in eukaryotic cells is a carefully controlled parameter that affects many cellular processes, including intracellular membrane transport, prohormone processing and transport of neurotransmitters, as well as the entry of many viruses into cells. The transporters responsible for controlling this crucial parameter in many intracellular compartments are the vacuolar (H+)-ATPases (V-ATPases). Recent advances in our understanding of the structure and regulation of the V-ATPases, together with the mapping of human genetic defects to genes that encode V-ATPase subunits, have led to tremendous excitement in this field.


[Forensic psychiatry: contradictions between clinical practice and justice].
All the different branches in forensic psychiatry have to face identical handicaps resulting from the difficulties in cooperation with the law-court. For the psychiatrist, his identity as a therapist is contradictory to his forensic tasks. The paper deals with the resulting dilemmata (partiality v. neutrality; diagnostic approach v. legal consequence; psychiatric v. legal methodology and scientific standard). The best way for both sciences to cooperate is by reflecting these handicaps and dilemmata rather than denying them.


A highly efficient urea detection using flower-like zinc oxide nanostructures.
A novel matrix based on flower-like zinc oxide nanostructures (ZnONF) has been fabricated using hydrothermal method and exploited successfully for the development of urea biosensor. Urease (Urs) is physically immobilized onto the ZnO nanostructure matrix synthesized over platinized silicon substrate. The surface morphology and crystallographic structure of the as-grown ZnONF have been characterized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The fabricated amperometric biosensor (Urs/ZnONF/Pt/Ti/Si) exhibits a linear sensing response towards urea over the concentration range 1.65 mM to 16.50mM with an enhanced sensitivity (~132 μA/mM/cm(2)) and a fast response time of 4s. The relatively low value of Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) of 0.19 mM confirms the high affinity of the immobilized urease on the nanostructured ZnONF surface towards its analyte (urea). The obtained results demonstrate that flower-like ZnO nanostructures serve as a promising matrix for the realization of efficient amperometric urea biosensor with enhanced response characteristics.


People's dispositional cooperative tendencies towards robots are unaffected by robots' negative emotional displays in prisoner's dilemma games.
The study explores the impact of robots' emotional displays on people's tendency to cooperate with a robot opponent in prisoner's dilemma games. Participants played iterated prisoner's dilemma games with a non-expressive robot (as a measure of cooperative baseline), followed by an angry, and a sad robot, in turn. Based on the Emotion as Social Information model, we expected participants with higher cooperative predispositions to cooperate less when a robot displayed anger, and cooperate more when the robot displayed sadness. Contrarily, according to this model, participants with lower cooperative predispositions should cooperate more with an angry robot and less with a sad robot. The results of 60 participants failed to support the predictions. Only the participants' cooperative predispositions significantly predicted their cooperative tendencies during gameplay. Participants who cooperated more in the baseline measure also cooperated more with the robots displaying sadness and anger. In exploratory analyses, we found that participants who accurately recognised the robots' sad and angry displays tended to cooperate less with them overall. The study highlights the impact of personal factors in human-robot cooperation, and how these factors might surpass the influence of bottom-up emotional displays by the robots in the present experimental scenario.


Retrograde transport of endogenous nerve growth factor in superior cervical ganglion of adult rats.
The concentration of naturally synthesized nerve growth factor (NGF) was measured in various tissues of adult rats, using a highly sensitive two-site enzyme immunoassay. The highest concentration was found in the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion (SCG). Transection of the postganglionic external carotid nerve (ECN) reduced the ganglionic level of NGF more than did section of the internal carotid nerve (ICN). When both the preganglionic nerve and the ECN were cut, the ganglionic NGF level decreased even more. On the other hand, when the preganglionic nerve and the ICN were both sectioned, leaving the ECN intact, endogenous NGF content in the SCG was significantly enhanced 3-9 h after operation. Bilateral extirpation of submaxillary gland produced a rapid decrease in ganglionic NGF 3-6 h after operation, and even unilateral removal of one salivary gland caused a decrease in both ganglia, which was however much greater in the ipsi- than in the contralateral ganglion. Removal of the eyeballs caused a much smaller reduction in ganglionic NGF than did removal of the glands. These results suggest that the endogenous NGF that accumulates in the SCG is mostly synthesized in the submaxillary gland rather than in the iris, and that it is transported to the SCG, mostly via the ipsilateral ECN.


The role of an outreach oncology nurse practitioner: a case study evaluation.
Nurses have an extensive input into the care of cancer patients both in hospital and in the community and are central to the current movement to improve and streamline cancer services. Internationally there has been a move to employ highly skilled nurse practitioners in cancer care. This paper describes a single case study evaluating the role and work of an Oncology Nurse Practitioner (ONP). Multiple sources of data were used. Stage One involved collecting descriptive information about the post holder, her role and the types of patients cared for. Stage Two used a qualitative approach to explore how the post was established, its key features, its perceived advantages and disadvantages and the factors influencing its success. Findings show that all participants viewed the post positively and that such nurses can provide high-quality services in remote rural areas. The study found that to be successful the post holder needs appropriate personal attributes such as flexibility and communication skills and the ability to work independently as well as part of a team. The limitations of this study and the implications for the further development of nursing roles in oncology are discussed.


Analysis of multiple physical parameters for mechanical phenotyping of living cells.
Since the cytoskeleton is known to regulate many cell functions, an increasing amount of effort to characterize cells by their mechanical properties has occured. Despite the structural complexity and dynamics of the multicomponent cytoskeleton, mechanical measurements on single cells are often fit to simple models with two to three parameters, and those parameters are recorded and reported. However, different simple models are likely needed to capture the distinct mechanical cell states, and additional parameters may be needed to capture the ability of cells to actively deform. Our new approach is to capture a much larger set of possibly redundant parameters from cells' mechanical measurement using multiple rheological models as well as dynamic deformation and image data. Principal component analysis and network-based approaches are used to group parameters to reduce redundancies and develop robust biomechanical phenotyping. Network representation of parameters allows for visual exploration of cells' complex mechanical system, and highlights unexpected connections between parameters. To demonstrate that our biomechanical phenotyping approach can detect subtle mechanical differences, we used a Microfluidic Optical Cell Stretcher to mechanically stretch circulating human breast tumor cells bearing genetically-engineered alterations in c-src tyrosine kinase activation, which is known to influence reattachment and invasion during metastasis.


The Effect of Gum Chewing, Early Oral Hydration, and Early Mobilization on Intestinal Motility After Cesarean Birth.
The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of gum chewing, early oral hydration, and early mobilization after cesarean birth on intestinal sounds, passing gas, and intestinal evacuation. Randomized controlled study. This study was conducted at the Obstetrics Service of the one Obstetrics and Child Diseases Hospital. A total of 240 females divided into 8 groups of 30 subjects each were included within the scope of the sample. The women who underwent cesarean birth were divided into eight groups by using 2(3) factorial test levels, depending on the use of three different methods of gum chewing, early oral hydration, and early mobilization. No intervention was applied to the women in the control group. For the other seven groups, the intestinal sounds were checked every 30 minutes with a stethoscope over the abdomen and the first time of passing gas and the first evacuation time were recorded by asking the mother. The data were evaluated with numbers, mean, and percentage calculations, Student's t test, one-way variance analysis, correlation, and Tukey HSD test. The intestinal sounds were heard earlier, gas was passed earlier, and bowel movements were earlier in the first group that received all interventions compared to the other groups (p < .05). The patient could not be discharged before 48 hours had passed after the cesarean birth according to the hospital protocol and the time of discharge was therefore not affected by interventions. All of the three different interventions, such as gum chewing, early oral hydration, and early mobilization after cesarean birth, increase intestinal motility. The interventions are recommended during postoperative routine care to shorten hospital stay and prevent postoperative ileus.


Obesity and CardiovascularDiseases.
Obesity has reached epidemic proportions both in the United States and worldwide. There are numerous adverse effects on cardiac structure, hemodynamics, and cellular abnormalities, as well as increases in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, dyslipidemia, atrial fibrillation, and depression. Despite these overwhelming findings, large amounts of evidence support the presence of an "obesity paradox," where obese patients with CVD have a better prognosis than do lean or normal weight in patients with CVD. This review discusses the role of obesity in CVD risk factors and the implications of the obesity paradox in this subset of patients.


AGA Clinical Practice Update on Palliative Care Management in Cirrhosis: Expert Review.
Care with palliative care principles (aka Palliative Care, PC) is an approach to care that focuses on improving the quality of life of patients and their caregivers who are facing life-limiting illness. It encompasses the assessment and management of symptoms and changes in functional status, the provision of advance care planning and goals of care discussions, prognostication and caregiver support. PC is applicable across the spectrum of cirrhosis regardless of transplant eligibility. Although a common misconception, PC is not synonymous with hospice care. Unfortunately, despite a high symptom burden and challenges with predicting disease course and mounting evidence to support the benefits of PC in patients with cirrhosis, comprehensive PC and referral to hospice are carried out infrequently and very late in the course of disease. In order to meet the needs of our increasingly prevalent cirrhosis population, it is important that all clinicians who care for these patients are able to work together to deliver PC as a standard of care. To date there are limited guidelines/guidance statements to direct clinicians in the area of PC and cirrhosis. Herein we present an evidence-based review of ten Best Practice Advice statements that address key issues pertaining to PC in patients with cirrhosis.


Enhanced 2,4,6-trichlorophenol anaerobic degradation by Fe3O4 supported on water hyacinth biochar for triggering direct interspecies electron transfer and its use in coal gasification wastewater treatment.
Fe3O4 supported on water hyacinth biochar (Fe3O4/WHB) was successfully used in anaerobic degradation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol and coal gasification wastewater (CGW). Chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency and methane production were significantly improved to 98.9% and 2.0 L with Fe3O4/WHB assisted. Fe3O4/WHB facilitated the conversion of CO2 to methane and reduce H2 production. A higher coenzyme F420 concentration of 1.32 μmol/(g-mixed liquor volatile suspended solids) was found with the presence of Fe3O4/WHB, which might result in a faster conversion of acetate to methane. More interspecific signal molecules, lower diffusible signal factor, and higher mean particle size indicated that Fe3O4/WHB accelerated the sludge granulation process. Microbial community analysis revealed that enriched bacteria Geobacter along with archaea Methanothrix and Methanosarcina may be involved in direct interspecies electron transfer by Fe3O4/WHB stimulation, enhancing the performance of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol fermentation. It is shown that use of Fe3O4/WHB is feasible for enhanced CGW treatment.


Will transgenic plants adversely affect the environment?
Transgenic insecticidal plants based on Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) endotoxins, on proteinase inhibitors and on lectins, and transgenic herbicide tolerant plants are widely used in modern agriculture. The results of the studies on likelihood and non-likelihood of adverse effects of transgenic plants on the environment including: (i) effects on nontarget species; (ii) invasiveness; (iii) potential for transgenes to 'escape' into the environment by horizontal gene transfer; and (iv) adverse effects on soil biota are reviewed. In general, it seems that large-scale implementation of transgenic insecticidal and herbicide tolerant plants do not display considerable negative effects on the environments and, moreover, at least some transgenic plants can improve the corresponding environments and human health because their production considerably reduces the load of chemical insecticides and herbicides.