The Auto-eFACE: Machine Learning-Enhanced Program Yields Automated Facial Palsy Assessment Tool.
Facial palsy assessment is nonstandardized. Clinician-graded scales are limited by subjectivity and observer bias. Computer-aided grading would be desirable to achieve conformity in facial palsy assessment and to compare the effectiveness of treatments. This research compares the clinician-graded eFACE scale to machine learning-derived automated assessments (auto-eFACE). The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Standard Facial Palsy Dataset was employed. Clinician-graded eFACE assessment was performed on 160 photographs. A Python script was used to automatically generate auto-eFACE scores on the same photographs. eFACE and auto-eFACE scores were compared for normal, flaccidly paralyzed, and synkinetic faces. Auto-eFACE and eFACE scores differentiated normal faces from those with facial palsy. Auto-eFACE produced significantly lower scores than eFACE for normal faces (93.83 ± 4.37 versus 100.00 ± 1.58; p = 0.01). Review of photographs revealed minor facial asymmetries in normal faces that clinicians tend to disregard. Auto-eFACE reported better facial symmetry in patients with flaccid paralysis (59.96 ± 5.80) and severe synkinesis (62.35 ± 9.35) than clinician-graded eFACE (52.20 ± 3.39 and 54.22 ± 5.35, respectively; p = 0.080 and p = 0.080, respectively); this result trended toward significance. Auto-eFACE scores can be obtained automatically using a freely available machine learning-based computer software. Automated scores predicted more asymmetry in normal patients, and less asymmetry in patients with flaccid palsy and synkinesis, compared to clinician grading. Auto-eFACE is a quick and easy-to-use assessment tool that holds promise for standardization of facial palsy outcome measures and may eliminate observer bias seen in clinician-graded scales. Diagnostic, III.


Association of parabens and bisphenols with lung function in children aged 5-12 years from Shanghai, China.
Epidemiological studies have reported potential effects of individual paraben or bisphenol exposure on lung function, but few studies have estimated their joint effects. We conducted a cross sectional survey to investigate the associations of parabens and bisphenols exposure with lung function in 205 children aged 5-12 years from Shanghai, China. Urinary concentrations of six parabens [methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-, benzyl-, and heptyl-paraben (MeP, EtP, PrP, BuP, BzP, and HeP)] and seven bisphenols [bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol AF (BPAF), bisphenol AP (BPAP), bisphenol B (BPB), bisphenol P (BPP), bisphenol S (BPS), and bisphenol Z (BPZ)] were assessed by the high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Lung function, including forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC, peak expiratory flow (PEF), and forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of forced vital capacity (FEF25-75%), was further measured. Linear regression, bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), and weighted quantile sum regression (WQS) evaluated the individual and joint relationships of the parabens and bisphenols with the lung function parameters. Further, the analysis was stratified by child sex. Parabens (MeP, EtP, PrP, and BuP) and bisphenols (BPA, BPAP, BPB, and BPS) with detection rates >75% were included for analyses. In linear regressions, parabens (MeP, PrP, and BuP) were generally negatively associated with FEV1, FVC, PEF, and FEF25-75%, but no associations for bisphenols were found. The association of parabens with lung function was more pronounced in girls. The aforementioned negative associations between parabens and lung function were confirmed by both the BKMR and WQS, with MeP being considered most heavily weighing chemical. Our findings suggested that exposure to parabens, either individuals or as a mixture, were associated with decreased lung function in children aged 5-12 years, and these associations were stronger among girls. Considering the cross-sectional study design, large longitudinal studies are warranted to confirm our findings.


Response of leiomyosarcoma to cryosurgery: clinicopathological and ultrastructural study.
Two elderly patients with primary leiomyosarcoma (LMS) of the scalp were treated cryosurgically. Complete involution of both tumours with full epithelialization of the affected sites was achieved. Pretreatment biopsies and sequential biopsies obtained after treatment allowed observation of microscopical changes taking place during tumour involution. Gradual shrinkage of both LMS, closely monitored under the operating microscope, started immediately after the initial freezing. Light and electron microscopic observation of the shrinking LMS revealed a rapid disappearance of the tumoral architecture. Early accumulation of eosinophils and erythrocytes was followed by migration of lymphocytes and plasma cells. Capillary neoformation, fibroblasts and newly formed connective tissue fibres became apparent during the later stages of healing. Two years after treatment, both patients showed no signs of recurrence. These results suggest cryosurgery--performed in an extended protracted fashion--can be a valuable therapeutic choice in the management of LMS, particularly when surgical excision is not feasible.


High plasmatic angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity is not correlated with training-induced left ventricular growth in ACE congenic rats.
The aim of this study was to determine the influence of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) genotype on left ventricular growth after endurance training, in ACE congenic rats with plasma ACE activity twice as high as the donor strain (LOU), thus mimicking the ACE I/D polymorphism observed in humans. LOU and congenic rats (n = 12) were submitted to an endurance training on a treadmill for 7 weeks, while similar LOU and congenic rats (n = 10) constituted the control groups. Blood pressure, skeletal muscle citrate synthase activity, plasma and left ventricular ACE activity were assessed, and echocardiography was performed before and after the training. Angiotensin-converting enzyme plasmatic activity of congenic rats (188.2 +/- 26.6 in controls and 187.1 +/- 22.6 IU in trained rats respectively) was twofold that of the LOU strain (91.9 +/- 23.3 in controls, and 88.3 +/- 18.1 IU in trained rats respectively). After training, congenic and LOU rats showed a similar significant increase in citrate synthase activity (P < 0.05), and in the left ventricular mass/body mass ratio x 10(3): 3.7 +/- 0.3 and 3.6 +/- 0.6 in the trained congenic and LOU groups, respectively, vs. 3.0 +/- 0.1 and 2.9 +/- 0.2 in the control congenic and LOU groups respectively (P < 0.05). There was no significant correlation between ACE plasma activity and left ventricular mass in trained or untrained congenic rats. We conclude that training-induced left ventricular growth is not associated with plasma ACE activity in congenic rats.


Safety and efficacy of transurethral resection of the prostate under sedoanalgesia.
To assess the safety and efficacy of sedoanalgesia (local anaesthesia with sedation) in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). The study comprised 50 patients with BPH, two-thirds of whom were graded III-IV using the American Society of Anesthesiologists system. All patients had a topical instillation of lignocaine jelly 2% into their urethra, combined with 1% lignocaine (100-200 mg) with 1 : 400 000 adrenaline infiltration of the prostate via the perineal route. Sedation and anxiolysis were obtained with the intramuscular pethidine (0.5 mg/kg) and promethazine (1 mg/kg). Standard TURP was then carried out, with pain monitored during surgery using a visual analogue scale (VAS, maximum 10 points) and the amount of analgesic required after TURP recorded. The amount of prostatic tissue excised, duration of surgery, blood requirement, catheter interval, complications and hospital stay were recorded. The effectiveness of TURP was assessed by comparing symptom scores, uroflowmetry and postvoid residual volume before and after surgery. The mean intraoperative VAS was < or = 1 at any time during or after surgery; no patient required any postoperative analgesics. Only two patients complained of discomfort during the procedure and even they were comfortable after a supplemental dose of pethidine (12.5 mg). There were no conversions to general or regional anaesthesia. No blood transfusion was required in any patient. All patients began a normal diet 30 min after surgery and all were discharged within 48 h of surgery. There were no deaths; one patient had transient urinary incontinence and three had mild urinary tract infection. Sedoanalgesia was an effective, safe and simple alternative to general or regional anaesthesia for TURP in patients with BPH.


Motor unit number estimation of facial muscles using the M Scan-Fit method.
M Scan-Fit, an automated method for motor unit number estimation (MUNE), was assessed in muscles innervated by the facial nerve. Healthy volunteers were recruited. M Scans were recorded twice from nasalis and depressor anguli oris (DAO) muscles, and then fitted to a probabilistic model. Twenty-one subjects were evaluated; 38% were females and 62% were males, with a mean age of 34.71 years. The average number of MUs was 38.57 on both testing occasions (t ≤ 0.0001; P = 1.0) for the nasalis. For the DAO, results were 20.62 MUs for the first and 23.48 for the second (t = -2.12; P = .04). Pearson's interrater correlation coefficients were 0.96 (P < .0001) for nasalis and 0.87 (P ≤ .01) for DAO. Intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.88 (P ≤ .01) for nasalis and 0.39 (P = .37) for DAO. M Scan-Fit MUNE is an automated, accurate, reliable method of estimating MU number and size from facial muscles.


Seagrass leaf element content: A global overview.
Knowledge on the role of seagrass leaf elements and in particular micronutrients and their ranges is limited. We present a global database, consisting of 1126 unique leaf values for ten elements, obtained from literature and unpublished data, spanning 25 different seagrass species from 28 countries. The overall order of average element values in seagrass leaves was Na>K>Ca>Mg>S>Fe>Al>Si>Mn>Zn. Although we observed differences in leaf element content between seagrass families, high intraspecific variation indicated that leaf element content was more strongly determined by environmental factors than by evolutionary history. Early successional species had high leaf Al and Fe content. In addition, seagrass leaf element content also showed correlations with macronutrients (N and P), indicating that productivity also depends on other elements. Expected genomes of additional seagrass species in combination with experiments manipulating (micro)nutrients and environmental drivers might enable us to unravel the importance of various elements to sustain productive and flourishing meadows.


Imaging the living brain: An argument for ruthless reductionism from olfactory neurobiology.
Should theories of "higher-level" cognitive effects originate in "lower-level" molecular mechanisms? This paper supports reductionist explanations of sensory perception via molecular mechanisms in neurobiology. It shows that molecular and cellular mechanisms must constitute the material foundation to derive better theories and models for neuroscience. In support of "bottom-up theorizing", I explore the recent application of a new real-time molecular imaging technique (SCAPE microscopy) to mixture coding in olfaction. Seemingly emergent "higher-level" psychological effects in odor perception, irreducible to the physical stimulus, are linked back to underlying molecular mechanisms at the receptor level. The SCAPE study has notable theoretical impact. It provides a possible answer to the neurocomputational challenge in olfaction from combinatorial coding at the periphery: how does the brain discriminate different complex mixtures from widespread and overlapping receptor activation? The failure of previous reductionist structure-odor explanations is shown to reside in misconceptualizations of the critical causal elements involved. Causally fundamental features are not of parts independently of a mechanism. Components and their relevant features are units via their causal role within a mechanism. Here, new technologies allow revisiting our understanding of the ontology and levels of organization of a system.


A calcium-based plasticity model for predicting long-term potentiation and depression in the neocortex.
Pyramidal cells (PCs) form the backbone of the layered structure of the neocortex, and plasticity of their synapses is thought to underlie learning in the brain. However, such long-term synaptic changes have been experimentally characterized between only a few types of PCs, posing a significant barrier for studying neocortical learning mechanisms. Here we introduce a model of synaptic plasticity based on data-constrained postsynaptic calcium dynamics, and show in a neocortical microcircuit model that a single parameter set is sufficient to unify the available experimental findings on long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) of PC connections. In particular, we find that the diverse plasticity outcomes across the different PC types can be explained by cell-type-specific synaptic physiology, cell morphology and innervation patterns, without requiring type-specific plasticity. Generalizing the model to in vivo extracellular calcium concentrations, we predict qualitatively different plasticity dynamics from those observed in vitro. This work provides a first comprehensive null model for LTP/LTD between neocortical PC types in vivo, and an open framework for further developing models of cortical synaptic plasticity.


Cingulate-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical aspects of catatonia and implications for treatment.
The catatonic syndrome is an example of a multifactorial neurobehavioral disorder that causes much morbidity and mortality but also has the potential to unlock the mystery of how motivation and movement interact to produce behavior. In this chapter, an attempt is made to understand better the catatonic syndrome through the lens of neurobiology and neuropathophysiology updated by recent studies in molecular biology, genomics, inflammasomics, neuroimaging, neural network theory, and neuropsychopathology. This will result in a neurostructural model for the catatonic syndrome that centers on paralimbic regions including the anterior and midcingulate cortices, as they interface with striatal and thalamic nodes in the salience decision-making network. Examination of neurologic disorders like the abulic syndrome, which includes in its extreme catatonic form, akinetic mutism, will identify the cingulate cortex and paralimbic neighbors as regions of interest. This exploration has the potential to unlock mysteries of the brain cascade from motivation to movement and to clarify catatonia therapeutics. Such a synthesis may also help us discern meaning inherent in this complex neurobehavioral syndrome.


Cooperative cell-cell actin network remodeling to perform Gap junction endocytosis.
The endocytosis of Gap junction plaques (GJP) requires cytoskeletal forces to internalize such large membranous structures. Actin, which partners the connexin proteins constituting Gap junctions and is located close to Annular Gap Junctions (AGJ), could be actively involved in this physiological process. Electron Microscopy and Light Microscopy images, associated with time-lapse analysis and 3D reconstruction, used at high resolution and enhanced using ImageJ based software analysis, revealed that: i) actin cables, originating from Donor cells, insert on the edge of GJP and contribute to their invagination, giving rise to AGJ, whereas actin cables on the Acceptor cell side of the plaque are not modified; ii) actin cables from the Donor cell are continuous with the actin network present over the entire GJP surface. These actin cables fuse at a single point distant from the plaque, which then detaches itself from the membrane, condensing to form an actin mass during the final internalization process; iii) the Acceptor cell participates in the last step of the endocytic invagination process by forming an annular actin structure known as an actin ring. Together, these data suggest that the endocytosis of GJP is an example of a unique cooperative mechanism between the Donor (the traction of its actin cables) and the Acceptor cells (forming the actin ring).


High dose remifentanil increases myocardial oxidative stress and compromises remifentanil infarct-sparing effects in rats.
Chronic administration of high dose opioids such as morphine is known to create intracellular oxidative stress via an opioid receptor dependent mechanism and this can interfere with cellular function. This study aimed at examining whether such changes can occur following short term exposure to high concentration of remifentanil, a potent short acting opioid. We conducted a experimental study using rat myocardium and systematically quantified tissue levels of superoxide anions, malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitrotyrosine following exposure to increasing duration (15 min, 1 or 2 h) or escalating doses of remifentanil (1 μg, 5 μg, 10 μg or 20 μg/kg/min). Concurrently the susceptibility of the heart to ischaemia reperfusion injury was assessed under the similar conditions. For any given duration of remifentanil infusion, there was increasing superoxide anions generated as the dose of remifentanil was increased. MDA concentrations were significantly increased when the animal was exposed to 10 μg/kg/min for 2h or 20 μg/kg/min for any duration. There was a trend towards an increased nitrotyrosine concentration with increasing dose of remifentanil, becoming significant when the dose was 20 μg/kg/min. The infarct limiting ability of remifentanil was compromised when the dihydroethidium fluorescence positive cell percentage exceeded 50%, MDA concentration greater than 2 nmol/mg of protein and nitrotyrosine content exceeding 1.5 μg/mg of protein. Short term high dose opioid exposure can induce oxidative changes seen previously only with chronic opioid use and this high oxidative stress environment corrupts the heart's sensitivity to be preconditioned by opioids.


Tooth extraction socket healing in pediatric patients treated with intravenous pamidronate.
Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) has been described as a complication of bisphosphonate therapy in adults. In the present study, we did not find a case of ONJ among 278 pediatric patients who had received intravenous pamidronate during childhood or adolescence.


Early antibody responses map to non-protective, PCV2 capsid protein epitopes.
Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is an economically important cause of post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) in weanling piglets. Current commercial vaccines against PCV2 are highly effective. Yet, a recurring emergence of new genotypes in vaccinated herds necessitates a better understanding of protective immunity. The study objectives were to identify previously unrecognized decoy epitopes in the PCV2 capsid and test the hypothesis that early antibody responses would map to decoy epitopes and vice versa. Using a peptide library spanning the PCV2a capsid and weekly sera collections from PCV2a infected animals, three major immunodominant regions mapping the early responses to decoy epitopes were identified. Regions with potential decoy activity were mapped using peptide blocking fluorescent focus inhibition assays to residues 55 YTVKATTVRTPSWAVDMM 72, 106 WPCSPITQGDRGVGSTAV 123 and 124 ILDDNFVTKATALTYDPY 141. Post-vaccination responses largely recognized these same three identified regions and dominated the antibody responses to PCV2 in both infection and vaccination.


Association of exposure to phthalates with cardiometabolic risk factors in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Recent studies revealed controversial results on the association of exposure to phthalates with cardiometabolic risk factors in children and adolescents. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in this regard. At first, we searched English-language papers in Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases, with no restriction of time, till the end of the year 2018. We performed a comprehensive literature search for association between phthalate exposure and cardiometabolic risk factors including obesity, hypertension, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia. Among 99 published papers found in scientific databases, 17 cohort, 15 cross-sectional, and three case-control studies were included in the meta-analysis. We observed a significant association between the concentrations of phthalates and their metabolites with body mass index (BMI), BMI z-score, waist circumference (WC), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride (TG), and glucose in serum. In addition, significant association was observed between prenatal phthalate exposure and birth weight. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first meta-analysis of its kind. It shows positive association between phthalate exposure and some cardiometabolic risk factors in children and adolescents. Therefore, prevention of exposure to phthalates and reduction of their use should be underscored in strategies for primordial prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Recent studies revealed controversial results on the association of exposure to phthalates with cardiometabolic risk factors in children and adolescents. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in this regard.


Purification and characterization of the catalytic domains of the human receptor-linked protein tyrosine phosphatases HPTP beta, leukocyte common antigen (LCA), and leukocyte common antigen-related molecule (LAR).
Human HPTP beta, leukocyte common antigen (LCA), and leukocyte common antigen-related molecule (LAR) are transmembrane receptor-like proteins whose cytoplasmic regions contain either one (HPTP beta) or two (LCA and LAR) domains that are homologous to protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases). Whereas the membrane-proximal domain 1 has enzymatic activity, the membrane-distal domain 2 of both LCA and LAR has no detectable catalytic activity. The cytoplasmic regions of HPTP beta, LCA, and LAR were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to greater than 90% purity. Modulatory effects of various low molecular weight compounds and homo- and copolymers of amino acids were examined. Several polypeptides that contain a high proportion of tyrosine were strongly inhibitory to these PTPases. To determine a possible role for the LAR domain 2, the properties of recombinant LAR PTPases containing both domains 1 and 2 (LAR-D1D2) or only domain 1 (LAR-D1) were compared. In nearly all aspects examined, LAR-D1 and LAR-D1D2 were indistinguishable. However, polycationic polypeptides strongly stimulated the PTPase activity of LAR-D1D2, but not LAR-D1, using the peptide substrate Raytide. Thus, basic polypeptides seem to indirectly alter the catalytic activity of domain 1 by interacting with domain 2. This result suggests that domain 2 has a regulatory function.


Evolution of collagen IV genes from a 54-base pair exon: a role for introns in gene evolution.
The exon structure of the collagen IV gene provides a striking example for collagen evolution and the role of introns in gene evolution. Collagen IV, a major component of basement membranes, differs from the fibrillar collagens in that it contains numerous interruptions in the triple helical Gly-X-Y repeat domain. We have characterized all 47 exons in the mouse alpha 2(IV) collagen gene and find two 36-, two 45-, and one 54-bp exons as well as one 99- and three 108-bp exons encoding the Gly-X-Y repeat sequence. All these exons sizes are also found in the fibrillar collagen genes. Strikingly, of the 24 interruption sequences present in the alpha 2-chain of mouse collagen IV, 11 are encoded at the exon/intron borders of the gene, part of one interruption sequence is encoded by an exon of its own, and the remaining interruptions are encoded within the body of exons. In such "fusion exons" the Gly-X-Y encoding domain is also derived from 36-, 45-, or 54-bp sequence elements. These data support the idea that collagen IV genes evolved from a primordial 54-bp coding unit. We furthermore interpret these data to suggest that the interruption sequences in collagen IV may have evolved from introns, presumably by inactivation of splice site signals, following which intronic sequences could have been recruited into exons. We speculated that this mechanism could provide a role for introns in gene evolution in general.


Cryo-EM of the native structure of the calcium release channel/ryanodine receptor from sarcoplasmic reticulum.
The native structure of the calcium release channel (ryanodine receptor) from rabbit skeletal muscle has been analyzed in two dimensions from electron micrographs of frozen hydrated specimens. Within a resolution of 3.0 nm there is excellent agreement between the structure as seen in vitreous water and in negative stained specimens. Features seen in the three-dimensional reconstruction of the negatively stained channel can be identified in the projection of the unstained receptor.


Association of transforming growth factor-beta1 single nucleotide polymorphism C-509T with allergy and immunological activities.
A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) C-509T within the tumor growth factor beta1 (TGFbeta1) gene has been associated with atopic asthma and asthma severity. To further understand the mechanisms involved, the association of C-509T with allergy, T-lymphocyte proliferation and plasma TGFbeta1 concentration has been explored in a case-control study with allergic and non-allergic subjects. The recruited subjects including allergic (n = 38) and nonallergic (n = 25) participants have been genotyped for C-509T using allele discrimination assay. Association of C-509T with allergy status was examined using logistic regression analysis in both dominant and recessive models. Association of C-509T with T-cell proliferation in control and antigen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), plasma TGFbeta1 and total IgE level were tested by multiple regression analysis. Individuals with homozygous mutant TT genotype showed a higher risk of allergy (TT: odds ratio = 5.099, 95% confidence limit: 1.355-19.190, p = 0.016) after covariates were adjusted. A trend to increased plasma TGFbeta1 in subjects with T allele has been discovered. In the meantime, the T allele is associated with lower T cell proliferation in controls and maximum response to above antigens. A low T-cell proliferation is correlated with higher plasma TGFbeta1 concentration (p < 0.01). The in vitro studies confirmed the suppressing effect of TGFbeta1 on T-cell proliferation at physiological range. A significant inhibitory effect on IL-4 production was also observed. A C to T base change in TGFbeta1 SNP C-509T has been associated with a higher risk of allergy. The mechanisms are not clear. Elevated TGFbeta1 levels associated with the C-509T polymorphism might suppress immune activation as well as Th2 cytokine production.


Perioperative fluid therapy with tetrastarch and gelatin in cardiac surgery--a prospective sequential analysis*.
To determine clinical outcomes of synthetic colloids, tetrastarch, and gelatin, used before and after cardiac surgery. Prospective observational cohort study. Fifty-bed cardiac ICU. Six thousand four hundred seventy-eight consecutive patients with cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. Fluid therapy in the operating room and on the ICU directed at preset hemodynamic goals: 1) hydroxyethyl starch (predominantly 6% hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4) in 2004-2006, n = 2,137; 2) 4% gelatin in 2006-2008, n = 2,324; and 3) only crystalloids in 2008-2010, n = 2,017. Renal replacement therapy was more common during periods when patients received synthetic colloids compared to only crystalloids. Risk of renal replacement therapy was greater after hydroxyethyl starch (odds ratio, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.47-3.60) and gelatin (odds ratio, 2.75; 95% CI, 1.84-4.16; both p < 0.001) compared to crystalloid. Propensity score stratification confirmed greater use of renal replacement therapy in the hydroxyethyl starch and gelatin periods compared to the crystalloid period (odds ratio, 1.46 [1.08, 1.97]; p = 0.013 and odds ratio, 1.72 [1.33, 2.24]; p < 0.001, respectively). Time to vasopressor cessation, normalization of serum lactate, and mean arterial pressure did not differ among groups. Total fluid requirement was 163 mL/kg in the hydroxyethyl starch period, 207 mL/kg in the gelatin period, and 224 mL/kg in the crystalloid period. Fluid intake was higher in the crystalloid group only during the first 20 hours. In cardiac surgery patients, fluid therapy with perioperative administration of synthetic colloids carries a high risk of renal replacement therapy and is not more effective than treating with only crystalloids.


Fabrication of an in situ-grown TiO2 nanowire thin film and its enhanced photocatalytic activity.
TiO2 is a promising photocatalyst used in practical environmental remediation. TiO2 photocatalysts are usually implemented in two forms: suspended powder and immobilized thin films. A simple technique for fabricating TiO2 thin film photocatalyst was developed in this work. The fabricated TiO2 thin film photocatalyst featured a homogeneous nanowire layer grown in situ on the parent Ti plate. The optimized fabrication protocol was to soak the ultrasonically cleaned and acid-washed Ti plate in 30% H2O2 solution containing 3.2 mM melamine and 0.29 M HNO3 at 80 °C for 72 h and then anneal at 450 °C for 1 h. TiO2 nanowires with uniform diameters were homogeneously arrayed on the Ti plate surface. The thickness of the TiO2 nanowire array layer was 1.5 μm. The pore properties of the TiO2 thin film were close to those of P25. The band gap of the fabricated photocatalyst was 3.14 eV. The photocatalytic activity of the fabricated photocatalyst toward 10 mg/L RhB and 1 mg/L CBZ demonstrated greater than 60% degradation under 2 h UVC irradiation. The RhB and CBZ degradation efficiencies remained at a good level after 5 consecutive cycles. Mechanical wearing, such as 2 min sonication, will not lead to significant suppression of the photocatalytic activity. Photocatalytic RhB and CBZ degradation using the fabricated photocatalyst favored an acidic > alkaline > neutral environment. The presence of Cl- slightly suppressed the photocatalytic degradation kinetics. However, RhB and CBZ photocatalytic degradation kinetics were promoted in the copresence of SO42- or NO3-.


Novel therapeutic strategies in glioma targeting glutamatergic neurotransmission.
High grade gliomas carry a poor prognosis despite aggressive surgical and adjuvant approaches including chemoradiotherapy. Recent studies have demonstrated a mitogenic association between neuronal electrical activity and glioma growth involving the PI3K-mTOR pathway. As the predominant excitatory neurotransmitter of the brain, glutamate signalling in particular has been shown to promote glioma invasion and growth. The concept of the neurogliomal synapse has been established whereby glutamatergic receptors on glioma cells have been shown to promote tumour propagation. Targeting glutamatergic signalling is therefore a potential treatment option in glioma. Antiepileptic medications decrease excess neuronal electrical activity and some may possess anti-glutamate effects. Although antiepileptic medications continue to be investigated for an anti-glioma effect, good quality randomised trial evidence is lacking. Other pharmacological strategies that downregulate glutamatergic signalling include riluzole, memantine and anaesthetic agents. Neuromodulatory interventions possessing potential anti-glutamate activity include deep brain stimulation and vagus nerve stimulation - this contributes to the anti-seizure efficacy of the latter and the possible neuroprotective effect of the former. A possible role of neuromodulation as a novel anti-glioma modality has previously been proposed and that hypothesis is extended to include these modalities. Similarly, the significant survival benefit in glioblastoma attributable to alternating electrical fields (Tumour Treating Fields) may be a result of disruption to neurogliomal signalling. Further studies exploring excitatory neurotransmission and glutamatergic signalling and their role in glioma origin, growth and propagation are therefore warranted.


A rare case of ocular filariasis caused by Brugia malayi.
Extra-lymphatic manifestation of filariasis is uncommon and may usually be clinically misdiagnosed. The extra lymphatic presentation of Brugia malayi may due to the site of entry of the infective larvae, and only a few cases have been proven for the causative species. We report here a 59-year-old woman presented with swollen right conjunctiva and complaint of migratory swelling at her eyelid, which has turned out to be ocular filariasis by B. malayi in Chantaburi province, Thailand. This report highlights the increasing cases of B. malayi as a causative agent of ocular filariasis in human.


Demonstration of mitral and aortic valves by ultrafast computed tomography.
Contrast medium-enhanced ultrafast computed tomography has sufficient spatial and temporal resolution to permit imaging of the mitral and aortic valves. The conventional transaxial planar scan projection is not adequate for this purpose. This communication describes the planar configurations and technique required to image the mitral and aortic valves by ultrafast computed tomography.


Tryptophan-induced pathogenesis of breast cancer.
The pathogenesis of breast cancer remains unclear. To investigate the pathogenesis of breast cancer through targeted metabolomics of amino acids components in serum of patients with breast cancer. Patients with breast cancers were enrolled in our hospital between year January 1(st), 2013 and December 31(st), 2014. Targeted analysis of amino acids was performed using ESI-QTOF-MS instrument. In vitro experiment was performed to determine the influence of tryptophan towards interleukin-10 (IL-10) secretion by CD4+ T cell. Targeted metabolomics of amino acids showed that the level of tryptophan significantly (p<0.05) increased in patients with breast cancer. Furthermore, the biological function of tryptophan was determined through determining the influence of tryptophan towards IL-10 secretion using in vitro method. The addition of tryptophan (100 uM) in the cell medium can significantly inhibited the secretion of IL-10 by CD4+ T cells, as indicated by the mRNA level and protein concentration. The inhibition of IL-10 secretion by CD4+ T cells is a potential pathogenesis of breast cancer.


Publishing on the WWW. Part 8 - Creating standalone animations from the DICOM format.
Cardiology images and animations are often available in DICOM format. This article will briefly describe the simplest and least expensive methods of converting DICOM images to small and manageable AVI format files.


Physiological changes during prolonged seizures and epileptic brain damage.
The role of physiological changes occurring during prolonged seizures in the causation of epileptic brain damage has been investigated experimentally in baboons and rats. Prolonged drug-induced myoclonic seizure activity is associated with initial arterial hypertension and subsequent hypotension, increased venous pressure, early hyperglycaemia and subsequent hypoglycaemia, variable arterial hypoxia and lactacidosis, and hyperpyrexia. Cerebral metabolic rate for oxygen and glucose is increased 2--3 fold throughout prolonged seizures provided the physiological status of the animal is well maintained. Ischaemic neuronal change is found after seizures lasting 1.5--7 hours, involving the small neurones of the third cortical lamina, Purkinje and basket cells in the cerebellum, and pyramidal neurons in the endfolium and Sommer sector of the hippocampus. Muscular paralysis and artificial ventilation minimise late physiological changes such as arterial hypotension and hyperpyrexia, and protect against cerebellar damage, but only slightly against neocortical and hippocampal damage. When arterial hypotension, hypoxia or hypoglycaemia lead to a reduction in the intensity of seizure discharge in paralysed, ventilated rats, there is also a reduction in hippocampal and neocortical damage. Factors intimately related to the intensity and duration of the neuronal discharge are responsible for neocortical and hippocampal lesions.


Evaluation of immune responses and protective efficacy in a goat model following immunization with a coctail of recombinant antigens and a polyprotein of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis.
The protective efficacy of four recombinant antigens (85A, 85B, superoxide dismutase [SOD], and a fusion polypeptide [Map74F]) of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) along with the adjuvant dimethydioctadecyl ammonium bromide (DDA) was assessed in a goat challenge model. Animals were immunized with the four antigens with adjuvant DDA (Group I, eight goat kids) or without the adjuvant (Group II, eight goat kids) or adjuvant only (Group III, nine goat kids). Animals were boostered 3 weeks after the primary vaccination and challenged 3 weeks after the booster. Significant antigen-specific lymphoproliferation was observed in the immunized animals 3 weeks after the booster immunization. This response increased further at 4 weeks after the booster. Similarly, antigen-specific IFN-gamma responses increased in the immunized animals 3 weeks after the booster. The response was significantly higher for 85A and Map74F at 10 weeks after primary vaccination (APV) in Group I animals compared to the other two groups. CD4+ T-cell populations were higher in the vaccinated animals from 6 to 10 weeks APV than those of the control animals. A significant increase in recombinant antigen-specific IFN-gamma gene expression was detected in the vaccinated animals. At necropsy (38 weeks APV), our multicomponent subunit vaccine imparted a significant protection in terms of reduction of MAP burden in target organs as compared to sham-immunized goats. This study indicates that our multicomponent subunit vaccine induced a good Th1 response and conferred protection against MAP infection in a goat challenge model.


Dendritic cells and viruses.
Dendritic cells (DC) are potent at presenting viral antigens in the initiation of both primary and secondary responses. DC in the lymph nodes draining the site of infection with HSV express surface antigen and can stimulate proliferation of sensitised lymphocytes. In secondary stimulation, nonresponsiveness in cytotoxic T cell assays of cells from mice primed to Moloney virus was also overcome by stimulation in vitro with virus-pulsed DC. Marked primary proliferative and cytotoxic T cell responses were previously found only to alloantigens and to haptens, both presented on the surface of DC However, DC exposed in vitro or in vivo to influenza virus stimulated primary proliferative and cytotoxic T cell responses in normal syngeneic lymphocytes in 20-microliters hanging drop cultures (Macatonia, Taylor, Knight and Askonas, in press). This provides a method for analysing primary responses to viruses in vitro without the necessity of using pre-sensitised donors. Although DC may present HIV antigens to lymphocytes the DC are also susceptible to infection with HIV. This occurs in vivo as evidenced by the infection of Langerhans cells in AIDS patients. This infection of DC may not only compromise their function in antigen presentation but also act as a reservoir of virus which is handed on to T cells during the close clustering of the presenting cells with the T cells during the initiation of the immune response.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


GWAS and systems biology analysis of depressive symptoms among smokers from the COPDGene cohort.
Large sample GWAS is needed to identify genetic factors associated with depression. This study used genome-wide genotypic and phenotypic data from the COPDGene study to identify genetic risk factors for depression. Data were from 9716 COPDGene subjects with ≥10 pack-year history. Depression was defined as antidepressant use and/or a HADS depression subscale score ≥8. Non-Hispanic White (6576) and African-American (3140) subsets were analyzed. A GWAS pipeline identified SNPs associated with depression in each group. Network analysis software analyzed gene interactions through common biological pathways, genetic interactions, and tissue-specific gene expression. The mean age was 59.4 years (SD 9.0) with 46.5% female subjects. Depression was in 24.7% of the NHW group (1622) and 12.5% of the AA group (391). No SNPs had genome-wide significance. One of the top SNPs, rs12036147 (p = 1.28 × 10-6), is near CHRM3. Another SNP was near MDGA2 (rs17118176, p = 3.52 × 10-6). Top genes formed networks for synaptic transmission with a statistically significant level of more co-expression in brain than other tissues, particularly in the basal ganglia (p = 1.00 × 10-4). Limitations included a depression definition based on antidepressant use and a limited HADS score subgroup, which could increase false negatives in depressed patients not on antidepressants. Antidepressants used for smoking cessation in non-depressed patients could lead to false positives. Systems biology analysis identified statistically significant pathways whereby multiple genes influence depression. The gene set pathway analysis and COPDGene data can help investigate depression in future studies.


Clinical-epidemiological features of contact dermatitis in rural and urban communities in northern Ethiopia: correlation with environmental or occupational exposure.
The widespread diffusion of low-quality products as well as the local cultural habits could be a relevant cause of allergic diseases in developing countries. In the present observational study, we explored the prevalence of allergic contact dermatitis in both rural and urban settings in northern Ethiopia, where skin diseases represent a frequent cause of morbidity. Clinical features and specific reactivities in association with environmental or occupational exposure were investigated. We patch tested 480 consecutive patients, visited at the Mekele IDC, exhibiting symptoms of contact dermatitis. A detailed medical history of each patient was collected. A positive patch-test response was observed in 50% of subjects; nickel was the most frequent sensitizer (26.2%), followed by p-tert-butylphenol formaldehyde resin (10%), fragrance mix (7.1%), potassium dichromate (5.4%), cobalt chloride (4.6%), disperse blue (2.3%), and p-phenylenediamine (1.7%). Gender-related differences were analyzed for single allergen. Eczema represented the most common manifestation, affecting the head and neck as primary skin areas. While reactivity to nickel interested almost all the occupational categories, sensitization to other allergens could be ascribed to working habits or environmental exposure. The results gathered from this study, the first one conducted within the Tigray region in Ethiopia, confirm the need to take appropriate measures to limit the nickel rate in metal objects and may be useful to design allergenic series suitable for patch testing in those geographical settings.


Risk factors of renal scars in children with acute pyelonephritis.
The aim of this study was to determine the association between previously documented risk factors such as recurrent pyelonephritis with the incidence of renal scarring after acute pyelonephritis in children. Children with acute pyelonephritis who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics of a teaching hospital during 2007-2009 were enrolled in this study. DMSA scans were obtained 4-6 months after the last episode of pyelonephritis in all patients. A total of 80 children with acute pyelonephritis were enrolled in this study. Most of them were girls (77.5%), with a median age of 12 months. Nearly half of the children (n = 44; 55%) had one or more renal scars. The distribution of gender, CRP level and leukocytosis did not differ significantly regarding the absence or presence of renal scars (p > 0.05). Most of the scars occurred in children who had presented with bilateral pyelonephritis (69.4% vs. 18.2%, p = 0.001). Most of the patients with renal scars had a positive history of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) (75% vs.13.6%, p = 0.001). The significant roles of recurrent pyelonephritis and presence of VUR were further confirmed by multivariate analysis. According to our findings, presence of VUR and recurrent pyelonephritis are independently associated with a higher incidence of renal scarring.


Linkage of Blood MALT1 with CD4+ T Cell Subset, Inflammation, Lipid, and Its Potency as a Biomarker for Predicting Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Coronary Heart Disease Patients.
Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma translocation protein 1 (MALT1) promotes CD4+ T cell differentiation, vascular inflammation, and atherogenesis to engage in coronary heart disease (CHD) progression. This study intended to explore the correlation of blood MALT1 with clinical characteristics, CD4+ T cell subset and prognosis in CHD patients. MALT1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 258 CHD patients and 50 healthy controls (HCs) was determined by RT-qPCR. Additionally, blood T helper (Th)1, Th2, Th17, and regulatory T (Treg) cells were measured through flow cytometry; major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were recorded during the routine follow up in CHD patients. Blood MALT1 was elevated in CHD patients compared to HCs. Interestingly, blood MALT1 positively associated with hyperlipidemia, triglyceride, C-reactive protein, and Gensini score in CHD patients. It also negatively linked with Th2 cells, Treg cells, and positively related to Th17 cells but not Th1 cells in CHD patients. More importantly, MACE-free survival was shortened in CHD patients with high blood MALT1 compared to those with low blood MALT1 (cut off by the median) while less significance was observed when cut off by quartiles. Separately, blood MALT1 was elevated in CHD patients occurred MACE within 1-year, 2-year, 3-year, and 4-year duration compared to those who did not. Blood MALT1 links with unbalanced CD4+ T-cell subset, elevated inflammation, and coronary-artery stenosis serving as a candidate biomarker for predicting MACE risk in CHD patients.


Prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in narcolepsy: a systematic review.
Narcolepsy is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. However, despite their differences, both narcolepsy and ADHD share the symptoms of sleep disturbance and excessive daytime sleepiness. Recent studies have suggested a link between the two disorders. The objective of systematic review was to assess the prevalence of ADHD symptoms in narcolepsy. We performed a systematic search of MEDLINE (inception to December 2018) and EMBASE (inception to December 2018) for English publications of human studies using the keywords "narcolepsy" and "ADHD". Five studies examining a total of 328 patients met the eligibility criteria for this study examining the prevalence of ADHD symptoms in narcolepsy. The pooled prevalence of ADHD symptoms in narcolepsy was 33.0%. Two studies using the international classification of sleep disorders, second edition (ICSD-2) observed a pooled prevalence of ADHD symptoms in narcolepsy of 25.0%, while two other studies that relied on the ICSD-3 criteria observed a pooled prevalence of ADHD symptoms in narcolepsy of 36.4%. The prevalence of ADHD symptoms was >30%, making it an important comorbidity of narcolepsy. Future studies should be performed to better assess the relationship between ADHD and narcolepsy.


The reliability of perinatal mortality statistics in The Netherlands.
All 13 hospitals in the municipality of Amsterdam cooperated in this study; labor ward records for the years 1981 and 1982 were personally searched for cases of perinatal death that corresponded with the World Health Organization definitions of perinatal mortality, presently applied in The Netherlands. The 360 cases that had apparently occurred in the Amsterdam hospitals were individually linked to the cases that had been entered into the national records at the Central Bureau of Statistics. The study established that the magnitude of underregistration of perinatal mortality is considerable (14.3%). Underregistration at the national level is due to underreporting by physicians and not due to errors in statistical bookkeeping. Underreporting is related to birth weight, that is, viability of the infant, and immigrant status of the mother. Recommendations are made to improve uniformity of notification criteria and reliability of perinatal mortality statistics.


4-mercaptophenylboronic acid functionalized gold nanoparticles for colorimetric sialic acid detection.
A simple and selective colorimetric sensor for sialic acid detection, based on the aggregation of 4-mercaptophenylboronic acid functionalized gold nanoparticles (4-MPBA-AuNPs) was developed. The color of the solution changed from wine-red to blue after binding with sialic acid. The colorimetric sensor provided good analytical performances with a linear dynamic range of 80µM to 2.00mM and a 68±2µM limit of detection without any effect from possible interferences and sample matrix. In addition, the quantitative results were obtained within only 10min. This developed sensor was used to detect sialic acid in blood serum samples and the results were in good agreement with those from the current periodate-resorcinol method (P>0.05) thus indicating that this developed colorimetric sensor can be used as an alternative method for sialic acid detection with a shorter analysis time and a high accuracy.


Thioredoxins and glutaredoxins as facilitators of protein folding.
Thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase systems of bacterial cytoplasm and eukaryotic cytosol favor reducing conditions and protein thiol groups, while bacterial periplasm and eukaryotic endoplasmatic reticulum provide oxidizing conditions and a machinery for disulfide bond formation in the secretory pathway. Oxidoreductases of the thioredoxin fold superfamily catalyze steps in oxidative protein folding via protein-protein interactions and covalent catalysis to act as chaperones and isomerases of disulfides to generate a native fold. The active site dithiol/disulfide of thioredoxin fold proteins is CXXC where variations of the residues inside the disulfide ring are known to increase the redox potential like in protein disulfide isomerases. In the catalytic mechanism thioredoxin fold proteins bind to target proteins through conserved backbone-backbone hydrogen bonds and induce conformational changes of the target disulfide followed by nucleophilic attack by the N-terminally located low pK(a) Cys residue. This generates a mixed disulfide covalent bond which subsequently is resolved by attack from the C-terminally located Cys residue. This review will focus on two members of the thioredoxin superfamily of proteins known to be crucial for maintaining a reduced intracellular redox state, thioredoxin and glutaredoxin, and their potential functions as facilitators and regulators of protein folding and chaperone activity.


Novel hemostatic agents based on gelatin-microbial transglutaminase mix.
Hemostasis is a major challenge in surgical procedures and traumas. Conventional hemostatic methods have limited efficacy and may cause additional tissue damage. In this study, we designed a novel hemostatic agent based on the in situ gel formation of gelatin cross-linked by a novel microbial transglutaminase (mTGase), in which the amino acid sequences differed from commercial mTGases. The new hemostatic agent showed the same biochemical crosslinking chemistry as the final stages of the blood coagulation cascade while using gelatin as a "structural" protein (rather than fibrin) and a calcium-independent mTGase as the crosslinking catalyst (rather than factor XIIIa). In rat liver hemostasis models, the hemostatic agent not only showed a similar hemostatic effect as that of SURGIFLO® (positive control), but also stronger adhesion strength and elasticity than SURGIFLO®. Therefore, this biomimetic gelatin-mTGase mix hemostatic is a novel and effective surgical sealant.


Morphological study of equine amniotic compartment.
Exfoliative cytology of human amniotic fluid (AF) has been extensively studied since 1940s, but no data exist in equine species. The AF compartment represents the environment in which the foetus grows and matures, and its composition changes, reflecting foetal well-being and development. The aim of this study was to describe for the first time the morphology of equine AF cells and amniotic membrane (AM) with light microscopy (LM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). AF was collected at parturition within 5 min after the appearance of the AM with a 60 mL syringe from 34 mares and samples of AM were collected from a subset of 7 mares with normal pregnancy hospitalized for attended parturition. For LM observation, a sample of cytocentrifuged fresh AF was stained with May-Grünwald Giemsa and AM sections were stained with H-E. For TEM observation, AF and AM were fixed, embedded in epoxy resins, then sectioned and stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate solutions. Nucleated and anucleated squamous cells with basophilic cytoplasm, intensely basophilic cornified cells, polymorphonuclear cells, and clusters of eosinophilic amorphous substance were observed. Cells presumably derived from tracheal epithelium and small round nucleated cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm presumably derived from amniotic or urinary epithelium were occasionally found. Lamellar body-like structures (LBs) were present in some epithelial cells. In AM, epithelial, basal and mesenchymal layers were clearly visible with both techniques as previously described. Epithelial cells had several cytoplasmic vacuolization and microvilli were present on apical surface. The connective tissue presented fibroblasts, mesenchymal and rare polymorphonuclear cells, surrounded by abundant extracellular matrix, with distribution of collagen fibres. This is the first report about equine amniotic compartment description by LM and TEM. As recently reported in human medicine, the AM could be a second potential source of pulmonary surfactant, given the finding of LBs inside the cells which could have the same function as in humans. Further studies in samples collected at different gestational ages could increase the knowledge of AF cells and their modification during pregnancy, as well as a better comprehension of the role of AM as a secondary source of pulmonary surfactant in the horse. The diagnostic evaluation of AF cellular composition in high-risk pregnancies may also be investigated.


Kinetics of small and middle molecule clearance during continuous hemodialysis.
Regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA) enables prolonged continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT) filter lifespan. However, membrane diffusive performance might progressively decrease and remain unnoticed. We prospectively evaluated the kinetics of solute clearance and factors associated with decreased membrane performance in 135 consecutive CKRT-RCA circuits (35 patients). We recorded baseline patients' characteristics and clinical signs of decreased membrane performance. We calculated effluent/serum ratios (ESR) as well as respective clearances for urea, creatinine and β2-microglobuline at 12, 24, 48 and 72 h after circuit initiation. Using mixed-effects logistic regression model analyses, we assessed the effect of time on those values and determined independent predictors of decreased membrane performance as defined by an ESR for urea < 0.81. We observed a minor but statistically significant decrease in both ESR and solute clearance across the duration of therapy for all three solutes. We observed decreased membrane performance in 31 (23%) circuits while clinical signs were present in 19 (14.1%). The risk of decreased membrane performance significantly increased over time: 1.8% at T1 (p = 0.16); 7.3% at T2 (p = 0.01); 15.7% at T3 (p = 0.001) and 16.4% at T4 (p < 0.003). Four factors present within 24 h of circuit initiation were independently associated with decreased membrane performance: arterial blood bicarbonate level (OR 1.50; p < 0.001), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT; OR = 0.93; p = 0.02), fibrinogen level (OR 6.40; p = 0.03) and Charlson score (OR 0.10; p < 0.01). COVID-19 infection was not associated with increased risk of decreased membrane performance. Regular monitoring of ESR might be appropriate in selected patients undergoing CKRT.


Plasma renin activity and serum aldosterone during prolonged physical strain. The significance of sleep and energy deprivation.
Plasma renin activity (PRA), serum aldosterone and the serum and urinary levels of sodium and potassium have been investigated in 24 young men participating in a 5-day military training course with heavy continuous physical exercise, energy and sleep deprivation. The subjects were divided into three groups. Group 1 did not get any extra sleep or food, group 2 were compensated for the energy deficiency, and group 3 slept 3 h each night. The basic diet given to all the subjects was about 5,000 kJ and 2 g NaCl X 24 h-1 X cadet-1. The high calorie diet contained approximately 25,000-35,000 kJ and 20 g of NaCl X 24 h-1 X cadet-1. The study showed that serum aldosterone and PRA were extremely activated during such prolonged physical strain combined with lack of food and salt, whereas sleep deprivation did not seem to have any large influence. Only small variations were found in the serum levels of sodium and potassium and the urinary level of potassium during the course, whereas a decrease was seen in urinary sodium concentration. The fairly good correlations between the decrease in urinary sodium levels and the increase in PRA (r = 0.7) and further between PRA and serum aldosterone (r = 0.8) during the course indicate that there is a causal connection between the decrease in urinary sodium excretion and the increase in PRA and serum aldosterone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Sleep induced by L-tryptophan. Effect of dosages within the normal dietary intake.
Previous results have demonstrated sleep-inducing effects of L-tryptophan in doses of 1 to 15 g at bedtime. The present laboratory study extends the dose-response curve downward, comparing doses of 1/4 g, 1/2 g, and 1 g of L-tryptophan with placebo, in 15 mild insomniacs (subjects who reported sleep latencies of over 30 minutes). One gram of L-tryptophan significantly reduced sleep latency: the lower doses produced a trend in the same direction. Stage IV sleep was significantly increased by 1/4 g of L-tryptophan. These results at low doses have interesting implications since the normal dietary intake of L-tryptophan is 1/2 g to 2 g per day.


Preceding and trailing role-taking in dyad synchronization using finger tapping.
In ensembles, people synchronize the timings of their movements with those of others. Players sometimes take on preceding and trailing roles, whereby one's beat is either slightly earlier or slightly later than that of another. In this study, we aimed to clarify whether the division of preceding and trailing roles occurs in simple rhythmic coordination among non-musicians. Additionally, we investigated the temporal dependencies between these roles. We conducted a synchronous-continuous tapping task involving pairs of people, whereby pairs of participants first tapped to synchronize with a metronome. After the metronome stopped, the participants synchronized their taps to their partners' tap timings, which were presented as auditory stimuli. Except in one trial, the pairs involved participants taking on preceding and trailing roles. Compared to the participants taking on the trailing role, those taking on the preceding role demonstrated enhanced phase-correction responses, while those taking on the trailing role significantly adapted their tempos to match those of their partners. As a result, people spontaneously divided into preceding and trailing roles. The preceding participants tended to reduce asynchronies, while the trailing participants tended to match their tempo to their partners'.


Effect of print layer height and printer type on the accuracy of 3-dimensional printed orthodontic models.
Three-dimensional (3D) printing technologies enable production of orthodontic models from digital files; yet a range of variables associated with the process could impact the accuracy and clinical utility of the models. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of print layer height on the accuracy of orthodontic models printed 3 dimensionally using a stereolithography format printer and to compare the accuracy of orthodontic models fabricated with several commercially available 3D printers. Thirty-six identical models were produced with a stereolithography-based 3D printer using 3 layer heights (n = 12 per group): 25, 50, and 100 μm. Forty-eight additional models were printed using 4 commercially available 3D printers (n = 12 per group). Each printed model was digitally scanned and compared with the input file via superimposition analysis using a best-fit algorithm to assess accuracy. Statistically significant differences were found in the average overall deviations of models printed at each layer height, with the 25-μm and 100-μm layer height groups having the greatest and least deviations, respectively. Statistically significant differences were also found in the average overall deviations of models produced using the various 3D printer models, but all values fell within clinically acceptable limits. The print layer height and printer model can affect the accuracy of a 3D printed orthodontic model, but the impact should be considered with respect to the clinical tolerances associated with the envisioned application.


Triarylpyridines: a versatile small molecule scaffold for G-quadruplex recognition.
The triarylpyridines are potent G-quadruplex ligands that are highly discriminating against duplex DNA and show promising selectivity between intramolecular quadruplexes.


Ion channels activated by swelling of Madin Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells.
According to previous studies hyposmotic swelling of Madin Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells leads to a marked decrease of cell membrane resistance. The present study has been performed to identify the underlying ion channels using the patch-clamp technique: reduction of extracellular osmolarity to 230 mmol/liter leads to a transient activation of K+ channels and a sustained activation of anion channels. The K+ channels are inwardly rectifying with a single-channel slope conductance of 56 +/- 3 pS at -50 mV (cell negative) and of 29 +/- 2 pS at 0 mV PD across the patch (150 mmol/liter K+ in pipette). The same channels are activated by an increase of intracellular calcium activity, as shown previously. The anion channels display a single-channel slope conductance of 41 +/- 4 pS at -50 mV (cell negative) and of 25 +/- 3 pS at 0 mV PD across the patch (150 mmol/liter Cl- in pipette). The channel is anion selective and conducts both bicarbonate and chloride with a preference for bicarbonate. Its open probability is not affected by changing intracellular calcium from 0.1-10 mumol/liter. The channels observed explain the effects of cell swelling on PD, ion selectivity and resistance of the cell membrane in MDCK cells.


A mitochondrial frameshift-suppressor (+1) [corrected] of the yeast S. cerevisiae maps in the mitochondrial 15S rRNA locus.
The first case of a +1 "extrageneic" frameshift suppressor (MF1), mapping in the yeast mitochondrial 15S rRNA gene is reported. The suppressor was identified by genetic analyses in a leaky mitochondrial oxil frameshift mutant and the respective wild-type strain 777-3A of the yeast S. cerevisiae. This is in accordance with the finding that all mitochondrial frameshift mutants isolated from this strain tend to be leaky to a variable degree. MF1 does not suppress known nonsense mutations created by a direct basepair exchange in strain 777-3A. These mutants exhibit a non-leaky phenotype (Weiss-Brummer et al. 1984).


Highly sensitive ultrasound detection using nanofabricated polymer micro-ring resonators.
Photoacoustic (PA) imaging enables noninvasive volumetric imaging of biological tissues by capturing the endogenous optical absorption contrast. Conventional ultrasound detectors using piezoelectric materials have been widely used for transducing ultrasound signals into the electrical signals for PA imaging reconstruction. However, their inherent limitations in detection bandwidth and sensitivity per unit area have unfortunately constrained the performance of PA imaging. Optical based ultrasound detection methods emerge to offer very promising solutions. In particular, polymer micro-ring resonators (MRRs) in the form of integrated photonic circuits (IPC) enable significant reduction for the sensing area to 80 μm in diameter, while maintaining highly sensitive ultrasound detection with noise equivalent pressure (NEP) of 0.49 Pa and a broad detection frequency range up to 250 MHz. The continued engineering innovation has further transformed MRRs to be transparent to the light and thus, opens up a wide range of applications, including multi-modality optical microscope with isometric resolution, PA endoscope, photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT), and more. This review article summarizes and discusses the evolution of polymer MRR design and the associated nanofabrication process for improving the performance of ultrasound detection. The resulting novel imaging applications will also be reviewed and discussed.


Massively Concurrent Sub-Cellular Traction Force Videography enabled by Single-Pixel Optical Tracers (SPOTs).
We report a large field-of-view and high-speed videography platform for measuring the sub-cellular traction forces of more than 10,000 biological cells over 13mm 2 at 83 frames per second. Our Single-Pixel Optical Tracers (SPOT) tool uses 2-dimensional diffraction gratings embedded into a soft substrate to convert cells' mechanical traction stress into optical colors detectable by a video camera. The platform measures the sub-cellular traction forces of diverse cell types, including tightly connected tissue sheets and near isolated cells. We used this platform to explore the mechanical wave propagation in a tightly connected sheet of Neonatal Rat Ventricular Myocytes (NRVMs) and discovered that the activation time of some tissue regions are heterogeneous from the overall spiral wave behavior of the cardiac wave. An optical platform for fast, concurrent measurements of cell mechanics at 83 frames per second, over a large area of 13mm 2 .


Does acute hyperventilation provoke cerebral oligaemia in comatose patients after acute head injury?
In 27 comatose patients with acute head injury, 45 paired studies of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) were performed before and after hyperventilation. In total 676 regions were studied, and rCBF was calculated as initial slope index using the intracarotid washout technique of 133 Xe. The tests were applied from one day to three weeks after the acute trauma. In total hyperventilation from PaCO2 averaging 4.8 to 3.5 kPa increased the frequency of regions with oligaemia defined CBF less than 20 ml/100 g/min from 5 to 16%. Before hyperventilation oligaemia was observed in 11 of 45 studies (9 of 27 patients); after hyperventilation the frequency increased to 21 studies (15 patients). The frequency of severe oligaemia (CBF less than 15 ml) increased from 0.1 to 3% of all regions, or from 2 to 8 of all studies (from 2 to 9 patients). The increased frequency of oligaemia after hyperventilation was correlated to a poor outcome (dementia, vegetative survival or death), where it was observed in 21% of all regions, in 16 of 26 studies and 11 of 15 patients, whereas the frequency in patients with a good recovery was found to be 7% of all regions and observed in 5 of 19 studies (4 of 12 patients). The high frequency of oligaemia after hyperventilation was associated to a low hemispheric CBF before hyperventilation, but not to the level of PaCO2, the level of intracranial pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure or CSF-pH or lactate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Holmium: YAG Laser-Assisted Removal of a Lamb Bone Impacted in the Upper Oesophagus.
This article reports an innovative and unprecedented use of Holmium: YAG laser in the extraction of a foreign body impacted in the upper oesophagus without complications. Hence, Holmium-YAG laser can be a safe, efficient and successful aid to fragment the impacted foreign bodies to assist in their removal.


Arthrodesis of the ankle: arthroscopic, mini-open, and open techniques.
Despite recent advances in ankle arthroplasty technology, arthrodesis remains the gold standard for the operative treatment of advanced ankle arthritis. Choice of technique should be guided by the surgeon's experience and the amount of deformity present. In all cases, close attention to detail is essential in performing this procedure to ensure that the patient is provided with a well-fused, stable ankle and a well-aligned plantar grade foot suitable for functional ambulation.


N-carbamoyl analogs of Zafirlukast: potent receptor antagonists of leukotriene D4.
Exploration of the indole nitrogen region of Zafirlukast (1) has uncovered a potent series of cysteinyl leukotriene D4 (LTD4) antagonists. These studies showed that a variety of functionality could be incorporated in this region of the molecule without sacrificing potency. Efforts to exploit this site in order to improve oral efficacy are discussed.


Aortic ruptures in seat belt wearers.
Several investigations have indicated that rupture of the thoracic aorta is one of the leading causes of immediate death in victims of road traffic accidents. In Finland in 1983, 92% of front-seat passengers were seat belt wearers on highways and 82% in build-up areas. The mechanisms of rupture of the aorta have been intensively investigated, but the relationship between seat belt wearing and injury mechanisms leading to aortic rupture is still largely unknown. This study comprises 4169 fatally injured victims investigated by the Boards of Traffic Accident Investigation of Insurance Companies during the period 1972 to 1985. Chest injuries were recorded as the main cause of death in 1121 (26.9%) victims, 207 (5.0%) of those victims having worn a seat belt. Aortic ruptures were found at autopsy in 98 victims and the exact information of the location of the aortic tears was available in 68. For a control group, we analyzed 72 randomly chosen unbelted victims who had a fatal aortic rupture in similar accidents. The location of the aortic rupture in unbelted victims was more often in the ascending aorta, especially in drivers, whereas in seat belt wearers the distal descending aorta was statistically more often ruptured, especially in right-front passengers (p less than 0.05). The steering wheel predominated statistically as the part of the car estimated to have caused the injury in unbelted victims (37/72), and some interior part of the car was the most common cause of fatal thoracic impacts in seat belt wearers (48/68) (p less than 0.001). The mechanism of rupture of the aorta in the classic site just distal to the subclavian artery seems to be rapid deceleration, although complex body movements are also responsible in side impact collisions. The main mechanism leading to rupture of the ascending aorta seems to be severe blow to the bony thorax. This also often causes associated thoracic injuries, such as heart rupture and sternal fracture. Injuries in the ascending aorta were mostly found in unbelted victims and were sustained in frontal impact collisions, the injury-causing part of the car being the steering wheel. Ruptures of the distal descending part of the aorta were frequently associated with fractures of the thoracic vertebra.


The effects of wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum L.) essential oil components against ochratoxin-producing Aspergilli.
The aim of this study was to determine the effects of the essential oil of Thymus serpyllum L. and of its components thymol and total phenols (total phenolic content, TPC) extracted from the plant on the growth and mycotoxin production of Aspergillus ochraceus, A. carbonarius, and A. niger. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) determined for the essential oil and thymol, and selected concentration of the TPC extract inhibited fungal growth and ochratoxin A biosynthesis by more than 60 %, depending on the conditions and duration of incubation with the fungi. Essential oil showed the strongest inhibitory effect which may have been related to the synergistic or cumulative effects of its components.


Intravitreal dexamethasone implants facilitate the management of refractory Behçet's uveitis with vasculitis.
To investigate the efficacy and safety of dexamethasone (DEX) implant, Ozurdex ®, as an adjunctive treatment for refractory Behçet's uveitis (BU), a total of 61 patients (80 eyes) were included in this cross-sectional study and divided into the non-DEX and DEX groups. After >12 months of treatment, the improvement in the fluorescein angiography score and vitritis score was significantly higher in the DEX group than in the non-DEX group. Although the posterior capsule opacification score was exacerbated, the rate of low-dose systemic glucocorticoid was higher and the relapse times were fewer in the DEX group. Therefore, Ozurdex® is an effective and safe option for patients with BU that are refractory to systemic immunosuppressant treatments by controlling vasculitis, stabilizing vitreous inflammation, preventing recurrence, and reducing daily glucocorticoid doses.


Impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on respiratory care in Japan: A nationwide survey by the Japanese Respiratory Society.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread worldwide since 2020, placing a huge burden on medical facilities. In the field of respiratory medicine, there has been a decrease in the number of patients. While many pulmonologists have been receiving patients with COVID-19, the actual effects on respiratory care have not been elucidated. Therefore, we conducted this study to clarify the effects of COVID-19 on medical care in the field of respiratory medicine. We conducted a questionnaire survey among 749 hospitals belonging to the Board-Certified Member system of the Japanese Respiratory Society on the effects of COVID-19 from November 2021. Responses were obtained from 170 hospitals (23%), in approximately 70% of which the respiratory medicine department was the main department involved in managing COVID-19. The number of spirometry and bronchoscopy tests decreased by 25% and 15%, respectively, and the number of both outpatients and inpatients decreased in 93% of hospitals. Among respiratory diseases, the number of patients hospitalized for usual pneumonia, bronchial asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease decreased greatly by 30%-45%. In 62% of hospitals, the biggest effect of the COVID-19 pandemic was the greater burden in terms of the clinical workload due to COVID-19. Although the number of tests and non-COVID-19 outpatients and inpatients decreased in respiratory medicine departments during the COVID-19 pandemic, the workload increased due to COVID-19, resulting in a great increase in the clinical burden.


Exocrine glands in the legs of the social wasp Vespula vulgaris.
This study brings a survey of the exocrine glands in the legs of Vespula vulgaris wasps. We studied workers, males, virgin queens as well as mated queens. A variety of 17 glands is found in the different leg segments. Among these, five glands are novel exocrine structures for social insects (trochanter-femur gland, ventrodistal tibial gland, distal tibial sac gland, ventral tibial gland, and ventral tarsomere gland). Most leg glands are present in the three leg pairs of all castes. This may indicate a mechanical function. This is likely for the numerous glands that occur near the articulation between the various leg segments, where lubricant production may be expected. Other possible functions include antenna cleaning, acting as a hydraulic system, or pheromonal. Further research including leg-related behavioural observations and chemical analyses may help to clarify the functions of these glandular structures in the legs.


Visualized detection of quality change of cooked beef with condiments by hyperspectral imaging technique.
The heat treatment and seasoning of meat are indispensable before its consumption. In this work, the spectral characteristics of cooked meat and condiments were analysed by hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technology. The spectral reflectance of spices was significantly lower than that of meat protein, and that the spectral reflectance of protein regularly increased upon heating at 800-956 nm range. PCA pre-process and SVM models were used to predict beef moisture (R 2 = 0.912) and tenderness (R 2 = 0.771) based on 100 beef data. Mapping technology clearly showed the dynamic change of meat tenderness during heating, and the performance of 3D mapping was better than that of 2D mapping. Based on 750 nm/900 nm ratio image and machine-vision method, spice uniformity was accurately calculated. Thus, the quality of cooked meat and condiments distribution can be simultaneously evaluated by HSI. This technology can be used in the intelligent production of complex meat products in the future.


Diffusion tensor imaging in late posttraumatic epilepsy.
The main objective of this study was to use diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to search and quantify the extent of abnormality beyond the obvious lesions seen on the T2 and fluid-attenuation inversion recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance images in patients with chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI) with and without epilepsy. DTI was performed on 23 chronic TBI patients (with late posttraumatic epilepsy, n=14; without epilepsy, n=9) and 11 age-matched controls. The ratios of fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) between the regions of interest beyond the T2/FLAIR-visualized abnormality and the corresponding contralateral normal-appearing region were calculated. FA and MD ratios were compared for relative changes in these parameters among the TBI subjects with and without epilepsy and controls. Tissue volumes exhibiting abnormalities on DTI also were measured in these patients. The mean regional FA ratio was significantly lower, whereas the mean regional MD value was higher in patients with TBI compared with controls. The mean regional FA ratio was significantly lower in TBI patients with epilepsy (0.57+/-0.059) than in those without epilepsy (0.68+/-0.039). Although the regional MD ratio was higher in TBI patients with epilepsy (1.15+/-0.140) relative to those without epilepsy (1.09+/-0.141), the difference did not reach statistical significance. The tissue volume with low FA value also was found to be higher in TBI patients with epilepsy than without. Severity of injury as predicted by the DTI-derived increased volume of microstructure damage is associated with delayed posttraumatic epilepsy in TBI patients. These findings could be valuable in predicting epileptogenesis in patients with chronic TBI.


Assessing physical, sexual, and psychological violence perpetrated by intimate male partners toward women: a Spanish cross-sectional study.
There have been many studies on the impact of intimate partner violence (IPV) on women's health, there being agreement on its detrimental effect. Research has focused mainly on the impact of physical violence on health, with few studies assessing the effect of sexual and psychological violence. Furthermore, there are many differences in the way violence experienced by women is assessed. While some researchers use available instruments, others develop their own questionnaires. This article gives detailed information about physical, sexual, and psychological violence, lifetime history of women's victimization, and aspects of women's behavior and feelings obtained with the questionnaire used in a Spanish cross-sectional study. Our results corroborate that IPV is not homogeneous, it being necessary to ask women about each type of violence they have experienced. Furthermore, to accurately assess the impact of IPV on women's health, it is necessary to control for other variables that also have detrimental effects on health.


The impact of pre-processing and disease characteristics on reproducibility of T2-weighted MRI radiomics features.
To evaluate the reproducibility of radiomics features derived via different pre-processing settings from paired T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) prostate lesions acquired within a short interval, to select the setting that yields the highest number of reproducible features, and to evaluate the impact of disease characteristics (i.e., clinical variables) on features reproducibility. A dataset of 50 patients imaged using T2WI at 2 consecutive examinations was used. The dataset was pre-processed using 48 different settings. A total of 107 radiomics features were extracted from manual delineations of 74 lesions. The inter-scan reproducibility of each feature was measured using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), with ICC values > 0.75 considered good. Statistical differences were assessed using Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The pre-processing parameters strongly influenced the reproducibility of radiomics features of T2WI prostate lesions. The setting that yielded the highest number of features (25 features) with high reproducibility was the relative discretization with a fixed bin number of 64, no signal intensity normalization, and outlier filtering by excluding outliers. Disease characteristics did not significantly impact the reproducibility of radiomics features. The reproducibility of T2WI radiomics features was significantly influenced by pre-processing parameters, but not by disease characteristics. The selected pre-processing setting yielded 25 reproducible features.


Co-development of mindful awareness and Chinese youth's mental health problem: Based on parallel-process latent growth curve model.
This study investigated the natural development pattern of mindful awareness and its relation with mental health in a sample of Chinese youth. 1,483 students (57.11% boys) from fourth to ninth grade (Mage = 11.18 ± 1.78, Wave 1) participated in the study. Students participated in up to 3 waves of assessment, each spaced approximately 6 months. The data were collected by the Chinese version of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale-Children (MAAS-C), the Chinese Version of 10-item CES-D Depression Scale (CESD-10), and the Academic Pressure subscale of Inventory of Influencing Factors of Trait Anxiety for Secondary School Students (IIFTAS). Cross-sectionally, higher graders scored lower mindful awareness than lower graders. Results of latent growth curve analysis showed a slight decrease, but not at a significant level, of mindful awareness in the longitudinal measurement. Results from the parallel-process model indicated that decreases in mindful awareness significantly predicted children and adolescents' depressive emotions and academic pressure. As a longitudinal study, the time points were insufficient and all variables were assessed by self-report measures. Mindful awareness might be a significant protector for youth when co-developing with mental health problems.


One from column A and two from column B: the benefits of phage display in molecular-recognition studies.
Recent uses of phage-displayed combinatorial peptide and cDNA libraries have proven invaluable in mapping protein-protein interactions, protein-drug interactions, and the generation of 'molecular therapeutics'. This article reviews some of the findings of the past year and points out some of the pros and cons of phage display as compared with those of yeast two-hybrid screening.


Change in cytokine profiles released by mast cells mediated by lung cancer-derived exosome activation may contribute to cancer-associated coagulation disorders.
Coagulation disorders are a significant cause of lung cancer mortality. Although mast cells are known to play a role in coagulation abnormalities, their specific role in this process has not yet been elucidated. We detected mast cells in the tumor microenvironment using single-cell sequencing data and examined their correlation with thrombosis-related genes, neutrophil-related genes, neutrophil extracellular trap-related signature genes, and immune infiltration levels in lung cancer patients through bioinformatics analysis. Bone marrow mast cell uptake of exosomes isolated from the lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549, which were labeled using PKH67, was observed using confocal microscopy. Mast cell degranulation was detected by measuring the β-hexosaminidase release rate. Additionally, cytokine array analysis was performed to identify altered mediators released by bone marrow mast cells after uptake of the exosomes. In our study, we found a close correlation between the proportion of mast cells in lung cancer patients and the expression levels of thrombosis-related genes and neutrophil extracellular trap signature genes, both of which play a key role in thrombophilic disorder. Moreover, we discovered that lung cancer cell-derived exosomes can be taken up by mast cells, which in turn become activated to release procoagulant mediators. Our study shows that exosomes derived from lung cancer cells can activate mast cells to release procoagulants that may contribute to abnormal blood clotting in lung cancer patients. Video Abstract.


The Role of the Specialist Nurse in Gynaecological Cancer.
To explore the role of the specialist nurse within gynaecological cancer. There are many different job titles associated with the role of the specialist nurse. Nursing roles are evolving not only to meet the increasing demands on services but also within the ever changing landscape of cancer treatments and improvement in survival. Women and their families need specialist nurses to guide and support them on their cancer journey, along the treatment trajectory and into survivorship. This paper explores specialist nurse roles generally, and within our service which have been adapted to meet service and patient needs within a gynaecological cancer centre. Irrelevant of title, specialist nurses are best suited to meet the patients' needs. The fundamental ethos of the care should always remain having the patients' best interest at heart, acting as their advocate - in essence giving them a voice when they need it.


The Role of the Electrocardiogram in Pregnant Individuals with Chronic Hypertension.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists suggests that an electrocardiogram is an acceptable first-line test. We sought to examine whether an electrocardiogram is a sufficient screening tool to identify echocardiogram-diagnosed left ventricular hypertrophy. We also sought to determine risk factors associated with left ventricular hypertrophy. This was a retrospective cohort study of pregnant individuals with chronic hypertension who delivered at 20 weeks' gestation or greater at a tertiary care center. Analyses were limited to individuals who had both electrocardiogram and echocardiogram during pregnancy. Left ventricular hypertrophy was diagnosed using the American Society of Echocardiography guidelines. Maternal demographics and electrocardiogram results were compared between individuals with left ventricular hypertrophy and those without left ventricular hypertrophy. The sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio of the electrocardiogram to identify left ventricular hypertrophy were also calculated. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated, controlling for covariates. Of 172 individuals, 60 (34.9%) had left ventricular hypertrophy. The sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio of the electrocardiogram to identify echocardiogram-diagnosed left ventricular hypertrophy was 18.3% (95% CI: 9.5-30.4), 91.1% (95% CI: 84.2-95.6), 2.05 (95% CI: 0.93-4.56), and 0.90 (95% CI: 0.78-1.02), respectively. Compared with individuals without left ventricular hypertrophy, those with left ventricular hypertrophy were more likely to have hypertension of 4 years' duration or longer (aOR = 4.01; 95% CI: 1.71-9.42), unknown duration of hypertension (aOR = 4.66; 95% CI: 1.28-17.04), and higher body mass index (aOR = 1.04; 95% CI: 1.01-1.07). After adjusting for covariates, left ventricular hypertrophy by electrocardiogram was not associated with actual left ventricular hypertrophy (aOR = 2.59; 95% CI: 0.94-7.10). Electrocardiogram was not a sufficient test for identifying left ventricular hypertrophy in pregnant individuals with chronic hypertension. We suggest an echocardiogram evaluation for all individuals with chronic hypertension. · The first-line test for cardiac evaluation is an electrocardiogram.. · In our cohort, the rate of left ventricular hypertrophy was 35%.. · The electrocardiogram was not sensitive to detect left ventricular hypertrophy..


Phosphorus deficiency induces root proliferation and Cd absorption but inhibits Cd tolerance and Cd translocation in roots of Populus × euramericana.
To disclose how phosphorus deficiency influence phytoremediation of Cd contamination using poplars, root architecture, Cd absorption, Cd translocation and antioxidant defense in poplar roots were investigated using a clone of Populus × euramericana. Root growth was unaltered by Cd exposure regardless of P conditions, while the degree of root proliferation upon P deficiency was changed by high level of Cd exposure. The concentration and content of Cd accumulation in roots were increased by P deficiency. This can be partially explained by the increased expression of genes encoding PM H + -ATPase under the combined conditions of P deficiency and high Cd exposure, which enhanced Cd2+-H+ exchanges and led to an increment of Cd uptake under P deficiency. Despite of the increasing Cd accumulation in roots, the translocation of Cd from roots to aerial tissues sharply decreased upon P deficiency. The relative expression of genes responsible for Cd translocation (HMA4) decreased upon P deficiency and thus inhibited Cd translocation via xylem. GR activity was decreased by P deficiency, which can inhibit the form of GSH and GSH-Cd complexes and decrease Cd translocation via GSH-Cd complexes. The transportation of PC-Cd complexes into vacuole decreased under P deficiency as a result of the low expression of PCS and ABCC1, and thus suppressed Cd tolerance and Cd detoxification in roots. Moreover, P deficiency decreased the levels of antioxidase (GR and CAT) and phytohormones including JA, ABA and GA3, which synchronously reduced antioxidant capacity in roots.


Multi-parental fungal mapping population study to detect genomic regions associated with Pyrenophora teres f. teres virulence.
In recent years multi-parental mapping populations (MPPs) have been widely adopted in many crops to detect quantitative trait loci (QTLs) as this method can compensate for the limitations of QTL analyses using bi-parental mapping populations. Here we report the first multi-parental nested association mapping (MP-NAM) population study used to detect genomic regions associated with host-pathogenic interactions. MP-NAM QTL analyses were conducted on 399 Pyrenophora teres f. teres individuals using biallelic, cross-specific and parental QTL effect models. A bi-parental QTL mapping study was also conducted to compare the power of QTL detection between bi-parental and MP-NAM populations. Using MP-NAM with 399 individuals detected a maximum of eight QTLs with a single QTL effect model whilst only a maximum of five QTLs were detected with an individual bi-parental mapping population of 100 individuals. When reducing the number of isolates in the MP-NAM to 200 individuals the number of QTLs detected remained the same for the MP-NAM population. This study confirms that MPPs such as MP-NAM populations can be successfully used in detecting QTLs in haploid fungal pathogens and that the power of QTL detection with MPPs is greater than with bi-parental mapping populations.


Subclassification of Multivisceral Resections for T4b Colon Cancer with Relevance for Postoperative Complications and Oncological Risks.
Multivisceral resection for T4b colon cancer constitutes a heterogeneous group of surgical procedures. The purpose of this study was to explore clinically distinct categories of multivisceral resection, with subsequent correlation to postoperative complications and oncological outcomes. In this multicenter cohort study, all consecutive patients without metastases who underwent multivisceral resection for pT4bN0-2M0 colon cancer between 2000 and 2014 were included. Multivisceral resection was divided into four categories: (i) gastrointestinal (including the stomach), (ii) urologic ((partial) bladder and ureter), (iii) solid organ (spleen, kidney, liver, pancreas, and uterus), and (iv) abdominal wall/omentum/ovaries. The primary outcome was surgical complications and secondary outcomes were 5-year intra-abdominal recurrence, disease-free survival, and overall survival. In total, 130 patients who underwent curative intent resection of pT4 colon cancer were included. Patients who underwent multivisceral resection within multiple categories were assigned to one of the categories based on hierarchy of clinical impact after exploratory analysis. For the primary endpoint, 55 patients were assigned to gastrointestinal, 14 to urologic, 14 to solid organ, and 47 to abdominal wall/omentum/ovaries multivisceral resection. Gastrointestinal multivisceral resection was independently associated with surgical complications (HR 3.9, 95% CI 1.4-10.6). Abdominal wall/omentum/ovaries multivisceral resection was significantly related with intra-abdominal recurrence (HR 7.8, 95% CI 1.0-57.8). The 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival showed no significant differences per multivisceral resection category. Multivisceral resections for T4b colon cancer are heterogeneous procedures considering risk profiles. The proposed multivisceral resection subclassification needs validation, but might improve comparability between studies and hospitals (auditing).


High basal serum allopregnanolone levels in overweight girls.
Several studies demonstrated that obese subjects have a hyperactive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and that sex steroid hormones have been closely related to the regulation of adiposity, either through direct or indirect physiological mechanisms. Allopregnanolone (3alpha-hydroxy-5alpha-pregn-20-one; AP) is a circulating neuroactive steroid hormone involved in the modulation of behavioral functions, stress and neuroendocrine axis. The aim of our study was to evaluate basal serum AP levels in obese children. We studied 27 normal weight (NW) and 23 overweight (OW) girls. Gonadotropins and steroid hormones were assessed in all patients. Basal AP concentrations in OW girls were significantly higher than in NW controls (P=0.013). There was no difference found between the other gonadal and adrenal hormones. Considering the pubertal stage, we demonstrated that obese pubertal girls presented higher AP concentrations than prepubertal and pubertal NW ones (P=0.020), and higher dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels with respect to prepubertal obese girls, and prepubertal and pubertal NW patients (P=0.025). AP and DHEAS were significantly directly related to weight (r=0.31 and r=0.54, respectively) and body mass index (r=0.29 and r=0.34, respectively). In pubertal OW girls, a significant positive correlation between AP and DHEAS (r=0.60), A (r=0.72) and luteinizing hormone (r=0.64) levels was demonstrated. The present study demonstrates that AP is hypersecreted in children and adolescent with OW involving DHEAS concentrations, too. Our data suggest a possible role of AP in the regulation of neuroendocrine axis related to obesity. We can also speculate that in OW girls, who could manifest emotional and behavioral problems, a part of higher levels of this neuroactive steroid might act as gamma-aminobutyric acid agonist producing anxiolytic-sedative effects.


Novel perfluoropolyalkylethers monomers: synthesis and photo-induced cationic polymerization.
Several difunctional oligomers were synthesized by functionalizing perfluoropolyalkylether (PFPAE) chains with different vinyl ethers and epoxides end-groups. Due to their innate synthetic challenges and demanding purification protocols, the PFPAE derivatives were obtained in low yield and with an average functionality lower than 2. However, the functionalized PFPAE oligomers were successful in being used in photo-induced cationic polymerization processes, obtaining transparent and soft films. The influences of the fluorinated chains, and various end-groups on the photopolymerization process were investigated, as well their chemical stability, thermal degradation, and surface properties. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00396-021-04838-1.


DHA supplementation and pregnancy complications.
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation is recommended for women during pregnancy because of its neurological, visual, and cognitive effects. Previous studies have suggested that DHA supplementation during pregnancy may prevent and treat certain pregnancy complications. However, there are contradictions in the current related studies, and the specific mechanism by which DHA acts remains unclear. This review summarizes the research on the relationship between DHA intake during pregnancy and preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction, and postpartum depression. Furthermore, we explore the impact of DHA intake during pregnancy on the prediction, prevention, and treatment of pregnancy complications as well as its impact on offspring neurodevelopment. Our results suggest that there is limited and controversial evidence for the protective effect of DHA intake on pregnancy complications, with the exception of preterm birth and gestational diabetes mellitus. However, additional DHA supplementation may improve long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in the offspring of women with pregnancy complications.