Posterior condylar offset does not correlate with knee flexion after TKA.
Studies of medial and lateral femoral posterior condylar offset have disagreed on whether posterior condylar offset affects maximum knee flexion angle after TKA. We asked whether posterior condylar offset was correlated with knee flexion angle 1 year after surgery in (1) a PCL-retaining meniscal-bearing TKA implant, or in (2) a PCL-substituting mobile-bearing TKA implant. Knee flexion angle was examined preoperatively and 12 months postoperatively in 170 patients who underwent primary TKAs to clarify the effect of PCL-retaining (85 knees) and PCL-substituting (85 knees) prostheses on knee flexion angle. A quasirandomized design was used; patients were assigned to receive one or the other implant using chart numbers. A quantitative three-dimensional technique with CT was used to examine individual changes in medial and lateral posterior condylar offsets. In PCL-retaining meniscal-bearing knees, there were no significant correlations between posterior condylar offset and knee flexion at 1 year. In these knees, the mean (± SD) postoperative differences in medial and lateral posterior condylar offsets were 0.0 ± 3.6 mm and 3.8 ± 3.6 mm, respectively. The postoperative change in maximum knee flexion angle was -5° ± 15°. In PCL-substituting rotating-platform knees, similarly, there were no significant correlations between posterior condylar offset and knee flexion 1 year after surgery. In these knees, the mean postoperative differences in medial and lateral posterior condylar offsets were -0.5 ± 3.3 mm and 3.3 ± 4.2 mm, respectively. The postoperative change in maximum knee flexion angle was -2° ± 18°. Differences in individual posterior condylar offset with current PCL-retaining or PCL-substituting prostheses did not correlate with changes in knee flexion 1 year after TKA. We should recognize that correctly identifying which condyle affects the results of the TKA may be difficult with conventional radiographic techniques.


Effect of essential amino acid supplementation on muscle and plasma free amino acids in chronic uremia.
In chronic uremia patients on an 18-g protein diet for 2 to 3 weeks, the intracellular free amino acid pattern in muscle was grossly abnormal, with low concentrations of threonine, valine, carnosine, and high concentrations of aspartate, glutamine, glycine, alanine, and taurine. When the protein-poor diet was supplemented with essential amino acids (2 to 3 times that for minimum requirements) and histidine, these abnormalities were partly corrected. Other abnormalities, however, were observed, such as low intracellular concentrations of phenylalanine and tyrosine, and high concentrations of lysine, histidine, ornithine, and citrulline.


Critical pulmonary valve stenosis in patients less than 1 year of age: treatment with percutaneous gradational balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty.
A new technique of percutaneous gradational balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty was used successfully in 17 infants less than 1 year of age, including four neonates, with critical congenital pulmonary valve stenosis, who would otherwise have required surgical intervention. This technique uses a sequential series of balloon catheters of gradually increasing size as a means of eventually crossing the very small valve orifice with a balloon catheter of adequate size to achieve successful pulmonary valvuloplasty. The initial dilatations were achieved with balloon catheters 2, 3, or 4 mm in diameter. Immediately after successful balloon valvuloplasty, the mean pulmonary systolic pressure gradient was reduced from 105 +/- 11 to 20 +/- 5 mm Hg. Percutaneous balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty can be performed safely with good results despite critical congenital pulmonary valve obstruction in severely ill infants.


There is Something About Grammatical Category in Chinese Visual Word Recognition.
The differential processing of nouns and verbs has been attributed to a combination of morphological, syntactic and semantic factors which are often intertwined with other general lexical properties. This study tested the noun-verb difference with Chinese disyllabic words controlled on various lexical parameters. As Chinese words are free from inflectional morphology, any psychological distinction observed for nouns and verbs could be more convincingly attributed to syntactic factors echoing their linguistic distinction. Comparison among nouns, verbs and adjectives in lexical decision showed that nouns were processed faster than both verbs and adjectives, while the latter two classes, which are syntactically similar in Chinese, did not show any significant difference. The noun advantage over verbs was consistently found even when the classical frequency effect was duly considered. Thus the noun-verb distinction apparently surfaces at an early stage of lexical processing, and it is suggested that nouns may have a higher base activation level as they are linguistically less complex, which makes their access relatively more facilitated than verbs.


Modeling the Effects of Product Temperature, Product Moisture, and Process Humidity on Thermal Inactivation of Salmonella in Pistachios during Hot-Air Heating.
Prior efforts to model bacterial thermal inactivation in and on low-moisture foods generally have been based on isothermal and iso-moisture experiments and have rarely included dynamic product and process variables. Therefore, the objective of this study was to test appropriate secondary models to quantify the effect of product temperature, product moisture, and process humidity on thermal inactivation of Salmonella Enteritidis PT30 on pistachios subjected to dynamic dry- or moist-air heating. In-shell pistachios were inoculated with Salmonella Enteritidis PT30, equilibrated in controlled-humidity chambers (to target water activities [aw] of 0.45 or 0.65), and in some cases, subjected to a presoak treatment prior to heating in a laboratory-scale, moist-air convection oven at multiple combinations (in duplicate) of dry bulb (104.4 or 118.3°C) and dew point (∼23.8, 54.4, or 69.4°C) temperatures, with air speed of ∼1.3 m/s. Salmonella survivors, pistachio moisture content, and aw were quantified at six time points for each condition, targeting cumulative lethality of ∼3 to 5 log. The resulting data were used to estimate parameters for five candidate secondary models that included combinations of product temperature, product moisture, aw, and/or process dew point (coupled with a log-linear primary model). A model describing the D-value as a function of temperature and dew point fit the data well (root mean squared error [RMSE] = 0.86 log CFU/g); however, adding a term to account for dynamic product moisture improved the fit (RMSE = 0.83 log CFU/g). In addition, product moisture content yielded better model outcomes, as compared with aw, particularly in the case of the presoaked pistachios. When validated at the pilot scale, the model was conservative, always underpredicting the experimental log reductions. Both dynamic product moisture and process humidity were critical factors in modeling thermal inactivation of Salmonella in a low-moisture product heated in an air-convection system.


The role of tumor-associated macrophages in the development, metastasis and treatment of breast cancer.
Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play an important role in promoting cancer in the breast cancer microenvironment. A large number of preclinical studies have demonstrated that TAMs regulate related signaling pathways by releasing a variety of chemokines, affecting breast cancer growth, metastasis, and drug resistance. In recent years, TAMs have attracted much attention as potential biomarkers for breast cancer. This article reviews the preclinical evidence of the relationship between TAMs and the breast cancer microenvironment, the role of TAMs in prognosis, and the clinical outcomes related to targeted therapy.


In vitro experiment using porcine artery for evaluation of ultrasonic measurement of arterial luminal surface profile.
In early-stage atherosclerosis, the luminal surface of the arterial wall becomes rough because of detachment of endothelial cells and degeneration of the internal elastic layer. Therefore, it would be useful if minute luminal surface roughness of the carotid arterial wall, which occurs in the early stage of atherosclerosis, could be measured noninvasively with ultrasound. The injured luminal surface is believed to have roughness of a few hundred micrometers. However, in conventional ultrasonography, the axial resolution of a B-mode image depends on the ultrasonic wavelength (150 μm at ultrasonic center frequency of 10 MHz) because a B-mode image is constructed using the amplitude of the RF echo signal. Therefore, such surface roughness cannot be measured accurately from a conventional B-mode image. Recently, we successfully measured such minute surface profile transcutaneously using the phase shift of an ultrasonic echo from the carotid arterial wall. In our previous validation experiment, a silicone phantom with minute surface roughness of 10-20 μm was measured. However, the feasibility of our proposed method has never been validated using biological tissues. In the present study, luminal surface roughness of a porcine artery was measured and the result was evaluated by comparing it with the result measured using a stylus profilometer. The root mean squared difference between the surface roughness measured by ultrasound and the stylus profilometer was 10.5 μm. This result proves that our proposed method can be used to measure minute surface roughness of biological tissue.


DNA methylation and detection of cervical cancer and precancerous lesions using molecular methods.
Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer disease affecting the female population, and a key factor in the development of the disease is the human papillomavirus infection (HPV). The disease is also impacted by epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation, which causes activation or exclusion of certain genes. The aim of our review is to summarize and compare the most common molecular methods for detection of methylated promoter regions in biomarkers occurring in cervical carcinoma and also show the importance of connections of HR-HPV testing with methylation analysis in patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Insight into genetic and epigenetic alterations associated with cervical cancer development can offer opportunities for the molecular biomarkers that can be useful for screening, diagnosis, and also as new ways of treatment of cervical cancer precursor lesions.


ATM kinase inhibition preferentially sensitizes p53-mutant glioma to ionizing radiation.
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most lethal form of brain cancer with a median survival of only 12 to 15 months. Current standard treatment consists of surgery followed by chemoradiation. The poor survival of patients with GBM is due to aggressive tumor invasiveness, an inability to remove all tumor tissue, and an innate tumor chemo- and radioresistance. Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) is an excellent target for radiosensitizing GBM because of its critical role in regulating the DNA damage response and p53, among other cellular processes. As a first step toward this goal, we recently showed that the novel ATM kinase inhibitor KU-60019 reduced migration, invasion, and growth, and potently radiosensitized human glioma cells in vitro. Using orthotopic xenograft models of GBM, we now show that KU-60019 is also an effective radiosensitizer in vivo. Human glioma cells expressing reporter genes for monitoring tumor growth and dispersal were grown intracranially, and KU-60019 was administered intratumorally by convection-enhanced delivery or osmotic pump. Our results show that the combined effect of KU-60019 and radiation significantly increased survival of mice 2- to 3-fold over controls. Importantly, we show that glioma with mutant p53 is much more sensitive to KU-60019 radiosensitization than genetically matched wild-type glioma. Taken together, our results suggest that an ATM kinase inhibitor may be an effective radiosensitizer and adjuvant therapy for patients with mutant p53 brain cancers.


Non-vehicular accidents among teenagers--the 5-year Metro Dade County experience from 1979 to 1983.
A study of non-vehicular accidents among the teenage population of Metropolitan Dade County, Miami, Florida, U.S.A., was performed. The case files of the Office of the Medical Examiner were reviewed and all teenage non-vehicular accidents during the 5-year period from 1979 to 1983 were collected. These 102 cases were then analyzed as to the age, race, sex, cause of death, blood alcohol content at autopsy, and drugs detected of the victim. The geographic location, scene circumstances, and presence of human error were also noted. Predominantly, a white male population between 16 and 19 years is involved. Usually they die from drowning at home or in a natural body of water, commonly drugs or alcohol are involved; human error or poor judgment is noted two-thirds of the time.


Fanconi's anaemia: correlation of genetic complementation group with psoralen/UVA response.
The correlation found by Moustacchi (1987) between cellular response to a crosslinking challenge and genetic heterogeneity in Fanconi's anaemia is confirmed for an earlier set of complementation groups (Zakrzewski and Sperling 1980). This allows the matching of the two independently established complementation groupings and better characterization of their DNA repair-related biochemical properties.


Effects of muramyl dipeptide on sleep, body temperature and plasma copper after intracerebral ventricular administration.
Muramyl peptides are the monomeric components of bacterial cell wall peptidoglycans. Many muramyl peptides, such as muramyl dipeptide (MDP), (N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine), are immune response modifiers, pyrogenic and somnogenic. The purposes of this study were to measure the somnogenic effects of MDP in conjunction with a biochemical measure of the host defense response, plasma Cu, and to determine if plasma Cu levels, like sleep, are regulated by a central nervous system process. MDP administered into a lateral cerebral ventricle induced a dose-dependent rise in plasma copper at 28 h postinfusion. This was usually associated with dose-dependent fevers, increases in SWS and reductions in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep during the first 6 h after infusion. Intravenous (i.v.) administration of the same amount of MDP did not affect any of these variables. We conclude that the syndrome induced by centrally administered MDP includes activation of the host defense response with respect to a rise in plasma copper in addition to fever and enhanced sleep.


[Prognostic factors in primary gastric non-Hodgkin's lymphoma--results of uni- and multivariate analysis].
Retrospectively analyzed data of 41 patients with primary gastric non-Hodgkin lymphoma which were all treated by gastric resection are presented with regard to their histopathologic and clinical findings. 87% of the patients were distributed on stage EI and EII (51% high-grade and 49% low-grade lymphoma). R0 resection was achieved in 80% of our cases and in 27% of the cases gastric resection was part of a multimodal therapy. The median follow up of the living patients was 42 months, the overall 5-year survival rate 74%. Tumor stage, extent of surgical resection, histologic grade, tumor site, R0-resection and tumor size showed a significant prognostic influence on survival. The question whether R0 resectable cases benefit from an adjuvant therapy must be answered by further randomized studies.


Constitutive expression and regulation of rat complement factor H in primary cultures of hepatocytes, Kupffer cells, and two hepatoma cell lines.
The 155-kd soluble complement regulator factor H (FH), which consists of 20 short consensus repeats, increases the affinity of complement factor I (FI) for C3b by about 15 times. In addition to its cofactor activity, it prevents factor B from binding to C3b and promotes the dissociation of the C3bBb complex. The primary site of synthesis of FH, as well as of FI, is the liver, but the cell types responsible for the hepatic synthesis of both factors have not yet been clearly identified. In contrast to FI-mRNA, which was detectable only in hepatocytes (HC), FH-specific mRNA was identified in both HC and Kupffer cells (KC). As calculated for equal amounts of mRNA isolated from both cell types, FH-specific mRNA was found to be nearly 10-fold higher in KC than in HC, leading to the conclusion that KC are an abundant source of FH. Of the investigated proinflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IFN-gamma, only IFN-gamma up-regulated FH-specific mRNA up to 6-fold in both primary HC and KC. This was also demonstrable on the protein level. However, FH-specific mRNA was not inducible in the rat hepatoma cell line H4IIE, which did not express FH-specific mRNA and could not be up-regulated in FAO cells that constitutively expressed FH-specific mRNA. This demonstrates that transformed cell lines do not reflect FH regulation in isolated primary HC. In addition to IFN-gamma, the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) up-regulated FH-specific mRNA nearly 10-fold in KC after stimulation at concentrations of 10 or 1 ng/ml. In contrast, concentrations of up to 2 microg LPS/ml did not show any effect on HC. Our data suggest that LPS does not regulate the expression of FH in HC.


A facile synthesis of metal ferrites and their catalytic removal of toxic nitro-organic pollutants.
Nitrocompounds are the major prime water contaminants. In this investigative study, toxic nitrocompounds (4-nitrophenol, 2,4-dinitrophenol, 2,4,6-trinitrophenol) were removed by using magnetic CuFe2O4, CoFe2O4, and NiFe2O4 material systems. The metal ferrites were synthesized through hydrothermal method and also followed with calcination process. The properties of metal ferrites were confirmed through using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) studies and results there on were presented. For the first time, the synthesized CuFe2O4, CoFe2O4, and NiFe2O4 material systems were used for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (NP), 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP), and 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) in aqueous medium. The UV-visible spectrometry was employed to monitor the removal of nitro compounds and formation of aminophenol. Among, the three catalysts, the CuFe2O4 displayed excellent removal activity for nitrocompounds. The CuFe2O4 nanoparticles completely removed the NP, DNP and TNP within 2, 5, 10 min, respectively. The NP reduction reaction follows the pseudo-first-order kinetics. Further, the investigated and proposed CuFe2O4, catalyst has given and demonstrated excellent kinetic rate constants 0.990, 0.317, 0.184 min-1 for 4-NP, DNP and TNP respectively, which was very fast kinetic than the already published reports. Also, the aminophenol formation was confirmed for the above mentioned and select nitrocompounds. The obtained results confirm suggest that CuFe2O4 nanoparticles based material system could be one of the promising catalysts for nitro compounds removal process.


[Effect of color mutation on the function of the adrenal cortex in chronic feed stress in American mink].
Effect of color mutations, headlund and aleutian, on the adrenocortical function was studied in American mink under stress conditions. The adrenocortical function was analysed in the course of gland's incubation in vitro. Natural environmental factors (sharp fall of temperature) and artificially limited feed served as stress factors. It was shown that minks heterozygous for color mutant alleles studied were more resistant to the stressors. This is associated with genetically mediated peculiarities of the action of hypophysial adrenocortical system which is characterized by more adequate reactivity towards stimuli acting. Thus, the effect of heterosis in minks heterozygous for color alleles may well be caused by their increased resistance to stress.


[Changes in the indices of fat metabolism in obesity during physical activity, on a reducing diet and during meterological influences].
Clinical experimental investigations were carried out of 96 patients with light, nutritional-metabolism forms of obesity under the conditions of a moderately high mountain (1870 m above the sea level). After a treatment course of 20--25 days including: reducing diet, physical loading and cool sun-air exposure, a significant decrease of a wide spectrum of lipid indices was found, namely: total lipids, triglycerides, total cholesterol, phospholipids and beta-lipoproteins. A significant correlation was established between cholesterol decrease and beta-lipoproteins with body weight reduction over 3 kg and the high initial values of the indices. With a single physical loading in the patients with obesity -- the elevation of NEFA does not considerably differ from that of the control group with neurasthenia. The glucose loading is admitted not to indice manifested lipogenesis with the physical loading and cool sun-air exposure.


Cervical proprioception accuracy is impaired in patients with axial spondyloarthritis.
Proprioception is the awareness of body parts and includes joint position sense, kinesthesia, and sense of force. Cervical spine is one of the major affected areas in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), and is an essential region for proprioceptive receptors. To investigate the cervical joint proprioceptive accuracy by using cervical joint positioning error (JPE) method in patients with axSpA and healthy controls. Cross-sectional study. JPE was calculated for cervical motions in the directions of flexion, extension, rotations, and lateral flexions. Time since diagnosis, symptom duration, spinal mobility, functional status, quality of life, disease activity, and pain were evaluated in axSpA patients. Cervical JPE of axSpA patients was also compared according to radiographic status, biologic use, and existence of cervical syndesmophytes. Eighty-two axSpA patients (52 males) and 71 healthy subjects (53 males) were evaluated. Cervical JPE was higher in patients with axSpA compared to healthy subjects (p < 0.001), except left lateral flexion (p = 0.10). Cervical proprioceptive accuracy for extension and left rotation was better in biologics+ subgroup compared to biologic- subgroup (p < 0.05). No other differences were detected related to radiographic status nor existence of cervical syndesmophytes (p > 0.05). Cervical proprioception accuracy is impaired in patients with axSpA. It seems that controlling disease activity by using appropriate medication may have a positive effect on cervical proprioception accuracy.


Changes in functional capacity after portal branch ligation in rats.
Preoperative portal branch embolization is performed to increase residual liver lobe volume so that posthepatectomy liver insufficiency associated with major hepatic resection can be prevented. Although it is essential to evaluate functional liver capacity after portal branch embolization. the timing of hepatectomy from this viewpoint remains unelucidated. The aim of this study was to clarify the optimal timing of hepatectomy after portal branch embolization. We evaluated the functional capacity of the liver after portal branch ligation (PBL) in rats, and studied the correlation between morphological and functional changes. Morphological changes were evaluated on the basis of the liver lobe weight ratio, and the proliferating cell nuclear antigen labeling index. Functional changes were evaluated by the indocyanine green disappearance rate and serum aminopyrine clearance as functional capacity. Although the total liver weight ratio remained unchanged after PBL, the unembolized lobe ratio increased significantly. Although functional capacity was minimal 2 days after PBL, it had recovered to the preoperative value by 8 days after PBL. The functional capacity of the liver after PBL was minimal around the cellular proliferative period but recovered thereafter. These findings suggest that major hepatectomy after portal branch embolization should be perfomed following the cellular proliferative period of the unembolized lobe.


Identification and determination of the inulin content in the roots of the Northeast Brazilian species Pombalia calceolaria L.
A polysaccharide was extracted from the roots of Pombalia calceolaria, a plant used in folk medicine in Northeastern Brazil, by decoction followed by precipitation with methanol, yielding a concentration of 13.0% w/w, and purification with acetone. The molar mass peak was estimated to be 4.0×10(3)Da using gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Polarized light photomicrography of histological sections revealed the presence of inulin in the cortical parenchyma. The chemical composition of inulin was identified by 1D and 2D NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy and the findings were compared with the literature. This is the first time inulin has been identified on FT-IR and NMR for the species Pombalia calceolaria.


Plant PUF RNA-binding proteins: A wealth of diversity for post-transcriptional gene regulation.
PUF proteins are a conserved group of sequence-specific RNA-binding proteins that typically function to negatively regulate mRNA stability and translation. PUFs are well characterized at the molecular, structural and functional levels in Drosophila, Caenorhabditis elegans, budding yeast and human systems. Although usually encoded by small gene families, PUFs are over-represented in the plant genome, with up to 36 genes identified in a single species. PUF gene expansion in plants has resulted in extensive variability in gene expression patterns, diversity in predicted RNA-binding domain structure, and novel combinations of key amino acids involved in modular nucleotide binding. Reports on the characterization of plant PUF structure and function continue to expand, and include RNA target identification, subcellular distribution, crystal structure, and molecular mechanisms. Arabidopsis PUF mutant analysis has provided insight into biological function, and has identified roles related to development and environmental stress tolerance. The diversity of plant PUFs implies an extensive role for this family of proteins in post-transcriptional gene regulation. This diversity also holds the potential for providing novel RNA-binding domains that could be engineered to produce designer PUFs to alter the metabolism of target RNAs in the cell.


Sirt1 contributes critically to the redox-dependent fate of neural progenitors.
Repair processes that are activated in response to neuronal injury, be it inflammatory, ischaemic, metabolic, traumatic or other cause, are characterized by a failure to replenish neurons and by astrogliosis. The underlying molecular pathways, however, are poorly understood. Here, we show that subtle alterations of the redox state, found in different brain pathologies, regulate the fate of mouse neural progenitor cells (NPCs) through the histone deacetylase (HDAC) Sirt1. Mild oxidation or direct activation of Sirt1 suppressed proliferation of NPCs and directed their differentiation towards the astroglial lineage at the expense of the neuronal lineage, whereas reducing conditions had the opposite effect. Under oxidative conditions in vitro and in vivo, Sirt1 was upregulated in NPCs, bound to the transcription factor Hes1 and subsequently inhibited pro-neuronal Mash1. In utero shRNA-mediated knockdown of Sirt1 in NPCs prevented oxidation-mediated suppression of neurogenesis and caused upregulation of Mash1 in vivo. Our results provide evidence for an as yet unknown metabolic master switch that determines the fate of neural progenitors.


Rapidly descending dark energy and the end of cosmic expansion.
If dark energy is a form of quintessence driven by a scalar field ϕ evolving down a monotonically decreasing potential V(ϕ) that passes sufficiently below zero, the universe is destined to undergo a series of smooth transitions. The currently observed accelerated expansion will cease; soon thereafter, expansion will come to end altogether; and the universe will pass into a phase of slow contraction. In this paper, we consider how short the remaining period of expansion can be given current observational constraints on dark energy. We also discuss how this scenario fits naturally with cyclic cosmologies and recent conjectures about quantum gravity.


Metabolic health is a determining factor for incident colorectal cancer in the obese population: A nationwide population-based cohort study.
The association of the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) with obesity or obesity-induced metabolic disturbances remains controversial. We assessed the association of metabolic health status with incident CRC among subjects with obesity. This study included 319,397 subjects from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening Cohort. Transitions in metabolic health status and obesity were examined during 2009-2010 and 2011-2012. We categorized subjects with obesity into four separate groups according to their dynamic metabolic health status: metabolically healthy obesity (MHO), MHO to metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO), MUO to MHO, and stable MUO. Subjects were followed up from 2009 to 2015 for incident CRC. The stable MHO group showed no increased risk of incident CRC (hazard ratio [HR], 0.97; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83-1.14). However, the MHO to MUO group had a higher risk of incident CRC than the stable metabolically healthy nonobese (MHNO) group (HR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.15-1.57). Among patients with MUO at baseline, those in the subgroup who transitioned to MHO group were not at increased risk of CRC (HR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.91-1.25), whereas those who remained in the stable MUO group had a higher risk of incident CRC than those in the stable MHNO group (HR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.19-1.41). The transition of metabolic health was a determining factor for CRC among subjects with obesity. Hence, maintenance or recovery of metabolic health should be addressed to prevent CRC in individuals with obesity.


Genetic evidence for an ethnic diversity in the susceptibility to Ménière's disease.
Ménière's disease (MD) is a debilitating disorder of the inner ear characterized by cochlear and vestibular dysfunction. The cause of this disease is still unknown, and epidemiological data for MD are sparse. From the existing literature, women seem to be more susceptible than men, and Caucasians seem to be more susceptible than Asians. In this article, we characterize a large definite MD cohort for sex and age of onset of disease and use molecular genetic methodologies to characterize ethnicity. Medical record review for sex and age of onset. Ancestry analysis compared results from the principal component analysis of whole-genome genotype data from MD patients to self-identified ancestry in control samples. House Clinic in Los Angeles. Definitive MD patients. Our review of medical records for definitive MD patients reveals that women are more susceptible than men. We also find that men and women have nearly identical age of onset for disease. Lastly, interrogation of molecular genetic data with principal component analysis allowed detailed observations about the ethnic ancestry of our patients. Comparison of the ethnicity of MD patients presenting to our tertiary care clinic with the self-recollected ethnicity of all patients visiting the clinic revealed an ethnic bias, with Caucasians presenting at a higher frequency than expected and the remaining major ethnicities populating Los Angeles (Hispanics, Blacks, and Asians) presenting at a lower frequency than expected. To the best of our knowledge, this report is the first ethnic characterization of a large MD cohort from a large metropolitan region using molecular genetic data. Our data suggest that there is a bias in sex and ethnic susceptibility to this disease.


Synthesis and SAR of Imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine derivatives as 5-HT4 receptor partial agonists for the treatment of cognitive disorders associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease which has a higher prevalence and incidence in older people. The need for improved AD therapies is unmet. The 5-hydroxytryptamine4 receptor (5-HT4R) partial agonists may be of benefit for both the symptomatic and disease-modifying treatment of cognitive disorders associated with AD. Herein, we report the design, synthesis and SAR of imidazo[1,5-a] pyridine derivatives as 5-HT4R partial agonists. The focused SAR, optimization of ADME properties resulted the discovery of compound 5a as potent, selective, brain penetrant 5-HT4 partial agonist as a lead compound with good ADME properties and efficacy in both symptomatic and disease modifying animal models of cognition.


Biosorption of uranium on Bacillus sp. dwc-2: preliminary investigation on mechanism.
In this paper, the biosorption mechanisms of uranium on an aerobic Bacillus sp. dwc-2, isolated from a potential disposal site for (ultra-) low uraniferous radioactive waste in Southwest China, was explored by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and enhanced proton backscattering spectrometry (EPBS). The biosorption experiments for uranium were carried out at a low pH (pH 3.0), where the uranium solution speciation is dominated by highly mobile uranyl ions. The bioaccumulation was found to be the potential mechanism involved in uranium biosorption by Bacillus sp. dwc-2, and the bioaccumulated uranium was deposited in the cell interior as needle shaped particles at pH 3.0, as revealed by TEM analysis as well as EDX spectra. FTIR analysis further suggested that the absorbed uranium was bound to amino, phosphate and carboxyl groups of bacterial cells. Additionally, PIXE and EPBS results confirmed that ion-exchange also contributed to the adsorption process of uranium. All the results implied that the biosorption mechanism of uranium on Bacillus sp. is complicated and at least involves bioaccumulation, ion exchange and complexation process.


Discrimination of Bacillus cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis with 16S rRNA and gyrB gene based PCR primers and sequencing of their annealing sites.
To evaluate the possibility for discrimination of Bacillus cereus and B. thuringiensis using 16S rRNA and gyrB gene based PCR methods, and to obtain the sequences of the primer annealing sites so that the PCR results may be explained. Based on the sequence difference in the variable region (V1) of 16S rRNA and in the gyrB gene between B. cereus and B. thuringiensis, PCR primers specific to these Bacillus spp. were designed. When these primers were used to discriminate B. cereus and B. thuringiensis, six of 82 B. cereus strains were identified as B. thuringiensis while 67 of 73 B. thuringiensis strains were identified as B. cereus. Sequence analysis of the primer annealing sites showed that there is no clear-cut difference in the V1 region of 16S rRNA, and in the gyrB gene, between B. cereus and B. thuringiensis strains. Although 16S rDNA based probes and gyrB gene based PCR primers have been suggested for the discrimination of B. cereus and B. thuringiensis strains, when a large number of Bacillus strains was tested, results showed that discrimination between B. cereus and B. thuringiensis is difficult. Therefore, to distinguish B. thuringiensis from B. cereus, a single feature, such as the presence of a parasporal crystal protein or cry gene, may sometimes be reliable. Discrimination between B. cereus and B. thuringiensis is a challenging debate to which this paper makes a contribution.


Electron microscopy of the epithelial flap created by ethanol treatment in the rabbit corneal epithelium.
To assess the effect of corneal debridement with 25% ethanol on rabbit corneal epithelium by electron microscopy. Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan. Rabbit corneas were deepithelialized by applying 25% ethanol for 3 minutes, and a hinged epithelial flap was created and repositioned. Ten corneas were evaluated immediately after the epithelial debridement procedure and at 1, 3, and 7 days. Histological changes were evaluated using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Corneas treated with ethanol showed a decrease in microvilli, breaks in intercellular junctions, epithelial cell edema, and damage in basement membrane hemidesmosomes. These toxic changes recovered to an almost normal appearance after 24 hours and rapidly improved over the following week. An increase in desquamated cells was observed after debridement; this returned to normal after 1 week according to the normal cellular cycle. Wing cells showed no damage at any stage. Although ethanol appeared to have a toxic effect on rabbit epithelial cells, the effect did not persist over time. The first signs of recovery were observed 24 hours after debridement, and full recovery was observed over the following week. The ethanol path to the central basement membrane appeared to be centripetally from a round cut through the basement membrane, leaving the wing cells intact.


Occupational exposure to static and time-varying gradient magnetic fields in MR units.
To assess exposure of MR staff to static and time-varying gradient magnetic fields by direct measurement and questionnaire and to compare these to the action values and exposure limits stated in published guidance. Instantaneous and time-averaged exposure to static magnetic fields were measured on clinical and research MR scanners. A questionnaire was sent to 100 clinical MR centers to estimate the average static field exposure. Instantaneous measurements of the time-varying magnetic field were conducted on a 1.5 T conventional and a 0.6 T open-bore MR system. The 24-hour time-averaged static field exposure was measured to be 1.8 +/- 1 mT and the questionnaire produced a 24-hour time-average of 2.3 mT. The maximum static field strength recorded during patient set up was 554 mT. Time-varying gradient field exposure was found to exceed the action values up to 30 cm from the bore entrance or magnet rim. The time-varying gradient field exposure limit is the only limit to be exceeded. The time-averaged static field exposure to staff was found to be 100 times lower than the recommended guidelines.


Imbalance of leptin pathway and hypothalamus synaptic plasticity markers are associated with stress-induced depression in rats.
Increasing evidences have indicated that chronic stress is a contributing risk factor in the development of psychiatric illnesses including depression. The mechanisms of their psychopathology are multifaceted and include, besides others, alterations in neuroendocrine function and brain plasticity. In the present study, we investigated the behavior of stressed animals by the sucrose preference test, open field test (OFT), forced swimming test (FST), and tail-suspension test (TST). The response of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leptin pathway, and synaptic plasticity markers in the hypothalamus were also detected. Our data demonstrated that chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) could induce depression-like behavior in rat model, accompanied with the hyperactivity of HPA axis. The serum leptin level and hypothalamic mRNA expression of leptin receptor (LEPR) were both decreased. Results of Pearson test showed that the decreased serum leptin level was negatively related with the locomotion and rearing frequency in the open-field test, and the hypothalamic mRNA expression of LEPR was inversely related to serum CORT concentration. Moreover, our results showed that the mRNA expression of synaptotagmin I and synapsin I was both increased in the hypothalamus of CUMS rats, providing new evidence for the synaptic plasticity change in the hypothalamus of depressive rats. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that the mRNA expression of synaptotagmin I, but not synapsin I, was correlated with the depression-like behaviors and HPA axis hyperactivity in CUMS rats. Together with our previous results, the current findings suggested that a CUMS rat model could be effectively used to study molecular mechanisms underling the depressive symptomatology.


Increased levels of platelet associated IgG in patients with thrombocytopenia are not confined to any particular size class of platelets.
Patients with immune thrombocytopenia have an increased percentage of microthrombocytes/platelet fragments and megathrombocytes. It has been suggested that increased levels of platelet associated IgG (PA-IgG) found in these patients might be related to the presence of this abnormal platelet size distribution. In this study we used flow cytometry to investigate the distribution of PA-IgG within a population of platelets and, in particular, we examined the relationship between platelet size and PA-IgG determined simultaneously on individual platelets. Platelet samples from 10 normals and 31 thrombocytopenic patients were studied. PA-IgG was estimated using immunofluorescent FITC anti-IgG antibody. Binding of FITC anti-IgG to the platelets was quantitated in the flow cytometer as relative mean fluorescence (RMF) which was calibrated against values (in fg/plt of FITC anti-IgG) obtained by spectrofluorometry after solubilization of the platelets. A high correlation (r = 0.89) was found between flow cytometric RMF value and spectrofluorometric FITC anti-IgG values. The flow cytometric studies showed that platelet samples with abnormally elevated levels of FITC anti-IgG (greater than 1.7 fg/plt) not only have a higher percentage of platelets with elevated FITC anti-IgG, but that these platelets also have increased levels of FITC anti-IgG as compared to platelets from normal samples. Platelet size was measured by the amount of forward light scatter in the flow cytometer. A low but significant correlation (r = 0.33 +/- 0.12) was found between size (FALS) and fluorescent signals in samples with elevated FITC anti-IgG. The contribution of 10% of the smallest platelets by FALS and 10% of the largest platelets by FALS to the total levels of flow cytometer platelet fluorescence in these samples was only 4.4% and 19.4% respectively which was not higher than obtained with samples with normal levels of FITC anti-IgG. In conclusion, this study showed that increased levels of PA-IgG found among thrombocytopenic patients were not confined to any particular size class of platelets.


[Own experiences with radiogold therapy of inoperable breast cancer in old patients (author's transl)].
Fifteen 62- to 85-year-old women with breast cancer are reported. An infiltration treatment by means of 198Au was performed with the patients because of general and local inoperability. Eleven of them were exposed to additional local X-irradiation. This therapy generally leads to local disappearance of the cancer disease.


Efficacy of polyglycolic acid sheet after thoracoscopic bullectomy for spontaneous pneumothorax.
Various procedures have been performed to decrease the incidence of recurrent postoperative pneumothorax after thoracoscopic bullectomy. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of a polyglycolic acid (PGA) sheet and pleural abrasion for prevention of recurrent postoperative pneumothorax. From January 2009 to August 2011, 257 patients underwent thoracoscopic bullectomy for primary spontaneous pneumothorax. In group A, 128 patients underwent pleural abrasion. These patients were compared with 129 patients (group B) who underwent a procedure to cover stable lines with an absorbable PGA sheet in addition to pleural abrasion. There was no difference in preoperative demographics, although the age of patients in group A was statistically higher than that of patients in group B (23.67 ± 6.54 versus 21.69 ± 5.65; p = 0.010). In group A, prolonged postoperative air leaks (≥ 3 days) occurred more frequently (7.8% versus 2.3%; p = 0.045). A Kaplan-Meier curve showed that recurrence-free rates were higher in group B (p = 0.047). Coverage with PGA sheet and pleural abrasion after thoracoscopic bullectomy is effective for preventing prolonged postoperative air leaks and reducing postoperative recurrence rates.


Design of a novel coumarin-based multifunctional fluorescent probe for Zn²⁺/Cu²⁺/S²⁻ in aqueous solution.
A multifunctional fluorescent chemosensor 7-(diethylamino)-coumarin-3-carbaldehyde-(2'-methylquinoline-4'-formyl) hydrazone (HL) has been designed and synthesized. The sensor shows significant fluorescence enhancement in the presence of Zn(2+), which might be mainly due to the restricted -CN isomerization process. In contrast, the fluorescence of the sensor is quenched by Cu(2+) attributed to the inherent paramagnetic species. More interestingly, the 'in situ' prepared L-Cu exhibits a selective response to S(2-) based on reversible formation-separation of complex L-Cu and CuS.


Five years' experience using oocyte vitrification to preserve fertility for medical and nonmedical indications.
To evaluate the results of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) for oocyte vitrification to preserve fertility for medical and nonmedical indications. A retrospective, multicenter, observational study performed between March 2007 and June 2012. University-affiliated infertility clinics. Of 560 nononcological patients and 475 oncological patients, we performed 1,080 oocyte vitrification cycles, 725 for nonmedical reasons and 355 in patients affected with cancer. Cycle outcome is presented, including 30 women who returned to use their frozen eggs with, 20 pregnancies obtained, 6 newborns, and 8 ongoing pregnancies. Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, oocyte retrieval, warming of oocytes, and ET in those who already came back. Days of stimulation, total dose of gonadotropins, estrogen (E) and P levels, number of oocytes retrieved and vitrified, pregnancy rate (PR). Comparable results were obtained in both groups of patients, with lower total dose of gonadotropins used and lower serum E(2) levels in patients affected with cancer. Frozen/thawed oocytes performed similarly in both groups. Patients who vitrify eggs for medical or nonmedical reasons perform similarly, as observed in this large series. This technique offers realistic expectations to both groups of patients to have a child with their own eggs. These data could be used to adequately counsel our patients.


Anandamide transporter-mediated regulation of the micturition reflex in urethane-anesthetized rats.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an anandamide transporter inhibitor that can increase endogenous anandamide concentration on the micturition reflex in urethane-anesthetized rats. Continuous cystometrograms were performed in female Sprague-Dawley rats under urethane anesthesia. After stable micturition cycles were established, VDM11 (1, 3 and 10 mg/kg), an anandamide membrane transporter inhibitor, was administered intravenously to evaluate changes in bladder activity. In experiments examining the effects of cannabinoid (CB) receptor antagonists, VDM11 (10 mg/kg) was injected intravenously when the first bladder contraction was observed after intravenous administration of AM251, a CB1 receptor antagonist (3 mg/kg), or AM630, a CB2 receptor antagonist (3 mg/kg). Intravenous administration of VDM11 increased intercontraction intervals and threshold pressure at doses of 3 mg/kg or higher in dose-dependent fashion. When AM251 was administered one voiding cycle before VDM11 administration, the increases in intercontraction intervals and threshold pressure induced by VDM11 administration alone were not seen. In contrast, when AM630 was administered before VDM11 administration, increases in intercontraction intervals and threshold pressure were observed, as they were after VDM11 alone. These results suggest that anandamide, an endogenous CB ligand, can modulate the micturition reflex and that anandamide transporters play an important role in this modulation. In urethane-anesthetized rats, inhibition of the uptake of anandamide can inhibit the micturition reflex and these inhibitory effects of VDM11 are at least in part mediated by the CB1 receptor.


Effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching at low-intensities with standing toe touch on developing and maintaining hamstring flexibility.
Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching at low intensities has been rarely investigated. Previous studies have shown that hamstring flexibility after stretching is only temporary. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of low intensities (40% and 10% of maximum voluntary isometric contraction, MVIC) of PNF stretching on hamstring muscles and to assess the effect of standing toe touch on the duration of hamstring flexibility. This was a single-blind randomized controlled trial. Sixty-four healthy adults (age, 22.67 ± 1.73 years) were selected and divided into four groups: 40% intensity PNF stretching (P40), 10% intensity PNF stretching (P10), 40% intensity PNF stretching with toe touch (P40 with TT), and 10% intensity PNF stretching with toe touch (P10 with TT). Hamstring flexibility was measured using the active knee extension test (pre-stretching, post-stretching, and 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 min after PNF stretching). In the P40, P40 with TT, and P10 with TT groups, significant changes were observed at all time points after stretching (p < 0.05). In the P10 group, significant changes were only observed immediately post stretching (p = 0.006) and at 3 min (p = 0.029) after stretching. In terms of maintaining the duration of flexibility, the P40 with TT and P10 with TT groups were superior to the P40 and P10 groups. PNF stretching at low intensity, approaching 40% of MVIC, led to more flexibility than 10% MVIC. Additionally, standing toe touch after PNF stretching is recommended to develop and maintain hamstring flexibility.


Impact of treatment modality on overall survival in women with advanced endometrial cancer: A National Cancer Database analysis.
To evaluate overall survival (OS) in women with advanced endometrial cancer (EC) following chemotherapy alone (CT), neoadjuvant chemotherapy and interval debulking surgery (NACT + IDS) or primary cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy (PCS + CT). The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried for patients with stage III/IV EC from 2004 to 2015. Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses assessed the impact of treatment modality upon OS. Of 48,179 women identified, 5531 received CT (11.5%), 2614 NACT + IDS (5.4%) and 40,034 PCS + CT (83.1%). Median OS was 11.1 months for CT, 25.1 months for NACT + IDS and 60.9 months for PCS + CT (p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, NACT + IDS (HR 0.44 (0.40, 0.49); p < 0.001) and PCS + CT (HR 0.32 (0.30, 0.35); p < 0.001) were associated with improved OS vs. CT alone. Age, African American race, income, higher Charlson comorbidity index and grade were predictors of worse OS (p < 0.001). On subgroup analysis by stage (III/IV) and histology (Type I/II), PCS + CT improved OS for all patients, compared to NACT + IDS (p < 0.001) and CT (p < 0.001). NACT + IDS was associated with improved OS vs. CT in stage III type I (HR 0.50; 95% CI 0.38, 0.67; p < 0.001), stage IV type I (HR 0.43; 95% CI 0.35, 0.52; p < 0.001), and stage IV type II EC (HR 0.43; 95% CI 0.36, 0.51; p < 0.001), but not stage III type II EC (HR 0.76; 95% CI 0.56, 1.03; p = 0.08). In women with advanced EC, PCS + CT is associated with improved OS compared to NACT + IDS or CT alone, regardless of stage or histology. Additionally, NACT + IDS is associated with superior OS in stage III type I and all stage IV EC compared to CT alone. Where feasible, surgery should be incorporated into treatment planning in women with advanced EC.


Dependence on Ca2+ of lipoprotein lipase stability.
Macrophages continuously secrete lipoprotein lipase (LPL) into the culture medium. When LPL was collected from thioglycollate-elicited peritoneal macrophages (Tg-Mø) or J774.1 cells over a 4 h period in Ca2+ and Mg2(+)-free Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (d-DMEM) the activity in the collection medium was reduced by 40-62% and 23%, respectively, as compared to that expressed in full medium (DMEM). Ca2+ supplementation during the collection period in d-DMEM augmented LPL activity in the medium; about 1 mM Ca2+ was required for attainment of activity comparable to that expressed in DMEM. Addition of Ca2+ during the assay did not enhance LPL activity collected into d-DMEM. Addition of EGTA to the assay mixture reduced LPL activity by 34-60% and when present in the collection medium, EGTA led to a reduction in enzyme activity greater than 90%. A 4 h incubation of Tg-Mø in 3 mM EGTA led to an almost complete loss of intracellular Ca2+ (measured by efflux of 45Ca2+ from preloaded cells), yet there was no change in the overall synthesis and secretion of proteins and in the phagocytic capability of the cells. LPL activity in the enzyme collection medium after its removal from cell monolayers was stable at least up to 4 h at 0 degrees C and at 23 degrees C. Activity was progressively lost with increased temperatures: up to 40% loss at 37 degrees C in 4 h. Addition of EGTA to the above medium led to an enhanced rate of irreversible enzyme inactivation: 76-86% loss of activity in 4 h at 37 degrees C. No inactivation was observed at 0 degrees C and at 23 degrees C in the presence of EGTA. The results indicate a critical role for Ca2+ in enzyme stabilization.


Amino acid sequence of the ribosomal protein HS23 from the halophilic Haloarcula marismortui and homology studies to other ribosomal proteins.
The ribosomal protein HS23 from the 30S subunit of the extreme halophilic Haloarcula marismortui, belonging to the group of archaea, was isolated either by RP-HLPLC or two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The complete amino acid sequence was determined by automated N-terminal microsequencing. The protein consists of 123 residues with a corresponding molecular mass of 12,552 Da as determined by electrospray mass spectroscopy; the pI is 11.04. Homology studies reveal similarities to the eukaryotic ribosomal protein S8 from Homo sapiens, Rattus norvegicus, Leishmania major, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.


A Storytelling Robot Managing Persuasive and Ethical Stances via ACT-R: An Exploratory Study.
We present a storytelling robot, controlled via the ACT-R cognitive architecture, able to adopt different persuasive techniques and ethical stances while conversing about some topics concerning COVID-19. The main contribution of the paper consists in the proposal of a needs-driven model that guides and evaluates, during the dialogue, the use (if any) of persuasive techniques available in the agent procedural memory. The portfolio of persuasive techniques tested in such a model ranges from the use of storytelling to framing techniques and rhetorical-based arguments. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first attempt of building a persuasive agent able to integrate a mix of explicitly grounded cognitive assumptions about dialogue management, storytelling and persuasive techniques as well as ethical attitudes. The paper presents the results of an exploratory evaluation of the system on 63 participants.


Microplastics in the soil: A review of distribution, anthropogenic impact, and interaction with soil microorganisms based on meta-analysis.
Microplastics (MPs) are widespread anthropogenic pollutants that contaminate the terrestrial environment and serve as vectors of other contaminants. They trigger toxic effects during their migration and transmission, affecting the soil ecosystem and eventually presenting a serious threat to human health via the food chain. However, comprehensive studies on the distribution of MPs in soil and their correlation with human activities and terrestrial ecosystems are still lacking. In this study, we detected a significant difference in the MP size (both for the size <1 mm (P < 0.01) and the size 1-2 mm (P < 0.05)) in China and other countries based on bibliometric and meta-analysis. Principal component analysis revealed regional variations in MP distribution. The correlation analysis between MP characteristics and anthropogenic activities in China further revealed that industrial production was linked to polypropylene microplastics (PP-MPs) abundance (P < 0.01). We also discussed the interaction between soil MPs and ecosystems, such as soil microbial community, since the transportation of MPs was associated with its distribution and environmental factors in the soil. Linear regression analysis further showed that environmental variables, such as culture temperature, were negatively related to MPs' degradation efficiency by the fungi (P < 0.05). This study aims to evaluate the distribution, transfer, and impact of MPs, and their interaction with the soil ecosystem and provides information on the prevention and management of MP pollution in the terrestrial environment.


Erratum: Motional Averaging of Nuclear Resonance in a Field Gradient [Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 197601 (2015)].
This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.197601.


Effect of respiration on cardiac motion determined by cineangiography. Implications concerning three-dimensional heart reconstruction using computer tomography.
Based on 39 cineangiographies in 23 patients performed during respiration with tracing of the cardiac chambers and the diaphragm, it has been found that the heart moves significantly with respiration, approximately half as much as the diaphragm during shallow or normal respiration. The cardiac respiratory motion indicates that gating of the respiratory cycle as well as the cardiac cycle is necessary in three-dimensional reconstruction of the heart using a large number of heart beats for recording.


Peripheral Restricted Diffusion: A Common Appearance of Hepatic Abscesses.
Evaluate the frequency of the classic, central diffusion restriction pattern within hepatic abscesses versus other patterns. Retrospective review of 42 hepatic abscesses from our institution. Three independent reviewers assessed the pattern of diffusion restriction: central or noncentral. Clinical information including chronicity of symptoms, organism, and leukocyte values were recorded. Patterns of diffusion restriction were variable in our population with only a minority (26%) of lesions showing a central pattern. Among other patterns, peripheral restriction was present in 42% of the cases. Central diffusion restriction was associated with smaller abscesses. Duration of symptoms was not associated with restriction pattern. Inter-reader agreement for pattern description was moderate (κ = 0.52). Liver abscesses have a much more variable appearance than previously described, with both central and peripheral diffusion restriction patterns observed frequently. Given this variability, caution should be exercised in differentiating abscess from neoplasm because the appearance may overlap.


Glucuronic acid- and branched sugar-containing glycolipid antigens of Mycobacterium avium.
The pentasaccharide hapten of the dominant glycopeptidolipid antigen of serovariant 19 of the Mycobacterium avium complex is noteworthy because of the uniqueness of its distal glycobiose, the presumed antigen determinant, which contains a 3,4-di-O-methyl glucuronic acid and a novel branched sugar. The detailed structure of the entire pentasaccharide has been established by high field 1H and 13C NMR, fast atom bombardment/mass spectrometry, and various specific degradations as 3,4-di-O-Me-beta-D-GlcAp-(1----3)-2,4-di-O-Me-3-C-Me-3,6-dideox yhexosyl-(1----3)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1----3)-alpha-L-Rhap-( 1----2)-6-dT al; the extreme acid lability of the novel penultimate sugar presented special structural challenges. Thus, the task of defining the variable epitopes of M. avium serovariants in order to charter the epidemiology of opportunistic mycobacterial diseases continues to reveal an unexpected order of sugar diversity and complexity.


Empowered to change: evidence from a qualitative exploration of a user-informed psycho-educational programme for people with type 1 diabetes.
To evaluate the impact of a user-informed psycho-educational programme for people with type 1 diabetes. Qualitative data derived from repeated interviews and diaries enabled an appraisal of participants' unique, individual experiences. Thematic analysis elicited a number of themes from each type of data (interview and diaries) which bore similarities in their representation of a process whereby change was desired, solutions were found to bring about that change, and then the process was planned or embarked upon. The acquisition of trustworthy information and a repertoire of coping skills accompanied by regular contact with other people with type 1 diabetes meant that participants achieved an increased sense of control in their lives and were empowered to change.


The structure of a PKD domain from polycystin-1: implications for polycystic kidney disease.
Most cases of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) are the result of mutations in the PKD1 gene. The PKD1 gene codes for a large cell-surface glycoprotein, polycystin-1, of unknown function, which, based on its predicted domain structure, may be involved in protein-protein and protein-carbohydrate interactions. Approximately 30% of polycystin-1 consists of 16 copies of a novel protein module called the PKD domain. Here we show that this domain has a beta-sandwich fold. Although this fold is common to a number of cell-surface modules, the PKD domain represents a distinct protein family. The tenth PKD domain of human and Fugu polycystin-1 show extensive conservation of surface residues suggesting that this region could be a ligand-binding site. This structure will allow the likely effects of missense mutations in a large part of the PKD1 gene to be determined.


Exogenous nitric oxide enhances calcification in embryonic stem cell-derived osteogenic cultures.
While the involvement of nitric oxide in bone formation, homeostasis and healing has been extensively characterized, its role in directing pluripotent stem cells to the osteogenic lineage has not been described. Yet, the identification of chemical inducers that improve differentiation output to a particular lineage is highly valuable to the development of such cells for the cell-based treatment of osteo-degenerative diseases. This study aimed at investigating the instructive role of nitric oxide (NO) and its synthesizing enzymes on embryonic stem cell (ESC) osteogenic differentiation. Our findings showed that NO levels may support osteogenesis, but that the effect of nitric oxide on osteoblast differentiation may be specific to a particular time phase during the development of osteoblasts in vitro. Endogenously, nitric oxide was specifically secreted by osteogenic cultures during the calcification period. Simultaneously, messenger RNAs for both the endothelial and inducible nitric oxide synthase isoforms (eNOS and iNOS) were upregulated during this late phase development. However, the specific eNOS inhibitor L-N(5)-(1-Iminoethyl)ornithine dihydrochloride attenuated calcification more so than the specific iNOS inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium. Exogenous stage-specific supplementation of culture medium with the NO donor S-nitroso-N-acetyl-penicillamine increased the percentage of cells differentiating into osteoblasts and enhanced calcification. Our results point to a primary role for eNOS as a pro-osteogenic trigger in ESC differentiation and expand on the variety of supplements that may be used to direct ESC fate to the osteogenic lineage, which will be important in the development of cell-based therapies for osteo-degenerative diseases.


Prevalence of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus reaching the American Diabetes Association's target guidelines in a university primary care setting.
The success with which primary care physicians are able to meet American Diabetes Association (ADA) clinical goals is unknown. Charts of 218 randomly sampled type 2 diabetic patients were abstracted to assess the attainment of six ADA treatment goals and receipt of four ADA-recommended health services. The mean number of ADA goals attained was 4.9 (SD, 1.6). Only one patient had attained all 10 goals. Most patients had attained ADA goals for triglycerides, diastolic blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and diabetic education. Most patients had not received an annual eye examination or urine microalbuminuria screening, most were not taking daily aspirin, and most had not attained treatment goals for high-density lipoprotein or systolic blood pressure. ADA treatment goals may be quite difficult to attain in the primary care setting. Further studies are needed to understand the barriers to diabetes control.


Gun Access and Safety Practices among Older Adults.
Background. Given high rates of gun ownership among older adults, geriatric providers can assess firearm safety practices using a "5 Ls" approach: Locked; Loaded; Little children; feeling Low; and Learned owner. This study describes gun access and the "5 Ls" among US older adults. Methods. Data on the "5 Ls" from the Second Injury Control and Risk Survey (ICARIS-2), a national telephone survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, were analyzed. Weighted variables were used to generate national estimates regarding prevalence of gun ownership and associated gun safety among older adults (≥55 years). Results. Of 2939 older adults, 39% (95% CI 37%-42%) reported ≥1 gun stored at home. Among those with guns at home, 21% (95% CI 18-24%) stored guns loaded and unlocked; 9.2% (95% CI 6.6-12%) had ≥1 child in household; 5.1% (95% CI 3.5-6.8%) reported past-year suicidal ideation and 3.6% (95% CI 2.1-5.2%) reported history of a suicide attempt; and 55% (95% CI 51-59%) stated that ≥1 adult had attended firearm safety workshop. Conclusion. Some older adults may be at elevated risk of firearm injury because of storage practices, suicidal thoughts, or limited safety training. Future work should assess effective approaches to reduce the risk of gun-related injuries among older adults.


Classification and ordination of main plant communities along an altitudinal gradient in the arid and temperate climates of northeastern Mexico.
Quantitative data on the ecology of the main plant communities along an altitudinal gradient in northeastern Mexico were obtained with the aim of identifying the most important environmental variables that affect plant distribution and composition. The main threats to these communities were also investigated. Importance value index (IVi) of the 39 most important species and 16 environmental variables were recorded at 35 altitudinal gradients each spaced at intervals of at least 100-m altitude. Classification and ordination of vegetation showed six well-differentiated but overlapping plant communities: alpine meadow, cold conifer forest, mesic mixed forest, xeric scrub, Tamaulipan piedmont scrub, and halophytic grassland. Altitude, minimum and average temperatures, and organic matter content are the main variables affecting the plant distribution in northeastern Mexico. Urban growth, mechanized agriculture, and changes in land use are the main threats in the short and medium term to plant communities in this area. Climate change also seems to be having an impact at present or in the near future as shown by the presence of exotic shrubs from warmer areas in mesic and temperate areas inhabited by oak and oak-pine forest.


Leuprolide Acetate for Puberty Suppression in Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth: A Comparison of Subcutaneous Eligard Versus Intramuscular Lupron.
To compare the efficacy of intramuscular Lupron and subcutaneous Eligard, two formulations of leuprolide, for puberty suppression in transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth. A retrospective chart review of TGD youth receiving Lupron or Eligard 22.5 mg every 3 months was conducted to determine hormone levels obtained 1 hour after an injection (1hrPost) and patient-reported clinical puberty suppression. Forty eight patients were analyzed: 33% assigned female at birth of which 25% were premenarchal, mean age at first injection 13.7 years, and 50% received concurrent gender affirming hormones. Of these, 13% received Lupron, 52% Eligard, and 35% initially received Lupron then transitioned to Eligard due to drug shortages. There were 55 incidents of 1hrPost levels, 42 after Eligard and 13 after Lupron. Clinical puberty suppression occurred in all patients; however, biochemical suppression occurred in 90% of Eligard and 69% of Lupron (p = .06). Eligard and Lupron were both effective in suppressing clinical puberty progression in our population of TGD youth, of which 50% were receiving concurrent gender affirming hormones.


Transbronchial lung biopsy through the fibreoptic bronchoscope.
Fifty-five patients were investigated using transbronchial lung biopsy through the flexible fibreoptic bronchoscope under fluoroscopic guidance, 51 by the transnasal route under local anaesthesia, two via an endotracheal tube whilst undergoing assisted ventilation and two by the same route under general anaesthesia. Multiple specimens of lung tissue subjects with diffuse pulmonary disease and in 16 of 32 (50%) with localized lesions, giving a positive yield of 64% of all cases. The only complication was an haemoptysis of 50 ml in one patient. Our results suggest that transbronchial lung biopsy is a relatively safe procedure which gives results comparable with other lung biopsy techniques.


Amphiphilic photo-isomerisable phosphanes for aqueous organometallic catalysis.
Water-soluble phosphanes were tagged with a light-responding diazo group. Upon UV exposure, the diazo-isomerisation led to phosphane morphology change, resulting in an increase in the reaction rate of an aqueous palladium-catalysed cleavage reaction.


Influence of salinity on the biological treatment of domestic ship sewage using an air-lift multilevel circulation membrane reactor.
Recently, strict standards for ship domestic sewage discharge have been implemented by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The high salinity of ship sewage was considered a key factor influencing the removal efficiency of ship sewage treatment systems. In the present study, the salinity effect on the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N) from ship domestic sewage was investigated by using a novel air-lift multilevel circulation membrane reactor (AMCMBR). Enzyme activity analysis and wavelet neural network (WNN) models were built to determine the mechanisms of the process. The experimental results indicate that high salinity levels (> 21 g/L) had a negative impact on COD and NH4+-N removal efficiencies, and low saline concentrations (≤ 21 g/L) caused a negligible effect. The COD and NH4-N removal efficiencies were 84% and 97%, respectively, at a salinity of 21 g/L, which were higher than those at low salinities (i.e., 7 g/L and 14 g/L). Invertase and nitrate reductase had a close relationship with removal performance, and they can be considered important indicators reflecting the operation effort under saline environments. With high predictive accuracies, the constructed WNN models simulated the complex COD and NH4+-N removal processes well under different saline concentrations, ensuring the long-term stable operation of the AMCMBR under different salinities.


Effect of Light-Dark Cycle Misalignment on the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis, Testicular Oxidative Stress, and Expression of Clock Genes in Adult Male Rats.
This study investigated the influence of circadian misalignment on the male reproductive system. Adult Sprague-Dawley male rats were exposed to prolonged light (20 h light : 4 h dark) or prolonged darkness (4 h light : 20 h dark) for 12 consecutive weeks. The somatic index of seminal vesicles and prostates increased due to prolonged light exposure. Sperm count and motility were enhanced solely by prolonged light exposure, whereas the percentage of sperm abnormalities was reduced by both prolonged light and darkness. The serum levels of reproductive hormones (follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, testosterone, and prolactin) were elevated, and the estradiol level was reduced by long-term light and dark exposure. Testicular total antioxidant capacity and antioxidant enzyme activities were improved, and lipid peroxidation was inhibited following chronic exposure to light or dark. Chronic light exposure increased, but chronic darkness decreased, testicular nitric oxide production. The mRNA expression of the hypothalamic and testicular clock genes including PER1-2, CRY1-2, BMAL1, CLOCK, and Rev-Erbα was altered by circadian disruption. Prolonged light exposure decreased the levels of thyroid hormones and suppressed the mRNA expression of adiponectin receptors 1 and 2. The immunohistochemical expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen was decreased only by chronic darkness. The present study thus provides new insights into the physiological changes associated with long-term exposure to light or darkness, in which the expression levels of various clock gene mRNAs are modulated, reproductive hormones are increased, and the antioxidant enzyme system is ameliorated as mechanisms of adaptation to chronic circadian disruption.


Correction: Global Occurrence and Emission of Rotaviruses to Surface Waters. Pathogens 2015, 4, 229-255.
The authors wish to make the following corrections to their paper [1].[...].


Knowledge, attitudes and preventive behaviors related to dengue vector breeding control measures among adults in communities of Vientiane, capital of the Lao PDR.
This research aimed to determine the knowledge, attitudes and preventive behaviors (KAP) of adults in relation to dengue vector control measures in the communities of Vientiane, the capital of the Lao PDR. A total of 207 respondents were actively participating in this cross-sectional descriptive study in 2011. Representatives of households were interviewed face-to-face by six trained interviewers using a structured questionnaire. KAP reliabilities of 0.89, 0.91 and 0.95 were reported in the pilot sample of 30 cases. The associations between each independent variable and prevention behavior were tested with chi-square tests. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine the factors that were significantly associated with preventive behavior while controlling for the other variables. The results revealed that 51.69% of the respondents had a high level of knowledge. More than 94% of the respondents knew that dengue fever is a dangerous communicable disease and that dengue fever is transmitted from person to person via mosquitoes. More than half (56.52%) of the participants had positive attitudes toward vector control measures, and 52.17% exhibited a high level of preventive behavior in terms of dengue vector control measures. Preventive behaviors were significantly associated with information provided from sources that included health personnel (p = 0.038) and heads of villages (p=0.031) and with knowledge levels (p < 0.001). This study suggests that proactive health education through appropriated mass media and community clean-up campaigns should strengthen and encourage community participation, particularly in terms of addressing mosquito larvae in overlooked places, such as the participants' own homes, for example, in flower vases and ant traps.


Genetic and lifestyle influence on telomere length and subsequent risk of colon cancer in a case control study.
Telomeres cap the ends of chromosomes and help maintain genomic stability and integrity. Telomere length (TL) has been linked to a number of diseases, including a variety of cancers; however, the association between TL and risk for colorectal cancer is unclear. We investigate the association between genetic, diet, and lifestyle factors and TL and the association between TL and colorectal cancer using data from a population-based case-control study of colon (249 cases and 371 controls) and rectal cancer (276 cases and 372 controls) conducted in Utah. DNA samples came from immortalized cell lines for colon cancer and directly from whole blood for rectal cancer. We genotyped 11 single nucleotide polymorphisms in five genes associated with telomeres, TERT, MEN1, MRE11A, RECQL5, and TNKS. TL was measured using quantitative PCR. TERT rs2853676 (p=0.044) and RECQL5 rs820152 (p=0.001) were associated with TL at <0.05 level of significance. After adjusting for age and sex, BMI and cigarette smoking were significantly inversely associated with TL among controls. Use of aspirin/NSAIDs interacted significantly with TERT rs10069690 and rs2242652 to alter TL. Longer TL was significantly associated with reduced colon cancer risk after adjusting for age and sex (OR = 0.94 95% confidence intervals 0.89-0.99 per decile of TL). Further adjustment for BMI and cigarette smoking attenuated the association so that it was no longer significant. In summary several genetic and lifestyle factors were observed to influence TL. These factors also appear to confound associations between TL and colon cancer.


DNA polymerase activities in human placenta.
Activities of DNA polymerase alpha and beta were assayed in crude extracts prepared from human placenta. Polymerase alpha activity was high in early pregnancy but low during the 2nd trimester. Polymerase beta activity did not change significantly with gestational weeks. The increase in polymerase alpha activity in early pregnancy may be closely related to mitosis at the time of placental formation; there might also be some type of accelerating factor for polymerase in early pregnancy.


Comparison of the effects of normal saline versus Plasmalyte on acid-base balance during living donor kidney transplantation using the Stewart and base excess methods.
Ischemia-reperfusion injury is an inevitable consequence of kidney transplantation, leading to metabolic acidosis. This study compared the effects of normal saline (NS) and Plasmalyte on acid-base balance and electrolytes during living donor kidney transplantation using the Stewart and base excess (BE) methods. Patients were randomized to an NS group (n = 30) or a Plasmalyte group (n = 30). Arterial blood samples were collected for acid-base analysis after induction of anesthesia (T0), prior to clamping the iliac vein (T1), 10 minutes after reperfusion of the donated kidney (T2), and at the end of surgery (T3). In addition serum creatinine and 24-hour urine output were recorded on postoperative days 1,2, and 7. Over the first postoperative 7 days we recorded episodes of graft failure requiring dialysis. Compared with the Plasmalyte group, the NS group showed significantly lower values of pH, BE, and effective strong ion differences during the postreperfusion period (T2 and T3). Chloride-related values (chloride [Cl(-)], free-water corrected Cl(-), BEcl) were significantly higher at T1, T2, and T3, indicating hyperchloremic rather than dilutional metabolic acidosis. Early postoperative graft functions in terms of serum creatinine, urine output, and graft failure requiring dialysis were not significantly different between the groups. Both NS and Plamalyte can be used safely during uncomplicated living donor kidney transplantation. However, Plasmalyte more stably maintains acid-base and electrolyte balance compared with NS especially during the postreperfusion period.


Erratum: The glycolytic enzyme ALDOA and the exon junction complex protein RBM8A are regulators of ribosomal biogenesis.
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.954358.].


The use of baropodometric analysis in musculoskeletal disorders of dentists working in orthostatic posture - a series of 3 cases.
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) caused by incorrect working posture among dentists is a serious issue and one that leads to decreased productivity and quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of MSDs caused by postural errors in dental healthcare professionals on the body's center of gravity through a new and innovative technique - baropodometry. In this study we included 3 oral healthcare specialists with over 20 years experience of practicing in orthostatism, with confirmed work-related MSDs, and performed a baropodometric analysis on them. According to the analysis, all 3 test subjects had alterations of the body's center of gravity, with uneven distribution of pressures on the feet being recorded by the baropodometer. In an effort to maintain a good field of view and workplace in orthostatism, the subject is forced to adopt an non-ergonomic position that leads to uneven weight distribution, shifted center of gravity that eventually cause musculoskeletal disorders.


A carbon fiber microelectrode-based third-generation biosensor for superoxide anion.
Implantable and miniature carbon fiber microelectrode (CFME)-based third-generation biosensor for superoxide anion (O(2)(-)) was fabricated for the first time. The CFME-based biosensor was constructed by electro-deposition of Au nanoparticles on the CFMEs and then modification of the Au nanoparticles by cysteine followed by immobilization of superoxide dismutase (SOD) on the electrodes. The direct electrochemistry of the SOD immobilized on the CFME-based electrodes was efficiently realized by electron transfer promoter - cysteine molecules confined on the Au nanoparticles deposited on the CFMEs. The CFME-based biosensors were demonstrated to possess striking analytical properties for O(2)(-) determination, such as optional operation potentials, high selectivity and sensitivity as well as good stability. Along with the implantable capacity inherent in the CFMEs, these striking analytical properties of the CFME-based biosensors substantially make them potential for in vivo determination of O(2)(-).


The role of ABC transporters in drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity (ADME-Tox).
ATP binding cassette (ABC) drug transporters play an important role in cancer drug resistance, protection against xenobiotics, and in general in the passage of drugs through cellular and tissue barriers. This review explores how human ABC transporters modulate the pharmacological effects of various drugs, and how this predictable ADME-TOX modulation can be used during the process of drug discovery and development. We provide a description of the relevant human ABC drug transporters and review the models and assay systems that can be applied for the analysis of their expected drug interactions. The use of the in vitro, in vivo, in silico models, their combination, and the emerging clinical information are evaluated with respect to their potential application in early drug screening.


Plasma levels and effects of metoprolol on blood pressure and heart rate in hypertensive patients after an acute dose and between two doses during long-term treatment.
Plasma levels and the effect of orally administered metoprolol on the resting arterial blood pressure and heart rate have been studied during acute and steady-state conditions in patients with mild hypertension. The patients receiving an 80-mg dose had a mean maximum plasma level of about 100 ng/ml plasma in single-dose studies and about 140 ng/ml plasma during steady-state conditions. The corresponding values for the patients on the 50-mg dose were about 60 and 100 ng/ml plasma, respectively. The maximum concentrations were reached 1 hr after administration. After the single dose the elimination half-life of metoprolol in plasma was 4.3 plus or minus 0.7 hr in the patients receiving the 80-mg dose and 3.8 plus or minus 0.3 hr in the other group. The difference was not statistically significant. The elimination half-life in the plasma was about the same in the single-dose study and during steady state in both groups. The morning dose induced a decrease of the systolic blood pressure whereas the diastolic blood pressure was not significantly different from that recorded immediately before administration of metoprolol. For the 80-mg dose the systolic pressure dropped from 167 plus or minus 4 to 146 plus or minus 4 mm Hg in the single dose study and from 160 plus or minus 8 to 140 plus or minus 4 mm Hg at steady state. The corresponding values for the 50-mg dose were 150 plus or minus 3 to 135 plus or minus 3 mm Hg and 144 plus or minus 3 to 138 plus or minus 3 mm Hg, respectively. In experiments with placebo the systolic blood pressure was not significantly changed. There was no correlation between the plasma levels and the effect on the systolic blood pressure. Both doses of metoprolol markedly reduced the heart rate after the single dose as well as at steady state. The effect was linearly related to the logarithm of the plasma concentration, and the relationship was virtually the same as obtained previously for the effect on exercise heart rate in healthy volunteers.


Ultrasonic pulse waves in cancellous bone analyzed by finite-difference time-domain methods.
The trabecular frame of cancellous bone has a high degree of porosity, anisotropy and inhomogeneity. The propagation of ultrasonic waves in cancellous bone is significantly affected by the trabecular structure. In this paper, two two-dimensional finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) methods, which were the popular viscoelastic FDTD method for a viscoelastic medium and Biot's FDTD method for a fluid-saturated porous medium, have been applied to numerically analyze the ultrasonic pulse waves propagating through bovine cancellous bone in the directions parallel and perpendicular to the trabecular alignment. The Biot's fast and slow longitudinal waves, which were identified in previous experiments for the propagation parallel to the trabecular orientation, could be analyzed using Biot's FDTD method rather than the viscoelastic FDTD method. For the single wave propagation in the perpendicular direction, on the other hand, the viscoelastic FDTD result was found to be in more good agreement with the experimental result.


Characterization of two ornithine carbamoyltransferases from Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola, the producer of phaseolotoxin.
Two ornithine carbamoyltransferases (OCT 1 and OCT 2) were isolated from Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola and purified by precipitation with ammonium sulfate, heat denaturation, chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex A-50 and Sephadex G-200. Molecular weights of both enzymes: 110,000; optimal activity: pH 8.5 to 9.5 (OCT 1), pH 8.4 (OCT 2); apparent Km for ornithine: 7 X 10(-4) (both enzymes); apparent Km for carbamoyl-phosphate: 7 X 10(-4) (OCT 1), 2.8 X 10(-3) (OCT 2). Both enzymes possess only an anabolic function. OCT 1 is highly inhibited by low concentrations of phaseolotoxin and Orn-P(O)(NH2)-NH-SO3H, OCT 2 is insensitive to both compounds. The inhibition of OCT 1 is reversible.


Role of cardiopulmonary bypass and arrested heart status in the early cell distribution after intracoronary infusion of bone marrow stromal cells.
Systemic distribution of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) after intracoronary infusion (ICI) and the role of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in cell distribution still remain unclear. This study was designed o analyze the cell distribution after ICI in variations of heart status in a swine myocardial infarction model. After inducing a myocardial infarction, iron oxide labeled male cells (1 x 10(8)) were infused through the coronary artery of the beating swine heart in Group 1. In Group 2, CPB was set up and then the same volume of cells was infused after cardioplegic arrest. In Groups 3 and 4, the animals underwent either beating or arrested ICI with the same volume of saline. Three days later, cell distribution was assessed by T2* change with magnetic resonance imaging and sex-determining region on Y-chromosome with quantitive polymerase chain reaction. Only a few transplanted cells were localized in the heart and no difference was found between Groups 1 and 2. The majority of BMSCs would be trapped in extracardial organs, and more cells resided in the spleen in arrested heart status. The majority of BMSCs transplanted by ICI would be entrapped by the extracardial organs. The arrested heart with CPB during ICI does not favor more cell retention in the injured myocardium. The optimal approach of delivery of BMSCs still needs further investigation.


Bedside fluoroscopy to screen for simple extremity trauma in the ED.
Portable fluoroscopy units are commonly used by orthopedic surgeons to assist in fracture reduction and immobilization. The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of bedside fluoroscopy performed by emergency department (ED) physicians to screen for simple extremity trauma. Eligible adult patients presenting to the ED with isolated injuries to distal extremities were evaluated prospectively over a 6-month study period. ED physicians independently performed fluoroscopy at the bedside, obtained real-time images (frontal, lateral, and oblique), and documented their initial interpretations. Patients then underwent routine diagnostic radiographs of the same areas. Fluoroscopic findings (real-time and photographs) were compared with the radiologists' final report. Ninety-two patients with 108 extremity injuries were enrolled in the study. Fractures were diagnosed fluoroscopically in 26 cases, for a sensitivity of 0.70. Of the 71 standard radiographs without a fracture, the fluoroscopic diagnosis was accurate in 66, for a specificity of 0.93. The overall diagnostic accuracy was 0.85, with a 95% confidence interval of .67 to 1.00. There were 11 false-negative fluoroscopic reports, involving the radius (3), distal tibia (3), metacarpals (2), fifth metatarsal (1), phalanx (1), and cuboid (1). These results suggest that bedside fluoroscopy lacks sufficient sensitivity to screen for simple extremity fractures in the ED.


Complete Genome Sequences of Getah Virus Strains Isolated from Horses in 2016 in Japan.
Getah virus is mosquito-borne and causes disease in horses and pigs. We sequenced and analyzed the complete genomes of three strains isolated from horses in Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, in 2016. They were almost identical to the genomes of strains recently isolated from horses, pigs, and mosquitoes in Japan.


Differential mucin staining in colorectal neoplasms. Potential clinical application.
Screening techniques that can identify histochemically different mucin production by colonic mucosa have been claimed to be able to identify early dysplastic changes in the colon and rectum. Controversy has arisen regarding interpretation of these changes, and this study has attempted to address this issue. Utilizing a high iron diamine-alcian blue staining technique, several benign and malignant pathologic conditions of the colon were evaluated. Significantly abnormal staining patterns were identified at the resection margins of all patients in whom either anastomotic recurrence or metachronous carcinomas developed compared with patients who were without recurrence for more than 5 years. It is postulated that this technique may be useful in prospectively identifying this group of patients at high risk for the development of recurrence.


An efficient method for improving the stability of Monascus pigments using ionic gelation.
Monascus pigments (Mps) are easily impacted by heating, pH and light, resulting in degradation. In this study, Mps were encapsulated by the ionic gelation method with sodium alginate (SA) and sodium caseinate (SC), as well as CaCl2 as a crosslinker. The encapsulated Mps SA/SC in four proportions (SA/SC: 1/4, 2/3, 3/2, 4/1, w/w). Then, the encapsulation efficiency and particle size of the SA/SC-Mps system were evaluated to obtain the optimal embedding conditions. Finally, the effects of heating, pH, light and storage on the stability of non-capsulated Mps and encapsulated Mps were assessed. SA/SC = 2/3 (AC2) had higher encapsulation efficiency (74.30%) of Mps and relatively small particle size (2.02 mm). The AC2 gel beads were chosen for further investigating the stability of encapsulated Mps to heating, pH, light and storage. Heat stability experiments showed that the degradation of Mps followed first-order kinetics, and the encapsulated Mps had lower degradation rates than non-capsulated Mps. Encapsulation could reduce the effect of pH on Mps. The effects of ultraviolet light on the stability of Mps were considered, and showed that the retention efficiency of encapsulated Mps was 22.01% higher than that of non-capsulated Mps on the seventh day. Finally, storage stability was also evaluated under dark refrigerated conditions for 30 days, and the results indicated that encapsulation could reduce the degradation of Mps. This study has proved that AC2 gel beads can improve the stability of Mps. Thus, the ionic gelation method is a promising encapsulation method to improve the stability of Mps. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.


Elucidating host cell response pathways and repurposing therapeutics for SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses.
COVID-19, first reported in late 2019, is an ongoing pandemic that has been causing devastation across the globe. Although there are multiple vaccines that can prevent severe symptoms, effective COVID-19 therapeutics are still of importance. Using our proprietary in silico engine, we screened more than 22,000 unique compounds represented by over half a million gene expression profiles to uncover compounds that can be repurposed for SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses in a timely and cost-efficient manner. We then tested 13 compounds in vitro and found three with potency against SARS-CoV-2 with reasonable cytotoxicity. Bortezomib and homoharringtonine are some of the most promising hits with IC50 of 1.39 μM and 0.16 μM, respectively for SARS-CoV-2. Tanespimycin and homoharringtonine were effective against the common cold coronaviruses. In-depth analysis highlighted proteasome, ribosome, and heat shock pathways as key targets in modulating host responses during viral infection. Further studies of these pathways and compounds have provided novel and impactful insights into SARS-CoV-2 biology and host responses that could be further leveraged for COVID-19 therapeutics development.


Correction: Macroevolution of gastric Helicobacter species unveils interspecies admixture and time of divergence.
The original version of this Article contained an error in the presentation of the author Armin Ensser, which was incorrectly given as Ensser Armin. The correct author list is as follows.


Health and reproductive status of female workers in dry cleaning shops.
This study concerns 67 women working in 53 dry cleaning shops in the city of Rome. The survey includes data on work habits, health problems and reproductive histories. Exposure to the prevalent solvent used in dry cleaning (tetrachloroethylene) was evaluated by the trichloroacetic acid (TCA) concentration in the urine. Exposure was four times higher among dry cleaners than among women doing only ironing and among the controls. However, the TCA values were still low, thus suggesting ambient concentrations within the acceptable limits. The health of these women was satisfactory, and no overt reproductive pathology was detected. The methodological limitations and the small sample size, however, do not permit firm conclusions.


New magnetic oil palm fiber activated carbon-reinforced polypyrrole solid phase extraction combined with gas chromatography-electron capture detection for determination of organochlorine pesticides in water samples.
Magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) employing oil-palm fiber activated carbon (OPAC) modified with magnetite (Fe3O4) and polypyrrole (OPAC-Fe3O4-PPy) was successfully used for the determination of two organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), namely endosulfan and dieldrin in environmental water samples. Analysis was performed using gas chromatography with micro-electron capture detection (GC-μECD). The effects of three preparation variables, namely Fe3O4:OPAC ratio, amount of pyrrole monomer, and amount of FeCl3 oxidant were optimized using Box-Behnken design (BBD) (R2 < 0.99, p-value < 0.001%). The optimum conditions were as follows: Fe3O4:OPAC ratio of 2:1 w/w, 1 g of FeCl3 and 100 μL of pyrrole monomer. The experimental results obtained agreed satisfactorily with the model prediction (> 90% agreement). Optimized OPAC-Fe3O4-PPy composite was characterized using field emission scanning electron microscope, vibrating sample magnetometer and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Four numerical parameters of MSPE procedure was optimized using BBD. The significance of the MSPE parameters were salt addition > sample solution pH > extraction time and desorption time. Under the optimized conditions (extraction time: 90 s, desorption time: 10 min, salt: 0%, and pH: 5.8), the method demonstrated good linearity (25-1000 ng L-1) with coefficients of determination, R2 > 0.991, and low detection limits for both endosulfan (7.3 ng L-1) and dieldrin (8.6 ng L-1). The method showed high analyte recoveries in the range of 98.6-103.5% for environmental water samples. The proposed OPAC-Fe3O4-PPy MSPE method offered good features such as sustainability, simplicity, and rapid extraction.