Interparental conflict in context: exploring relations between parenting processes and children's conflict appraisals.
Children's appraisals of conflict are a mechanism by which parental discord can lead to child maladjustment. The cognitive-contextual framework proposes that parent-child relationships may affect how children perceive conflict, but this idea has rarely been examined empirically. This study investigated relations between conflict appraisals, parenting, and child adjustment in a sample of 150 8- to 12-year-old children, using a multi-informant, multimethod design. Mothers' coercive/controlling and emotionally unsupportive parenting magnified the relation between conflict and children's self-blame; emotionally supportive parenting diminished this association. Children's secure attachment with fathers was linked with less threat and self-blame; more security reduced self-blame for conflict. Data suggest that supportive, responsive parenting can buffer the effects of interparental conflict on children by reducing self-blaming attributions for parental discord.


An observational study of frequency of provider hand contacts in child care facilities in North Carolina and South Carolina.
Children enrolled in child care are 2.3-3.5 times more likely to experience acute gastrointestinal illness than children cared for in their own homes. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency surfaces were touched by child care providers to identify surfaces that should be cleaned and sanitized. Observation data from a convenience sample of 37 child care facilities in North Carolina and South Carolina were analyzed. Trained data collectors used iPods (Apple, Cupertino, CA) to record hand touch events of 1 child care provider for 45 minutes in up to 2 classrooms in each facility. Across the 37 facilities, 10,134 hand contacts were observed in 51 classrooms. Most (4,536) were contacts with porous surfaces, with an average of 88.9 events per classroom observation. The most frequently touched porous surface was children's clothing. The most frequently touched nonporous surface was food contact surfaces (18.6 contacts/observation). Surfaces commonly identified as high-touch surfaces (ie, light switches, handrails, doorknobs) were touched the least. General cleaning and sanitizing guidelines should include detailed procedures for cleaning and sanitizing high-touch surfaces (ie, clothes, furniture, soft toys). Guidelines are available for nonporous surfaces but not for porous surfaces (eg, clothing, carpeting). Additional research is needed to inform the development of evidence-based practices to effectively treat porous surfaces.


The variability of critical care bed numbers in Europe.
To quantify the numbers of critical care beds in Europe and to understand the differences in these numbers between countries when corrected for population size and gross domestic product. Prospective data collection of critical care bed numbers for each country in Europe from July 2010 to July 2011. Sources were identified in each country that could provide data on numbers of critical care beds (intensive care and intermediate care). These data were then cross-referenced with data from international databases describing population size and age, gross domestic product (GDP), expenditure on healthcare and numbers of acute care beds. We identified 2,068,892 acute care beds and 73,585 (2.8 %) critical care beds. Due to the heterogeneous descriptions of these beds in the individual countries it was not possible to discriminate between intensive care and intermediate care in most cases. On average there were 11.5 critical care beds per 100,000 head of population, with marked differences between countries (Germany 29.2, Portugal 4.2). The numbers of critical care beds per country corrected for population size were positively correlated with GDP (r(2) = 0.16, p = 0.05), numbers of acute care beds corrected for population (r(2) = 0.12, p = 0.05) and the percentage of acute care beds designated as critical care (r(2) = 0.59, p < 0.0001). They were not correlated with the proportion of GDP expended on healthcare. Critical care bed numbers vary considerably between countries in Europe. Better understanding of these numbers should facilitate improved planning for critical care capacity and utilization in the future.


Magnetically-driven biomimetic micro pumping using vortices.
Planar micropumps utilizing vortices shed by an oscillating ferromagnetic bar are presented. The movement of the bar is induced by magnetic coupling with an external spinning magnet. Thus, energy transfer is achieved without physical contact or need of any on-chip power source. To create vortices inside the chip, the Reynolds number is locally increased with the oscillation of the bar. The utilization of the vortices as a tool for efficient transfer of energy is inspired by the behaviour of swimming animals and flying insects in nature. The pumps operate in two different scales (milli-scale and micro-scale) in order to take advantage of both. Experiments are presented characterizing the pumps and their flow patterns. The range of operation of the pumps is from 3 microl min(-1) to 600 microl min(-1), though smaller flow rates are also possible.


Reorganization of ambulatory health care in an urban municipal hospital. Primary care and its impact on hospitalization.
Ambulatory care services have been reorganized in a New York City hospital. A newly developed Neighborhood Family Care Center (NFCC) replaced the outpatient clinics. The NFCC and both inpatient and emergency services are totally integrated so as to overcome many of the deficiencies that previously existed in ambulatory care, such as inferior quality of care, minimal academic involvement, fragmentation of services, overspecialization, and unresponsiveness to patients' needs. A review of all patients admitted to the Adult Medical Service has shown a statistically significant decrease in admission rates for diabetic coma-acidosis, severe hypertension, congestive heart failure, cerebrovascular accidents, and severe asthma during the 18 months following the reorganization of ambulatory care. Analysis of cost effectiveness of these changes on the utilization of hospital beds indicates the potential for reduced expenditures of limited health care dollars.


Nominal Group Technique consultation of a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme.
The purpose of the study was to determine what patients, professionals and significant others regarded as the most important positive- and challenging aspects of Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programmes for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and to gain insight into how such programmes could be developed and improved. A modified Nominal Group Technique method was used in three consultation workshops (one with COPD patients who had recently undertaken a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme; one with 'significant others' of the same patients; one with secondary care professionals who deliver the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme). Each of three workshops resulted in the production of approximately ten positive- and ten challenging aspects related to Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programmes. These were further developed by a process of thematisation into seven broad themes. The most important was ' the patient', followed by ' physical health'; jointly ranked as third were: ' mental health' and ' knowledge and education'. ' The programme' and ' professional characteristics' were jointly ranked as fifth, with ' the future' being ranked as the least important theme. The modified Nominal Group Technique method allowed the development of a ranked thematic list that illustrated the important positive- and challenging aspects of Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programmes for patients with COPD. These themes should be core to planning future Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programmes, particularly if patients and carer views are to be considered.


[Effect of sodium hypochlorite on neutrophilic granulocytes during treatment for purulent-inflammatory diseases of retroperitoneal organs].
The effect of systemic immunostimulation with autoblood oxidized with sodium hypochlorite is demonstrated in 79 patients with pyoinflammatory diseases of the retroperitoneal organs. Mechanism of phagocytic reaction to introduction of oxidized autoblood, which consists in extracorporeal activation of lymphocytes and monocytes from peripheral blood with their return to the donor, is outlined. The changes in phagocytic activity of neutrophilic granulocytes indicated that combined treatment of the patients provokes significant shifts in phagocytic activity of the cells: stage I phagocytosis accelerates and becomes less intensive, stage II is characterized by a high activity and in the majority of cases phagocytosis stage III is registered.


Simple Molecular Methods for Early Detection of Chloroquine Drug Resistance in Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum.
Malaria is a human disease of which causes high morbidity and mortality. In Plasmodium falciparum malaria, the resistance to antimalarial drugs, especially chloroquine (CQ) is one of the paramount factors contributing to the global increase in morbidity and mortality, due to malaria. Hence, there is a need for detection of chloroquine drug resistance genes i.e., pfcrt-o (Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter-o) and pfmdr-1 (Plasmodium falciparum multidrug resistance-1) of P. falciparum and pvcrt-o (Plasmodium vivax chloroquine resistance transporter-o) and pvmdr-1 (Plasmodium vivax multidrug resistance-1) of P. vivax by using molecular methods to prevent mortality in malarial cases. To standardize chloroquine drug sensitivity testing by molecular method so as to provide reports of chloroquine within 6-8 hours to physicians for better treatment. This study was conducted over a period of one year from January to December 2014. A Total of 300 blood samples were collected from malaria suspected patient attending MGM Hospital, Kamothe, Navi Mumbai, India. Out of 300 blood samples, 44 were malaria positive as assessed by Thick and Thin blood smear stained, by Leishman's method and examination with light microscope. Chloroquine drug sensitivity testing was performed using WHO III plate method (micro test). Nested PCR was done for detection of pfcrt-o and pfmdr-1 for P. falciparum and pvcrt-o, pvmdr-1 genes for P. vivax. Total 44 samples were included in this study, out of which 22 samples confirmed for Plasmodium falciparum and 22 samples confirmed for Plasmodium vivax. Out of 22 P. falciparum 15 (68.18%) samples were chloroquine resistant. P. vivax showed chloroquine resistance to 5 samples (22.73%) by method similar to WHO III plate method (micro test) and nested PCR. Drug resistance testing by molecular methods is useful for early detection of antimalarial drug resistance. pfmdr-1 along with pfcrt-o can be used as biomarker for chloroquine drug resistance in P. falciparum and pvmdr-1 along with pvcrt-o for P. vivax.


Middle holocene age of the sunnyvale human skeleton.
A morphologically modern human skeleton from Sunnyvale, California, previously dated by aspartic acid racemization to be approximately 70,000 years old and by uranium series isotopic ratios to be 8300 and 9000 years old, appears to be younger when dated by the carbon-14 method. Four carbon-14 determinations made by both decay and direct counting on three organic fractions of postcranial bone support a middle Holocene age assignment for the skeleton, probably in the range of 3500 to 5000 carbon-14 years before the present. This dating evidence is consistent with the geologic, archeological, and anthropometric relationships of the burial as well as previously determined carbon-14 determinations on associated materials.


Nursing home leaders' and nurses' experiences of resources, staffing and competence levels and the relation to hospital readmissions - a case study.
Thirty-day hospital readmissions represent an international challenge leading to increased prevalence of adverse events, reduced quality of care and pressure on healthcare service's resources and finances. There is a need for a broader understanding of hospital readmissions, how they manifest, and how resources in the primary healthcare service may affect hospital readmissions. The aim of the study was to examine how nurses and nursing home leaders experienced the resource situation, staffing and competence level in municipal healthcare services, and if and how they experienced these factors to influence hospital readmissions. The study was conducted as a comparative case study of two municipalities affiliated with the same hospital, chosen for historical differences in readmission rates. Nurses and leaders from four nursing homes participated in focus groups and interviews. Data were analyzed within and across cases. The analysis resulted in four common themes, with some variation in each municipality, describing nurses' and leaders' experience of the nursing home resource situation, staffing level and competence and their perception of factors affecting hospital readmissions. The nursing home patients were described as becoming increasingly complex with a subsequent need for increased nurse competence. There was variation in competence and staffing between nursing homes, but capacity building was an overall focus. Economic limitations and attempts at saving through cost-cutting were present, but not perceived as affecting patient care and the availability of medical equipment. Several factors such as nurse competence and staffing, physician coverage, and adequate communication and documentation, were recognized as factors affecting hospital readmissions across the municipalities. Several factors related to nurses' and leaders' experience of the resource situation, staffing and competence level were suggested to affect hospital readmissions and the municipalities were similar in their answers regarding these factors. Patients were perceived as more complex with higher patient mortality forcing long-term nursing homes to shift towards an acute care or palliative function, and short-term nursing homes to function as "small hospitals", requiring higher nurse competence. Staffing, competence and physician coverage did not seem to have adjusted to the new patient group in some nursing homes.


Evaluation of coaxial dipole antennas as transceiver elements of human head array for ultra-high field MRI at 9.4T.
The aim of this work is to evaluate a new eight-channel transceiver (TxRx) coaxial dipole array for imaging of the human head at 9.4T developed to improve specific absorption rate (SAR) performance, and provide for a more compact and robust alternative to the state-of-the art dipole arrays. First, the geometry of a single coaxial element was optimized to minimize peak SAR and sensitivity to the load variation. Next, a multi-tissue voxel model was used to numerically simulate a TxRx array coil that consisted of eight coaxial dipoles with the optimal configuration. Finally, we compared the developed array to other human head dipole arrays. Results of numerical simulations were verified on a bench and in the scanner including in vivo measurements on a healthy volunteer. The developed eight-element coaxial dipole TxRx array coil showed up to 1.1times higher SAR-efficiency than a similar in geometry folded-end and fractionated dipole array while maintaining whole brain coverage and low sensitivity of the resonance frequency to variation in the head size. As a proof of concept, we developed and constructed a prototype of a 9.4T (400 MHz) human head array consisting of eight TxRx coaxial dipoles. The developed array improved SAR-efficiency and provided for a more compact and robust alternative to the folded-end dipole design. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of using coaxial dipoles for human head MRI at ultra-high field.


Murine neonatal CD4+ cells are poised for rapid Th2 effector-like function.
Murine neonates typically mount Th2-biased immune responses. This entails a cell-intrinsic component whose molecular basis is unknown. We found that neonatal CD4(+) T cells are uniquely poised for rapid Th2 function. Within 24 h of activation, neonatal CD4(+) cells made high levels of IL-4 and IL-13 mRNA and protein. The rapid high-level IL-4 production arose from a small subpopulation of cells, did not require cell cycle entry, and was unaffected by pharmacologic DNA demethylation. CpG methylation analyses in resting neonatal cells revealed pre-existing hypomethylation at a key Th2 cytokine regulatory region, termed conserved noncoding sequence 1 (CNS-1). Robust Th2 function and increased CNS-1 demethylation was a stable property that persisted in neonatal Th2 effectors. The transcription factor STAT6 was not required for CNS-1 demethylation and this state was already established in neonatal CD4 single-positive thymocytes. CNS-1 demethylation levels were much greater in IL-4-expressing CD4 single-positive thymocytes compared with unactivated cells. Together, these results indicate that neonatal CD4+ T cells possess distinct qualities that could predispose them toward rapid, effector-like Th2 function.


Evaluation of data-driven models for predicting the service life of concrete sewer pipes subjected to corrosion.
Concrete corrosion is one of the most significant failure mechanisms of sewer pipes, and can reduce the sewer service life significantly. To facilitate the management and maintenance of sewers, it is essential to obtain reliable prediction of the expected service life of sewers, especially if that is based on limited environmental conditions. Recently, a long-term study was performed to identify the controlling factors of concrete sewer corrosion using well-controlled laboratory-scale corrosion chambers to vary levels of H2S concentration, relative humidity, temperature and in-sewer location. Using the results of the long-term study, three different data-driven models, i.e. multiple linear regression (MLR), artificial neural network (ANN), and adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), as well as the interaction between environmental parameters, were assessed for predicting the corrosion initiation time (ti) and corrosion rate (r). This was performed using the sewer environmental factors as the input under 12 different scenarios after allowing for an initiation corrosion period. ANN and ANFIS models showed better performance than MLR models, with or without considering the interactions between environmental factors. With the limited input data available, it was observed that ti prediction by these models is quite sensitive, however, they are more robust for predicting r as long as the H2S concentration is available. Using the H2S concentration as a single input, all three data driven models can reasonably predict the sewer service life.


Division of labor is associated with age-independent changes in ovarian activity in Pogonomyrmex californicus harvester ants.
An age-independent division of labor can develop in both the reproductive (queen) and non-reproductive (worker) castes of Pogonomyrmex californicus harvester ants, and individuals develop biases for in-nest activities or external foraging. Additionally, ant ovaries normally atrophy in foragers compared to nest-biased workers (nurses). However, it is not clear whether these ovarian changes are due to changes in behavior or age, since foragers are typically older individuals. Here, we clarify this relationship in P. californicus queens and workers by comparing ovarian activity in same-aged ants that exhibit divergent behavioral biases. We found that foraging individuals had significantly reduced ovarian activity compared to their nest-biased counterparts, thereby linking changes in the ants' reproductive system to social task performance rather than to age. The general finding that ovarian physiology is associated with social insect behaviors is consistent with the hypothesis that reproductive physiology may have played an important role in the evolution of social insect behavior.


Pharmacological c-Jun NH2-Terminal Kinase (JNK) Pathway Inhibition Reduces Severity of Spinal Muscular Atrophy Disease in Mice.
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a severe neurodegenerative disorder that occurs in early childhood. The disease is caused by the deletion/mutation of the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene resulting in progressive skeletal muscle atrophy and paralysis, due to the degeneration of spinal motor neurons (MNs). Currently, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying MN death are only partly known, although recently it has been shown that the c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK)-signaling pathway might be involved in the SMA pathogenesis. After confirming the activation of JNK in our SMA mouse model (SMN2+/+; SMNΔ7+/+; Smn-/-), we tested a specific JNK-inhibitor peptide (D-JNKI1) on these mice, by chronic administration from postnatal day 1 to 10, and histologically analyzed the spinal cord and quadriceps muscle at age P12. We observed that D-JNKI1 administration delayed MN death and decreased inflammation in spinal cord. Moreover, the inhibition of JNK pathway improved the trophism of SMA muscular fibers and the size of the neuromuscular junctions (NMJs), leading to an ameliorated innervation of the muscles that resulted in improved motor performances and hind-limb muscular tone. Finally, D-JNKI1 treatment slightly, but significantly increased lifespan in SMA mice. Thus, our results identify JNK as a promising target to reduce MN cell death and progressive skeletal muscle atrophy, providing insight into the role of JNK-pathway for developing alternative pharmacological strategies for the treatment of SMA.


Gustatory and olfactory shifts during pregnancy and the postpartum period: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Pregnancy is a transformative phase marked by significant behavioral and physiological changes. Substantial changes in pregnancy-related hormones are thought to induce changes in chemosensory perception, as often observed in non-human animals. However, empirical behavioral research on pregnancy-related olfactory or gustatory changes has not yet reached a consensus. This PROSPERO pre-registered systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated published data of olfactory and gustatory changes in pregnant individuals, across the three pregnancy trimesters and postpartum period. Our comprehensive search strategy identified 20 relevant studies, for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis revealed that pregnant individuals, regardless of trimester, performed significantly poorer in terms of odour identification, however, no difference was detected between non-pregnant controls and women postpartum. Additionally, pregnant women in the second and third trimester rated olfactory stimuli to be more intense. A slight decline in odour pleasantness ratings was observed amongst those in the second trimester. No major difference was observed between pregnant and non-pregnant subjects in terms of gustatory functions, except the first trimester appeared to be associated with increased pleasantness for the sweet taste. Post-hoc meta-regression analyses revealed that pregnancy stage was a significant predictor for observed effect size for odour intensity ratings, but not for odour identification scores. These findings provide valuable insights into the interplay between pregnancy and chemosensory perception, highlighting systematic physiological changes due to pregnancy. Healthcare providers can also utilize the knowledge of sensory shifts to better support pregnant women in making appropriate dietary choices, managing sense-related discomfort, and leading to potential sensory interventions. Overall, this research enhances our comprehension of sensory shifts during pregnancy, benefiting maternal health and pregnancy-related care.


A New Human Blood-Retinal Barrier Model Based on Endothelial Cells, Pericytes, and Astrocytes.
Blood-retinal barrier (BRB) dysfunction represents one of the most significant changes occurring during diabetic retinopathy. We set up a high-reproducible human-based in vitro BRB model using retinal pericytes, retinal astrocytes, and retinal endothelial cells in order to replicate the human in vivo environment with the same numerical ratio and layer order. Our findings showed that high glucose exposure elicited BRB breakdown, enhanced permeability, and reduced the levels of junction proteins such as ZO-1 and VE-cadherin. Furthermore, an increased expression of pro-inflammatory mediators (IL-1β, IL-6) and oxidative stress-related enzymes (iNOS, Nox2) along with an increased production of reactive oxygen species were observed in our triple co-culture paradigm. Finally, we found an activation of immune response-regulating signaling pathways (Nrf2 and HO-1). In conclusion, the present model mimics the closest human in vivo milieu, providing a valuable tool to study the impact of high glucose in the retina and to develop novel molecules with potential effect on diabetic retinopathy.


Inhibition of adult rat retinal ganglion cells by D1-type dopamine receptor activation.
The spike output of neural pathways can be regulated by modulating output neuron excitability and/or their synaptic inputs. Dopaminergic interneurons synapse onto cells that route signals to mammalian retinal ganglion cells, but it is unknown whether dopamine can activate receptors in these ganglion cells and, if it does, how this affects their excitability. Here, we show D(1a) receptor-like immunoreactivity in ganglion cells identified in adult rats by retrogradely transported dextran, and that dopamine, D(1)-type receptor agonists, and cAMP analogs inhibit spiking in ganglion cells dissociated from adult rats. These ligands curtailed repetitive spiking during constant current injections and reduced the number and rate of rise of spikes elicited by fluctuating current injections without significantly altering the timing of the remaining spikes. Consistent with mediation by D(1)-type receptors, SCH-23390 [R-(+)-7-chloro-8-hydroxy-3-methyl-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine] reversed the effects of dopamine on spikes. Contrary to a recent report, spike inhibition by dopamine was not precluded by blocking I(h). Consistent with the reduced rate of spike rise, dopamine reduced voltage-gated Na(+) current (I(Na)) amplitude, and tetrodotoxin, at doses that reduced I(Na) as moderately as dopamine, also inhibited spiking. These results provide the first direct evidence that D(1)-type dopamine receptor activation can alter mammalian retinal ganglion cell excitability and demonstrate that dopamine can modulate spikes in these cells by a mechanism different from the presynaptic and postsynaptic means proposed by previous studies. To our knowledge, our results also provide the first evidence that dopamine receptor activation can reduce excitability without altering the temporal precision of spike firing.


Classifying structural joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis as progressive or nonprogressive using a composite definition of joint radiographic change: a preliminary proposal.
To categorize radiographic joint damage as progressive or nonprogressive in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) participating in clinical studies. Using the total Sharp radiographic damage score, erosion score, and joint space narrowing (JSN) score for 751 serial films of the hand/wrist and forefoot obtained from 190 patients with early RA during 6-60 months of followup (mean 31 months), various threshold values for progression of joint damage were evaluated singly and in various combinations. For each patient, the progression rate was estimated from the linear regression line for all available radiographic time points. After preliminary screening, 23 candidate definitions were tested to select a definition that discriminated well between radiographic progression and radiographic nonprogression. The definition selected describes radiographic nonprogression in individual patients as an increase of < or =0.1 in the standardized response mean of the trimmed population (the central 95% of patients) for > or =5 of 6 change measures (erosion scores and JSN scores for the fingers, wrists, and feet). Using this definition, 59% of the 190 patients with early RA were defined as having nonprogressive radiographic damage. Moreover, 95% of 95 patients with progression of the total Sharp score at or below the median and 24% of 95 patients with progression of the total Sharp score above the median were defined as having nonprogressive joint damage (chi(2) = 98, P < 0.0001), as were 97% of patients in the lowest quintile of total Sharp score progression rates and none of the patients in the highest progression quintile. Patients defined as nonprogressors had significantly lower baseline levels of C-reactive protein and lower erythrocyte sedimentation rates compared with patients defined as progressors, and those patients in the nonprogressive joint damage group more frequently had American College of Rheumatology 20% and 50% improvement criteria responses, "good" improvements (decrease of > or =1.2) in the Disease Activity Score, and > or =50% decreases in the swollen joint counts during the first 2 years of followup. RA joint damage in an observational cohort can be classified as progressive or nonprogressive with the use of a composite definition. Validation and/or refinement of this definition is needed by utilizing the data from controlled clinical trials that compare placebo with active treatment.


Preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions in the lung, liver and urinary tract of mice exposed to environmental cigarette smoke and UV light since birth.
It is difficult to reproduce the carcinogenicity of cigarette smoke (CS) in animal models. Recently, we showed that exposure of mice to mainstream CS (MCS) for 120 days, starting immediately after birth, resulted in an early and potent carcinogenic response. In parallel, we implemented studies evaluating intermediate biomarkers and tumors in mice exposed to environmental CS (ECS). To this purpose, we used 263 newborn CD-1 mice born from 27 dams. The whole-body exposure to ECS for 120 days, starting within 12 hr after birth, resulted in an early appearance of preneoplastic lesions in lung, which however tended to attenuate after discontinuing exposure. When the experiment was stopped, after 330 days, the number of lung adenomas was higher in ECS-exposed mice as compared to sham-exposed mice, but such increase was statistically significant only in mice co-exposed to smoke and halogen light mimicking solar irradiation. Moreover, exposure to ECS produced extensive histopathological changes, mainly parenchymatous degeneration, in liver. The alterations produced in both lung and liver require that exposure to ECS starts immediately after birth, no effect being observed when exposure started 8 days later. In contrast, induction by ECS of alterations in the urinary tract, such as microadenomas and adenomas in renal pelvis and kidney, papillary hyperplasia of urothelium, and urinary bladder papillomas, were unrelated to the exposure time after birth. The results obtained with ECS cannot be directly compared to those previously obtained with MCS, since the latter involved shorter daily exposures to more massive CS doses.


Cardiovascular effects of coumarins besides their antioxidant activity.
Coumarins are a large group of substances, primarily of plant origin. Like their more intensively examined congeners flavonoids, many of them are antioxidants. Although such properties may be advantageous in cardiovascular diseases, it has been shown that coumarins exhibit direct effects on the cardiovascular system which are not based on antioxidant activity. The most common example is the well-known drug warfarin, a synthetic compound derived from natural dicoumarol. Moreover, other coumarins have been shown to possess antiplatelet and vasodilatory potential. Interestingly, the former effect may be mediated by the inhibition of various pathways leading to platelet aggregation, their differing effects on those pathways being due to structural differences between the various coumarins. Conversely, their vasodilatory potential is linked in the majority of cases to the inhibition of increases in intracellular calcium concentration in vascular smooth muscle cells, and in several coumarins also to NO-mediated vasodilatation. Available data on both activities are summarized in this review. At the end of this review, relevant data are provided from a few studies testing the in vivo effects of coumarins on major cardiovascular diseases; the clinical use of warfarin and other coumarin anticoagulants, as well as the limited data on the clinical use of coumarins in chronic venous insufficiency and the possible toxicological effects of coumarins.


Antioxidant chemistry of graphene-based materials and its role in oxidation protection technology.
Two-dimensional nanomaterials have potential as a new class of antioxidants that combine physical barrier function with ultrahigh surface area for free radical scavenging. This work presents the first measurements of the chemical reactivities of graphene-based materials toward a set of model free radicals and reactive oxygen species using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR) and sacrificial dye protection assays. Graphene-based materials are shown to protect a variety of molecular targets from oxidation by these species, and to be highly effective as hydroxyl-radical scavengers. When the hydroxyl radical is produced photolytically, the overall antioxidant effect is a combination of preventative antioxidant activity (UV absorption) and ˙OH radical scavenging. Few-layer graphene is more active than monolayer graphene oxide, despite its lower surface area, which indicates that the primary scavenging sites are associated with the sp(2)-carbon network rather than oxygen-containing functional groups. To explain this trend, we propose that GO is a weak hydrogen donor, due to the non-phenolic nature of most OH groups on GO, which reside at basal sp(3)-carbon sites that do not allow for radical resonance stabilization following hydrogen donation. As an example application of graphene antioxidant behavior, we show that encapsulation of TiO2 nanoparticles in graphene nanosacks reduces undesired photo-oxidative damage to nearby organic target molecules, which suggests graphene encapsulation as a new approach to managing adverse environmental or health impacts of redox-active nanomaterials.


Preoperative evaluation of the entire hepatic vasculature in living liver donors with use of contrast-enhanced MR angiography and true fast imaging with steady-state precession.
To preoperatively assess the entire hepatic vasculature in living related liver donors with use of a combination of contrast material-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) angiography and true fast imaging with steady-state precession (FISP). Twenty-five living potential liver donors were examined preoperatively on a 1.5T Siemens Sonata system. Twenty-four underwent surgery and two had catheter angiography performed to delineate complex anatomy. Contiguous 5-mm-thick, sub-second true FISP images of the liver were initially obtained during breath-holding in axial and coronal planes (repetition time [TR]/echo time [TE], 3.2/1.6; flip angle, 70 degrees ). MR angiography was performed with use of a three-dimensional (3D) gradient-echo fast low-angle shot (FLASH) pulse sequence (TR/TE, 3.0/1.2; flip angle, 25 degrees ), with 40 mL of Gadolinium DTPA injected at a rate of 2 mL/sec. One precontrast and two postcontrast coronal 3D volumes were acquired, each in a 20-second breath-hold, and two subtracted 3D sets were calculated. Arterial anatomy was assessed with use of maximum-intensity projection, volume rendering, and multiplanar reformatting algorithms. Hepatic and portal venous anatomy was evaluated with use of the true FISP images and the venous phase of the MR angiogram. Visualization of hepatic arterial branches was noted. Visualization of portal vein branches was scored on a scale of 0-5. The presence of anatomic variants was noted. Vascular anatomy was confirmed at the time of surgery and at catheter angiography. Segmental branch vessels were visualized on MR angiography in the majority of cases. The segment four branch was identified in 96% patients. Variant arterial anatomy was seen in 50% of patients. MR angiography detected 10 of 11 arterial variants found at surgery and angiography. Visualization of portal vein branches was generally higher with true FISP compared to MR angiography. Twenty-four percent of patients had variant portal venous anatomy. Caudal hepatic veins were identified in 60% of patients, of which eight were significant (>5 mm). Hepatic and portal venous anatomy was accurately predicted by true FISP and MR angiography in all patients who went on to undergo surgery. Preoperative imaging with use of a combination of contrast-enhanced MR angiography and true FISP provides a comprehensive assessment of the entire hepatic vasculature in living liver donors.


Impact of long-term elosulfase alfa treatment on respiratory function in patients with Morquio A syndrome.
To present long-term respiratory function outcomes from an open-label, multi-center, phase 3 extension study (MOR-005) of elosulfase alfa enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in patients with Morquio A syndrome. In part 1 of MOR-005, patients initially randomized to ERT in the 24-week pivotal study (MOR-004) remained on their regimen (2.0 mg/kg/week or every other week); placebo patients were re-randomized to one of the two regimens. During part 2, all patients received elosulfase alfa 2.0 mg/kg/week. Respiratory function was one of the efficacy endpoints evaluated in MOR-005. Change from MOR-004 baseline to 120 weeks of treatment for the combined population was determined and compared with results from untreated patients from a Morquio A natural history study (MorCAP). Maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV) improved up to week 72 and then stabilized; forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) increased continuously over 120 weeks. Mean increases in the modified per-protocol population was 9.2 % for FVC, 8.8 % for FEV1, and 6.1 % for MVV after 120 weeks. All patients ≤14 years showed respiratory improvements, presumably in part related to growth; however, these were greater in treated patients. For those >14 years, treated patients showed improvements, while deterioration occurred in untreated. Altogether, the improvements were significantly greater (P < 0.05) in treated patients. Long-term ERT is associated with sustained improvements in respiratory function in Morquio A. In younger patients (≤14 years), some improvement may be ascribed to growth. In older patients, other mechanisms, e.g., decreased glycosaminoglycan storage, are likely involved.


Does living by the coast improve health and wellbeing?
It is often assumed that spending time by the coast leads to better health and wellbeing, but there is strikingly little evidence regarding specific effects or mechanisms to support such a view. We analysed small-area census data for the population of England, which indicate that good health is more prevalent the closer one lives to the coast. We also found that, consistent with similar analyses of greenspace accessibility, the positive effects of coastal proximity may be greater amongst more socio-economically deprived communities. We hypothesise that these effects may be due to opportunities for stress reduction and increased physical activity.


Investigation of the long wavelength limit of soliton self-frequency shift in a silica fiber.
We explore the long wavelength limit of soliton self-frequency shift in silica-based fibers experimentally and using numerical simulation. We found that the longest wavelength soliton generated by soliton self-frequency shift is approximately 2500 nm because the soliton loses its energy rapidly at wavelength beyond 2400 nm due to material absorption by silica and water. We demonstrate 1580-2520 nm wavelength-tunable, high-pulse energy soliton generation using soliton self-frequency shift in a large-mode-area silica fiber pumped by a compact fiber source. Soliton pulses with pulse width of ~100 fs and pulse energy up to 73 nJ were obtained. Second harmonic generation of the solitons enables a wavelength-tunable femtosecond source from 950 nm to 1260 nm, with pulse energy up to 21 nJ. Using such energetic pulses, we demonstrate in vivo two-photon excited fluorescence imaging of vasculature and neurons in a mouse brain at wavelength beyond the tuning range of a mode-locked Ti:Sapphire lasers.


Correction of lower facial wideness due to masseter hypertrophy.
Masseter hypertrophy is an uncommon condition that can cause aesthetic and functional problems. Various treatment options were suggested by authors. We used surgical intraoral approaches in 5 patients, which consist of masseter muscle reduction and monocortical ostectomy in the angle of the mandible. Results showed good aesthetic results without any complication. We suggest the use of surgical treatment to gain optimal aesthetic results especially in a square face.


Prediction of retention time in reversed-phase liquid chromatography as a tool for steroid identification.
The untargeted profiling of steroids constitutes a growing research field because of their importance as biomarkers of endocrine disruption. New technologies in analytical chemistry, such as ultra high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (MS), offer the possibility of a fast and sensitive analysis. Nevertheless, difficulties regarding steroid identification are encountered when considering isotopomeric steroids. Thus, the use of retention times is of great help for the unambiguous identification of steroids. In this context, starting from the linear solvent strength (LSS) theory, quantitative structure retention relationship (QSRR) models, based on a dataset composed of 91 endogenous steroids and VolSurf + descriptors combined with a new dedicated molecular fingerprint, were developed to predict retention times of steroid structures in any gradient mode conditions. Satisfactory performance was obtained during nested cross-validation with a predictive ability (Q(2)) of 0.92. The generalisation ability of the model was further confirmed by an average error of 4.4% in external prediction. This allowed the list of candidates associated with identical monoisotopic masses to be strongly reduced, facilitating definitive steroid identification.


Mind and material engagement.
Material Engagement Theory (MET), which forms the focus of this special issue, is a relatively new development within cognitive archaeology and anthropology, but one that has important implications for many adjacent fields of research in phenomenology and the cognitive sciences. In How Things Shape the Mind (2013) I offered a detail exposition of the major working hypotheses and the vision of mind that it embodies. Here, introducing this special issue, more than just presenting a broad overview of MET, I seek to enrich and extend that vision and discuss its application to the study of mind and matter. I begin by laying out the philosophical roots, theoretical context and intellectual kinship of MET. Then I offer a basic outline of this theoretical framework focusing on the notions of thinging and metaplasticity. In the last part I am using the example of pottery making to illustrate how MET can be used to inform empirical research and how it might complement new research in phenomenology and embodied cognitive science.


Gender differences on medical students' attitudes toward patient-centred care: a cross-sectional survey conducted in Heilongjiang, China.
Assessing medical students' attitudes toward patient-centred care is essential to bettering medical education. Based on doctor-patient relationships and the medical system in China, it is important to explore the impact of gender differences and other background factors on patient-centred attitudes and to provide references for medical education reform. A cross-sectional study was conducted on fourth-year medical undergraduate students from November 2017 to March 2018 in Heilongjiang Province, Northeast China. The Chinese-revised Patient-Practitioner Orientation Scale (CR-PPOS), which has been validated in previous research, was used to measure the medical students' attitudes. The medical students' demographic data was collected, including their gender, age, information on whether they have siblings, family residence location, doctor(s) for parents, year in which the student first experienced clinical practice, and student category. A total of 513 students (91.12%) completed the survey. The Chinese medical students scored considerably higher for 'Caring' (including patients' preferences into the decision-making process) than for 'Sharing' (sharing information/responsibility with patients). These students tended to have patient-centred attitudes, as measured by an average overall CR-PPOS score of 3.63 (scores higher than 3.5 indicate patient-centred attitudes), which is higher than Malian (3.38) and Pakistani (3.40) medical students but lower than American (4.57) and Brazilian (4.66) students. Female students (P < 0.05) were significantly associated with more patient-centred attitudes and with higher 'Sharing' and 'Caring' subscale scores. Student category (P < 0.05) was associated with 'Sharing' and 'Caring' scores. Clinical hospital students (P < 0.05) were associated with more patient-centred attitudes and with higher 'Sharing' and 'Caring' subscale scores, Students without siblings (p < 0.07) were associated with the higher 'Sharing' subscale scores. In China, gender has a significant impact on medical students' patient-centred attitudes, which is similar to findings from other countries. If medical schools want to raise patient-centred attitudes across the board and bridge the gap between male and female patient-centred attitudes, gender, student category, and other factors should be incorporated into medical education.


Intra-, peri- and postoperative complications in pelvic organ prolapse surgery in geriatric women.
Pelvic organ prolapse is a common problem among geriatric women. Advanced age is associated with a high prevalence of comorbidities that can lead to restrictive use of surgical treatment. With rising life expectancy it is predicted that surgical treatment in these women will be seen more frequently. Inconsistently there is a lack of clinical trials giving attention to elderly women suffering from pelvic organ prolapse. The aim of this study was to quantify the rate of complications in elderly women undergoing surgery for pelvic organ prolapse. 72 women aged ≥75 years who underwent surgical correction for pelvic organ prolapse were included in this study. Demographics, comorbidities, intra-, peri- and postoperative severe and non-severe complications were recorded. Additionally we compared the pre- and postoperative presence of symptoms linked to pelvic organ prolapse. Follow-up for the review of pelvic floor symptoms was six month. The mean age was 81.4 years. Four (5.6%) of the patients had a severe intra-, peri- or postoperative complication (two bowel injuries, one bleeding requiring blood transfusion, one resuscitation). All women with severe complications showed no persistent problem at the time of discharge or during the follow-up period. There was a significant postoperative decrease in pelvic organ prolapse connected symptoms, such as stress urinary incontinence (p = .013), voiding dysfunction (p < .001), recurrent urinary tract infection (p = .001) and rectal outlet obstruction (p = .006). Elderly women undergoing an operation for pelvic organ prolapse have a low risk of complication and benefit from surgery. Age alone should not be a contraindication to surgery.


Serum Type IV Collagen Concentration Correlates with Indocyanine Green Retention Rate and is an Indicator Of Hepatotoxicity In Patients Receiving FOLFOX for Colorectal Cancer.
Assessment of oxaliplatin-associated hepatotoxicity in patients receiving oxaliplatin, fluorouracil and leucovorin chemotherapy (FOLFOX) for colorectal cancer remains controversial. The aims of this study were to clarify which variables are indicators of such hepatotoxicity. Twenty-seven patients who were to receive FOLFOX for colorectal cancer were included in this study. A range of liver function tests, including serum hyaluronic acid (HA) and type IV collagen concentrations, indocyanine green (ICG) retention rate at 15 min (ICGR15) and splenic volume were assessed before commencement of chemotherapy and after four cycles of FOLFOX. No significant changes were found in conventional liver function tests or splenic volume. Significant changes pre- and post-FOLFOX were found in type IV collagen concentrations and ICGR15. Correlation analyses showed that the following two factors were associated with significant changes in ICGR15 after four cycles of FOLFOX: platelet count (p = 0.028, correlation coefficient 0.423), and type IV collagen concentration (p < 0.001, correlation coefficient 0.830). The regression line between type IV collagen concentration and ICGR15 was Y = 2.70 + 0.84 x X. Serum type IV collagen concentration is an indicator of oxaliplatin-associated hepatotoxicity and correlates with significant changes in ICGR15 in patients receiving FOLFOX.


Using Roy's adaptation model when caring for a group of young women contemplating quitting smoking.
This article provides an overview of the use of Roy's adaptation model when caring for a group of young women who were in the precontemplation phase of smoking cessation. The model served as a guide to assess each member's level of adaptation in each of the four modes to identify actual or potential adaptation problems and then examining the stimuli that influence those problems. Nursing interventions focused on approaches to the management of stimuli to promote adaptation for the group by helping the members move to the phase of thinking of quitting smoking.


Workplace health friendliness: a cross level model for predicting workers' health.
Two separate studies conceptualized the health friendliness of a workplace, the first qualitatively through content analysis of interviews with 69 nursing superiors about the means employed by their workplace to promote staff health. Findings supported the conceptualization of workplace health friendliness, which was further validated against the staff's health indicators. The second study tested a model explaining the cross-level effects of workplace health-friendliness initiatives on workers' health. The model depicted workers as rational human beings calculating costs/benefits in deciding whether to commit to those initiatives. Benefits represent workers' potential gains through compliance; costs represent their potential losses. Perceived social costs were noted as a possible cost; a worker's perceived stress signaled that he or she might benefit from joining health-friendly initiatives. Analysis of data from 45 nursing units supported the cross-level model: workplace health friendliness was positively associated with workers' health and perceived social costs and stress moderated that link. Accordingly, workplace health friendliness should be regarded as the joint responsibility of the workers and the organization, and attention should be paid to the processes whereby these initiatives become enhancers or inhibitors of workers' health.


In vitro comparison of fragmentation efficiency of flexible pneumatic lithotripsy using 2 flexible ureteroscopes.
Pneumatic lithotripsy has been shown to be an effective and safe intracorporeal lithotripsy modality for renal and ureteral calculi, capable of fragmenting stones of all compositions. We determined the in vitro stone fragmentation abilities of the 0.5 mm flexible pneumatic lithotripsy probe when inserted through the working channel of 2, 7.5Fr flexible ureteroscope designs (straight working channel and offset working channel at approximately 30 degrees from the long axis of the endoscope). The velocity and displacement of the pneumatic probe tip were also evaluated with the probe inserted through each endoscope. The 0.5 mm (1.5Fr) stainless steel probe was tested at 5 deflection angles, namely 0, 12, 24, 33 and 48 degrees, at a pneumatic pressure of 2.5 bar when inserted through the offset and straight working channel ureteroscopes. A noncontact optical laser system was used to measure or calculate the displacement and velocity of the 0.5 mm probe tip at each angle of deflection with the 2 ureteroscopes. Fragmentation at all deflection angles was assessed using plaster of Paris stone phantoms with the pneumatic device on continuous mode at 2.5 bar pressure for 30 seconds. Stones were weighed after each fragmentation cycle and the percent weight lost was determined. Comparisons were made between the 2 ureteroscopes at each angle. Probe tip displacement was significantly better through the straight channel ureteroscope with 30% improvement at all angles tested compared to the offset channel. Moreover, a substantial decrement in tip displacement was noted as the angle of deflection increased regardless of the endoscope used. Conversely tip velocity was relatively unchanged throughout the study and it was equivalent from straight to offset channel measurements. Phantom stone fragmentation correlated inversely with the severity of the deflection angle. An approximately 80% loss of fragmentation ability was noted as the angle increased from 0 to 48 degrees. Although the pneumatic device performed better through the straight channel scope, a similar percent loss in fragmentation from 0 to 48 degrees was seen when using either endoscope. The flexible pneumatic 0.5 mm lithotripsy probe appears to be best used through a straight channel flexible ureteroscope, out performing use through the offset channel scope at all angles of deflection. Tip displacement and fragmentation ability were inversely related to the degree of active deflection as the angle increased from 0 to 48 degrees. Use of the flexible pneumatic probe to aid in managing renal or proximal ureteral calculi may be limited until an improved probe can be developed, allowing complete and unencumbered fragmentation throughout all angles of deflection.


Nucleosome repeat structure is present in native salivary chromosomes of Drosophila melanogaster.
The regularly repeating periodic nucleosome organization is clearly resolved in the chromatin of the isolated salivary chromosomes of Drosophila melanogaster. A new microsurgical procedure of isolation in buffer A of Hewish and Burgoyne (1973, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 52:504-510) yielded native Drosophila salivary chromosomes. These chromosomes were then swollen and spread by a modified Miller procedure, stained or shadowed, and examined in the electron microscope. Individual nucleoprotein fibers were resolved with regularly repeated nucleosomes of approximately 10 nm diameter. Micrococcal nuclease digestion of isolated salivary nuclei gave a family of DNA fragments characteristic of nucleosomes for total chromatin, 5S gene, and simple satellite (rho = 1.688 g/cm3) sequences.


Comparison of body size and composition between young adult Japanese-Americans and Japanese nationals in the 1980s.
Data on body composition of American-born Japanese (Japanese-Americans) are scarce. Studies on differences of body composition between Japanese-Americans and Japanese nationals at various stages of life as well as at various times of measurements are useful for understanding the impact of lifestyle changes on body composition in the two societies. To see the differences in body size and composition between young adult Japanese-Americans and Japanese nationals. Body size and composition of 50 Japanese-Americans consisting of 28 males and 22 females ranging in age from 18 to 23 years were compared with Japanese nationals matched for age and height. Body composition was measured using the underwater weighing method. The study was conducted in the 1980s in the USA and Japan. The average percentage body fat of males was 13.7% for both Japanese-Americans and Japanese nationals, and that of females was approximately 24% for both groups, even though Japanese-American males and females had significantly greater body weight, fat-free mass, and body mass index than Japanese nationals. Although young adult Japanese-Americans showed larger body size than Japanese nationals, their percentage fat did not differ at this stage of life in the 1980s.


HIV Tat peptide enhances cellular delivery of antisense morpholino oligomers.
Phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMO) are uncharged antisense molecules that bind complementary sequences of RNA, inhibiting gene expression by preventing translation or by interfering with pre-mRNA splicing. The techniques used to deliver PMO into cultured cells have been mostly mechanical methods. These delivery methods, although useful, have limitations. We investigated the ability of the HIV Tat peptide (pTat) and other cationic peptides to deliver PMO into cultured cells. Fluorescence was seen in 100% of HeLa cells treated with pTat-PMO-fluorescein conjugate. pTat-PMO conjugate targeted to c-myc mRNA downregulated c-myc reporter gene expression with an IC50 of 25 microM and achieved nearly 100% inhibition. pTat-PMO conjugate targeted to a mutant splice site of beta-globin pre-mRNA dose-dependently corrected splicing and upregulated expression of the functional reporter gene. Neither unconjugated PMO nor unconjugated pTat caused antisense activities. However, compared with mechanically mediated delivery, pTat-mediated PMO delivery required higher concentrations of PMO (>10 microM) to cause antisense activity and caused some toxicity. Most pTat-PMO conjugate was associated with cell membranes, and internalized conjugate was localized in vesicles, cytosol, and nucleus. The other three cationic peptides are much less effective than pTat. pTat significantly enhances delivery of PMO in 100% of cells assayed. pTat-mediated delivery is a much simpler procedure to perform than other delivery methods.


Hospital characteristics, rather than surgical volume, predict length of stay following colorectal cancer surgery.
Length of hospital stay (LOS) is considered a vital component for successful colorectal surgery treatment. Evidence of an association between hospital surgery volume and LOS has been mixed. Data modelling techniques may give inconsistent results that adversely impact conclusions. This study applied techniques to overcome possible modelling drawbacks. An additive quantile regression model formulated to isolate hospital contextual effects was applied to every colorectal surgery for cancer conducted in Victoria, Australia, between 2005 and 2015, involving 28,343 admissions in 90 Victorian hospitals. The model compared hospitals' operational efficiencies regarding LOS. Hospital LOS operational efficiencies for colorectal cancer surgery varied markedly between the 90 hospitals and were independent of volume. This result was adjusted for pertinent patient and hospital characteristics. No evidence was found that higher annual surgery volume was associated with lower LOS for patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery. Our model showed strong evidence that differences in LOS efficiency between hospitals was driven by hospital contextual effects that were not predicted by provider volume. Further study is required to elucidate these inherent differences between hospitals. Implications for public health: Our model indicated improved efficiency would benefit the patient and medical system by lowering LOS and reducing expenditure by more than $3 million per year.


[Thalidomide--new prospective therapy in oncology].
Thalidomide was first produced in Germany in the 1950s. The drug was promoted as a safe sedative and was found to be useful as an antiemetic during pregnancy. In late 1960s, reports of teratogenic actions resulted in the withdrawal of thalidomide from world markets. Thalidomide has multiple actions, including anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic ones. This article reviews the pharmacology and clinical trials of the drug for the treatment of various cancers including multiple myeloma. Furthermore, in preliminary studies, thalidomide has been found to be effective in several syndromes related to advanced cancer, such as the cancer cachexia, chronic nausea and pain.


SOA formation potential of emissions from soil and leaf litter.
Soil and leaf litter are significant global sources of small oxidized volatile organic compounds, VOCs (e.g., methanol and acetaldehyde). They may also be significant sources of larger VOCs that could act as precursors to secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation. To investigate this, soil and leaf litter samples were collected from the University of Idaho Experimental Forest and transported to the laboratory. There, the VOC emissions were characterized and used to drive SOA formation via dark, ozone-initiated reactions. Monoterpenes dominated the emission profile with emission rates as high as 228 μg-C m(-2) h(-1). The composition of the SOA produced was similar to biogenic SOA formed from oxidation of ponderosa pine emissions and α-pinene. Measured soil and litter monoterpene emission rates were compared with modeled canopy emissions. Results suggest surface soil and litter monoterpene emissions could range from 12 to 136% of canopy emissions in spring and fall. Thus, emissions from leaf litter may potentially extend the biogenic emissions season, contributing to significant organic aerosol formation in the spring and fall when reduced solar radiation and temperatures reduce emissions from living vegetation.


Solvent extraction: the coordination chemistry behind extractive metallurgy.
The modes of action of the commercial solvent extractants used in extractive hydrometallurgy are classified according to whether the recovery process involves the transport of metal cations, M(n+), metalate anions, MXx(n-), or metal salts, MXx into a water-immiscible solvent. Well-established principles of coordination chemistry provide an explanation for the remarkable strengths and selectivities shown by most of these extractants. Reagents which achieve high selectivity when transporting metal cations or metal salts into a water-immiscible solvent usually operate in the inner coordination sphere of the metal and provide donor atom types or dispositions which favour the formation of particularly stable neutral complexes that have high solubility in the hydrocarbons commonly used in recovery processes. In the extraction of metalates, the structures of the neutral assemblies formed in the water-immiscible phase are usually not well defined and the cationic reagents can be assumed to operate in the outer coordination spheres. The formation of secondary bonds in the outer sphere using, for example, electrostatic or H-bonding interactions are favoured by the low polarity of the water-immiscible solvents.


Limiting the spread of resistant pneumococci: biological and epidemiologic evidence for the effectiveness of alternative interventions.
Streptococcus pneumoniae infections are a leading cause of respiratory illness in young children, the elderly, and persons with chronic medical conditions. The emergence of multidrug-resistant pneumococci has compromised the effectiveness of antibiotic therapy for pneumococcal infections. As antibiotic-resistant strains increase in prevalence, there is a need for interventions that minimize the spread of resistant pneumococci. In this review we provide a framework for understanding the spread of pneumococcal resistance and evaluate proposed interventions to reduce this spread. Pneumococci differ from many drug-resistant pathogens because asymptomatic carriers play a key role in transmission of resistant strains and the genes encoding resistance are spread primarily by transformation and conjugative transposons. Evidence suggests that modifications of treatment regimens that have proved effective at limiting resistance in other pathogens may not prevent the spread of pneumococcal resistance. In contrast, programs encouraging more judicious antibiotic use have been shown to be effective. Additionally, a newly developed conjugate pneumococcal vaccine holds great potential as an "antiresistance vaccine" that simultaneously reduces the burden of invasive disease and the prevalence of resistant strains. Several areas of future epidemiologic and laboratory research hold promise to contribute to the reduced spread of pneumococcal resistance.


Designing for flexible interaction between humans and automation: delegation interfaces for supervisory control.
To develop a method enabling human-like, flexible supervisory control via delegation to automation. Real-time supervisory relationships with automation are rarely as flexible as human task delegation to other humans. Flexibility in human-adaptable automation can provide important benefits, including improved situation awareness, more accurate automation usage, more balanced mental workload, increased user acceptance, and improved overall performance. We review problems with static and adaptive (as opposed to "adaptable") automation; contrast these approaches with human-human task delegation, which can mitigate many of the problems; and revise the concept of a "level of automation" as a pattern of task-based roles and authorizations. We argue that delegation requires a shared hierarchical task model between supervisor and subordinates, used to delegate tasks at various levels, and offer instruction on performing them. A prototype implementation called Playbook is described. On the basis of these analyses, we propose methods for supporting human-machine delegation interactions that parallel human-human delegation in important respects. We develop an architecture for machine-based delegation systems based on the metaphor of a sports team's "playbook." Finally, we describe a prototype implementation of this architecture, with an accompanying user interface and usage scenario, for mission planning for uninhabited air vehicles. Delegation offers a viable method for flexible, multilevel human-automation interaction to enhance system performance while maintaining user workload at a manageable level. Most applications of adaptive automation (aviation, air traffic control, robotics, process control, etc.) are potential avenues for the adaptable, delegation approach we advocate. We present an extended example for uninhabited air vehicle mission planning.


Preventing Infectious Pulmonary Tuberculosis Among Foreign-Born Residents of the United States.
We described risk factors associated with infectious tuberculosis (TB) and missed TB-prevention opportunities in foreign-born US residents, who account for almost two thirds of the nation's TB patients. In a cross-sectional study at 20 US sites of foreign-born persons diagnosed with TB in 2005 through 2006, we collected results of sputum smear microscopy for acid-fast bacilli (a marker for infectiousness) and data on visa status, sociodemographics, TB-related care seeking, and latent TB infection (LTBI) diagnosis opportunities. Among 980 persons with pulmonary TB who reported their visa status, 601 (61%) were legal permanent residents, 131 (13.4%) had temporary visas, and 248 (25.3%) were undocumented. Undocumented persons were more likely than permanent residents to have acid-fast bacilli-positive smears at diagnosis (risk ratio = 1.3; 95% confidence interval = 1.2, 1.4). Of those diagnosed 1 year or more after arrival, 57.3% reported LTBI screening opportunities; fewer than 25% actually were. Undocumented persons reported fewer LTBI screening opportunities and were less likely to be tested. Progress toward TB elimination in the United States depends upon expanding opportunities for regular medical care and promotion of LTBI screening and treatment among foreign-born persons.


Innovations in bayes and empirical bayes methods: estimating parameters, populations and ranks.
By formalizing the relation among components and 'borrowing information' among them, Bayes and empirical Bayes methods can produce more valid, efficient and informative statistical evaluations than those based on traditional methods. In addition, Bayesian structuring of complicated models and goals guides development of appropriate statistical approaches and generates summaries which properly account for sampling and modelling uncertainty. Computing innovations enable implementation of complex and relevant models, thereby substantially increasing the role of Bayes/empirical Bayes methods in important statistical assessments. Policy-relevant statistical assessments involve synthesis of information from a set of related components such as medical clinics, geographic regions or research studies. Typical assessments include inference for individual parameters, synthesis over the collection of components (for example, the parameter histogram) and comparisons among parameters (for example, ranks). The relative importance of these goals depends on the context. Bayesian structuring provides a guide to valid inference. For example, while posterior means are the 'obvious' and optimal estimates for individual components under squared error loss, their empirical distribution function (EDF) is underdispersed and never valid for estimating the EDF of the true, underlying parameters. Effective histogram estimates result from optimizing a loss function based in a distance between the histogram and its estimate. Similarly, ranking observed data usually produces poor estimates and ranking posterior means can be inappropriate. Effective estimates should be based on a loss function that caters directly to ranks. Using examples of 'borrowing information', shrinkage and the variance/bias trade-off we motivate Bayes and empirical Bayes analysis. Then, we outline the formal approach and discuss 'triple-goal' estimates with values that when ranked produce optimal ranks, for which the EDF is an optimal estimate of the parameter EDF and such that the values themselves are effective estimates of co-ordinate-specific parameters. We use basic models and data analysis examples to highlight the conceptual and structural issues.


Influence of surface functionality of poly(propylene imine) dendrimers on protease resistance and propagation of the scrapie prion protein.
Accumulation of PrP(Sc), an insoluble and protease-resistant pathogenic isoform of the cellular prion protein (PrP(C)), is a hallmark in prion diseases. Branched polyamines, including PPI (poly(propylene imine)) dendrimers, are able to remove protease resistant PrP(Sc) and abolish infectivity, offering possible applications for therapy. These dendrimer types are thought to act through their positively charged amino surface groups. In the present study, the molecular basis of the antiprion activity of dendrimers was further investigated, employing modified PPI dendrimers in which the positively charged amino surface groups were substituted with neutral carbohydrate units of maltose (mPPI) or maltotriose (m3PPI). Modification of surface groups greatly reduced the toxicity associated with unmodified PPI but did not abolish its antiprion activity, suggesting that the presence of cationic surface groups is not essential for dendrimer action. PPI and mPPI dendrimers of generation 5 were equally effective in reducing levels of protease-resistant PrP(Sc) (PrP(res)) in a dose- and time-dependent manner in ScN2a cells and in pre-existing aggregates in homogenates from infected brain. Solubility assays revealed that total levels of PrP(Sc) in scrapie-infected mouse neuroblastoma (ScN2a) cells were reduced by mPPI. Coupled with the known ability of polyamino dendrimers to render protease-resistant PrP(Sc) in pre-existing aggregates of PrP(Sc) susceptible to proteolysis, these findings strongly suggest that within infected cells dendrimers reduce total amounts of PrP(Sc) by mediating its denaturation and subsequent elimination.


Fluorescent determination of Hg2+ in water and fish samples using a chemodosimeter based in a Rhodamine 6G derivative and a portable fiber-optic spectrofluorimeter.
A fluorimetric chemodosimeter (FC1), based on a Rhodamine 6G derivative, is proposed for the recognition of Hg(2+) ions in water and fish samples. The reagent shows a highly selective and sensitive reaction with Hg(2+), giving rise to strong fluorescence emission at 555 nm. The obvious color change of the solution from colorless to pink upon the addition of Hg(2+) demonstrates that FC1 can be used for "naked-eye" detection of Hg(2+) in water effluents. The fluorescence intensity is proportional to the amount of Hg(2+) at ng mL(-1) levels, and it is capable of distinguishing between safe and toxic levels of inorganic mercury in drinking water and fish samples. The procedure has been implemented in a portable instrument composed of a 515 nm light-emitting diode (LED) excitation source, two fiber optics, and a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera as detector, connected to a portable computer for data acquisition and analysis, intended for in situ determination of mercury, offering a viable alternative to a conventional spectrofluorimeter. The proposed method has been applied to different water and fish samples with satisfactory results.


Thermal ablation of pancreatic cyst with a prototype endoscopic ultrasound capable radiofrequency needle device: A pilot feasibility study.
Pancreatic cysts are evaluated by endoscopic ultrasound and fine needle aspiration (EUS). The only accepted treatment is pancreatectomy, which is associated with morbidity and mortality. This study evaluated the optimal thermal dosimetry of a novel radiofrequency ablation device using a standard electrosurgical unit in ex vivo cyst models. A modified EUS 22-gauge monopolar needle prototype with a tip electrode connected to a standard electrosurgical unit (Erbe USA, Marietta, GA, USA) was used to induce a subboiling point temperature. A cyst model was created using 2-cm sections of porcine small intestine ligated and filled with saline. After ablation, the cyst models were prepared for pathological evaluation. The epithelial layers were measured in at least two different sites with a micrometer and compared with the corresponding control sample. Thirty-two cyst models were ablated with maximum temperatures of 50°C, 60°C, 90°C, and 97°C in 8, 11, 11, and 2 cysts, respectively. Longer ablation times were required to induce higher temperatures. A trend in the reduction in thickness of the measured layers was observed after exposure to higher temperatures. A temperature over 50°C was required for the ablation of the muscularis, submucosa, and villi, and over 60°C was required to ablate the mucosal crypts. In a preclinical model, a novel radiofrequency EUS-capable needle connected to a standard electrosurgical unit using standard low-voltage coagulation provided ablation in a temperature-dependent fashion with a threshold of at least 60°C and a safe cyst margin below 97°C. This potentially will allow low-cost, convenient cyst ablation.


Social Network and Participation in Elderly Primary Care Patients in Germany and Associations with Depressive Symptoms-A Cross-Sectional Analysis from the AgeWell.de Study.
This study aims to describe social network and social participation and to assess associations with depressive symptoms in older persons with increased risk for dementia in Germany. We conducted a cross-sectional observational study in primary care patients (aged 60−77) as part of a multicenter cluster-randomized controlled trial (AgeWell.de). We present descriptive and multivariate analyses for social networks (Lubben Social Network Scale and subscales) and social participation (item list of social activities) and analyze associations of these variables with depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale). Of 1030 included patients, 17.2% were at risk for social isolation (Lubben Social Network Scale < 12). Looking at the subscales, a reduced non-family network was found almost twice as often as a reduced family network. Patients with depressive symptoms had significantly smaller social networks than patients without depression (p < 0.001). They rather engaged in social activities of low involvement level or no weekly social activity at all (p < 0.001). The study shows associations of depressive symptoms with a decreased social network and less social participation in elderly participants. Sufficient non-family contacts and weekly social activities seem to play an important role in mental health and should be encouraged in elderly primary care patients.


[Transplantation of embryonal anlagen of the human neocortex into the brain of the rat].
A possibility for transplanting anlages of human embryonal neocortex into mature rat brain has been studied. Light- and electron-microscopic investigations demonstrate that the embryonal tissue of the human neocortex implants into the cerebral grey and white substance of mature rats. In the grafts cellular elements proliferate and differentiate, neuropil is formed. These results open certain perspectives for modelling investigations on histogenesis of neural tissues and on studying possibilities for clinical use of grafts of the human embryonal brain.


Hyperalgesia due to nerve injury-role of peroxynitrite.
We carried out a partial ligation of the sciatic nerve in rats to induce nerve injury and neuropathic hyperalgesia. We showed that nitrotyrosine, a marker of peroxynitrite activity, was formed after partial nerve injury. Double-labelling immunohistochemistry showed that nitrotyrosine-immunoreactive cells were mainly macrophages and Schwann cells. Daily treatment with uric acid, a scavenger of peroxynitrite, decreased nitrotyrosine formation in the injured sciatic nerve, and produced concomitant alleviation of thermal hyperalgesia and Wallerian degeneration. These results provide the first evidence that peroxynitrite is formed after partial nerve injury, and contributes to the initiation of thermal hyperalgesia and Wallerian degeneration. We hypothesize that uric acid alleviates hyperalgesia and Wallerian degeneration by inhibiting oxidative damage caused by peroxynitrite and possibly also by decreasing the production of other inflammatory mediators such as prostaglandins.


Expression of a unique 56-kDa polypeptide by neurons in the subplate zone of the developing cerebral cortex.
In the mammalian cerebral cortex, neurons destined for layers 2-6 are generated only after the period of genesis for a group of transient neurons that populate the subplate and marginal zones. Although a number of molecular markers for the subplate zone exist, most are also expressed by other cell populations in the cortical plate. To begin to study molecular properties of the subplate, we generated monoclonal antibodies against homogenates of cat cortical subplate zone. One monoclonal antibody, termed subplate 1 (SP1), recognized a polypeptide of 56 kDa. This antigen was strongly expressed within the subplate neurons only during a 3-week period beginning at birth and extending until 3 weeks after birth. From postnatal day 1, the number of SP1-immunoreactive neurons below the visual cortex increased until the end of second postnatal week and then declined thereafter. This period coincides with the period when a majority of the subplate neurons undergo naturally occurring cell death. The antigen was not expressed by subplate neurons surviving in the adult white matter. At the peak of antigen expression, 14% or less of the immunoreactive neurons also coexpressed gamma-aminobutyric acid, somatostatin, or neuropeptide Y. Biochemical and immunocytochemical properties of the SP1 antigen were also compared with the Alz-50 antigen (A68), a marker for dying neurons. On Western blots, SP1- and Alz-50-reactive polypeptides were selectively enriched in cytosolic fractions of kitten cerebral cortex, but each marker recognized different molecular weight polypeptides. In tissue sections many subplate, cortical plate, and layer 1 neurons were Alz-50 immunoreactive. In contrast, a rarer subpopulation of neurons restricted to the subplate was labeled by SP1. We propose that the SP1 antigen is a protein expressed within dying cortical subplate neurons, at the commencement of cell death.


[Serological screening for Lyme disease in Israel].
During 1989-1992, 123 serum samples from patients with dermatological or neurological disorders were tested for Lyme disease antibody. In only 1 case was a diagnosis of autochthonous Lyme disease confirmed. 8.9% of the samples were positive for antibody to the 41kD flagellar antigen of Borrelia burgdorferi (ELISA test) and 7.3% for the 39kD protein (immunodot test). The diagnosis of Lyme disease should be confirmed by carefully timed tests to detect antibody against multiple species-specific bacterial antigens.


[Improvement of physical fitness as anti-aging intervention].
Several recent important studies have clearly shown that a low physical fitness represents a potent risk factor and even a predictor of both cardiovascular and all-causes morbidity and mortality. As a consequence, physical fitness assessment should be performed at the clinical level since, when properly assessed, it is a highly valuable health and life expectancy indicator. Based on the results of fitness assessment in a particular person and knowing his/her life style and daily physical activity, an individually adapted training program can be prescribed. This training program will allow that person to develop his/her maximal physical potential while improving his/her physical and mental health and attenuating the deleterious consequences of aging. In fact, physical exercise is today proposed as a highly effective means to treat and prevent major morbidity and mortality causes in industrialized countries. Most of these causes are associated with the aging process. In order to be effective, this type of intervention should be directed to improve the aerobic capacity and strength. In addition, it should be complemented with work directed to improve the general coordination and flexibility. Finally, diet optimization and use of nutritional supplements and legal ergogenic aids are key elements to improve the functional capacity and health, all of which is synonymous of anti-aging interventions.


Climate change and vector-borne diseases: a regional analysis.
Current evidence suggests that inter-annual and inter-decadal climate variability have a direct influence on the epidemiology of vector-borne diseases. This evidence has been assessed at the continental level in order to determine the possible consequences of the expected future climate change. By 2100 it is estimated that average global temperatures will have risen by 1.0-3.5 degrees C, increasing the likelihood of many vector-borne diseases in new areas. The greatest effect of climate change on transmission is likely to be observed at the extremes of the range of temperatures at which transmission occurs. For many diseases these lie in the range 14-18 degrees C at the lower end and about 35-40 degrees C at the upper end. Malaria and dengue fever are among the most important vector-borne diseases in the tropics and subtropics; Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the USA and Europe. Encephalitis is also becoming a public health concern. Health risks due to climatic changes will differ between countries that have developed health infrastructures and those that do not. Human settlement patterns in the different regions will influence disease trends. While 70% of the population in South America is urbanized, the proportion in sub-Saharan Africa is less than 45%. Climatic anomalies associated with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation phenomenon and resulting in drought and floods are expected to increase in frequency and intensity. They have been linked to outbreaks of malaria in Africa, Asia and South America. Climate change has far-reaching consequences and touches on all life-support systems. It is therefore a factor that should be placed high among those that affect human health and survival.


Predictors of treatment failure during the first year in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients: a retrospective, observational study.
Diabetes patients who fail to achieve early glycemic control may increase the future risk of complications and mortality. The aim of the study was to identify factors that predict treatment failure (TF) during the first year in adults with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This retrospective cohort study conducted at a medical center in Taiwan enrolled 4,282 eligible patients with newly diagnosed T2DM between 2002 and 2017. Data were collected from electronic medical records. TF was defined as the HbA1c value >7% at the end of 1-year observation. A subgroup analysis of 2,392 patients with baseline HbA1c ≥8% was performed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis using backward elimination was applied to establish prediction models. Of all study participants, 1,439 (33.6%) were classified as TF during the first year. For every 1% increase in baseline HbA1c, the risk of TF was 1.17 (95% CI 1.15-1.20) times higher. Patients with baseline HbA1c ≥8% had a higher rate of TF than those with HbA1c <8% (42.0 vs 23.0%, p < 0.001). Medication adherence, self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG), regular exercise, gender (men), non-insulin treatment, and enrollment during 2010-2017 predicted a significant lower risk of TF in both of the primary and subgroup models. Newly diagnosed diabetes patients with baseline HbA1c ≥8% did have a much higher rate of TF during the first year. Subgroup analysis for them highlights the important predictors of TF, including medication adherence, performing SMBG, regular exercise, and gender, in achieving glycemic control.


Serum cystatin C- versus creatinine-based definitions of acute kidney injury following cardiac surgery: a prospective cohort study.
The primary aim of this study was to compare the sensitivity and rapidity of acute kidney injury (AKI) detection by cystatin C level relative to creatinine level after cardiac surgery. Prospective cohort study. 1,150 high-risk adult cardiac surgery patients in the TRIBE-AKI (Translational Research Investigating Biomarker Endpoints for Acute Kidney Injury) Consortium. Changes in serum creatinine and cystatin C levels. Postsurgical incidence of AKI. Serum creatinine and cystatin C were measured at the preoperative visit and daily on postoperative days 1-5. To allow comparisons between changes in creatinine and cystatin C levels, AKI end points were defined by the relative increases in each marker from baseline (25%, 50%, and 100%) and the incidence of AKI was compared based on each marker. Secondary aims were to compare clinical outcomes among patients defined as having AKI by cystatin C and/or creatinine levels. Overall, serum creatinine level detected more cases of AKI than cystatin C level: 35% developed a ≥25% increase in serum creatinine level, whereas only 23% had a ≥25% increase in cystatin C level (P < 0.001). Creatinine level also had higher proportions meeting the 50% (14% and 8%; P < 0.001) and 100% (4% and 2%; P = 0.005) thresholds for AKI diagnosis. Clinical outcomes generally were not statistically different for AKI cases detected by creatinine or cystatin C level. However, for each AKI threshold, patients with AKI confirmed by both markers had a significantly higher risk of the combined mortality/dialysis outcome compared with patients with AKI detected by creatinine level alone (P = 0.002). There were few adverse clinical outcomes, limiting our ability to detect differences in outcomes between subgroups of patients based on their definitions of AKI. In this large multicenter study, we found that cystatin C level was less sensitive for AKI detection than creatinine level. However, confirmation by cystatin C level appeared to identify a subset of patients with AKI with a substantially higher risk of adverse outcomes.


Mesenchymal stem cells from the retropatellar fat pad and peripheral blood stimulate ACL fibroblast migration, proliferation, and collagen gene expression.
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been of recent interest as adjuncts for ligament repair. However, the effect of these cells on the resident ligament fibroblasts has not yet been defined. In this study, we hypothesized that co-culture of MSCs and ligament fibroblasts would result in increases in the proliferative rate of the ligament fibroblasts and their expression of collagen-related genes, as well as differentiation of the MSCs down a fibroblastic pathway. In addition, we hypothesized that these effects would be dependent on the source of the MSCs. Porcine MSCs were isolated from both the retro-patellar fat pad (ADSCs) and the peripheral blood (PBMCs) and co-cultured with porcine anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) fibroblasts. Fibroblast migration, proliferation, and collagen gene expression were evaluated at time points up to 14 days. ADSCs had a greater effect on stimulating ACL-fibroblast proliferation and procollagen production, while PBMCs were more effective in stimulating ligament fibroblast migration. In addition, co-culture with the ACL fibroblasts led to significant increases in collagen gene expression for ADSCs, suggesting a differentiation of these cells down a fibroblastic pathway during the co-culture period. This was not seen for the PBMCs. Thus, the effects of MSCs on in situ ACL fibroblasts were found to be source dependent, and the choice of MSC source should take into account the different performance characteristic of each type of MSC.


Synaptic characteristics of dentate gyrus axonal boutons and their relationships with aging, menopause, and memory in female rhesus monkeys.
Age-related memory impairment occurs in many mammalian species, including humans. Moreover, women undergoing the menopausal transition often complain of problems with memory. We recently reported that rhesus monkeys display age- and menopause-related recognition memory impairment on a hippocampus-reliant test [delayed nonmatching-to-sample (DNMS)]. In the same monkeys, perforated synapse densities in the dentate gyrus outer molecular layer (OML) correlated with DNMS recognition accuracy, while total axospinous synapse density was similar across age and menses groups. The current study examined whether synaptic characteristics of OML axonal boutons are coupled with age- or menopause-related memory deficits. Using serial section electron microscopy, we measured the frequencies of single-synapse boutons (SSBs), multiple-synapse boutons (MSBs), and boutons with no apparent synaptic contacts [nonsynaptic boutons (NSBs)] in the OML. Aged females had double the percentage of NSBs compared with young females, and this measure correlated positively and inversely with DNMS acquisition (number of trials to criterion) and delay performance (average accuracy), respectively. Aged compared with young females also had a lower frequency of MSBs and a lower number of synaptic contacts per MSB, and the latter variable inversely correlated with DNMS acquisition. Although proportions of NSBs, SSBs, and MSBs were similar across menses groups, compared with premenopausal monkeys, peri/postmenopausal monkeys had fewer MSBs contacting one or more segmented perforated synapses, and the abundance of this bouton subtype positively correlated with DNMS performance. These results suggest that age- and menopause-related shifts in OML synaptic subtypes may be coupled with deficits in task acquisition and recognition memory.


Evaluation of Dexon suture in ophthalmic surgery.
6-0 Dexon (polyglycolic acid-PGA) suture was used in 30 eyes of 25 patients in surgical procedures which included cataract extraction, strabismus surgery, and ocular plastic surgery. The suture was found to hold the wound firmly, was not absorbed prematurely, was absorbed completely at a predicted time, was relatively easy to use although the knots were large, did not cause any infection or undue tissue reaction, and did not result in any wound dehiscence or vitreous loss.


Kinetic study on biodegradation of glyphosate with unacclimated activated sludge.
This article is concerned with the study of biodegradation of an organophosphorus herbicide (glyphosate) using unacclimated activated sludge. Glyphosate at different concentrations (0.1, 0.5, 1, 2 and 5 g/L) was tested for cellular growth. On the other hand, the effect of glyphosate on its own biodegradation was studied by evaluating the fittings of different kinetic models (Andrews, Aiba et al., Han and Levenspiel, Luong, Tessier, Webb, Tseng and Wayman, Yano and Koga). According to the obtained results, the activated sludge was able to use glyphosate as the sole carbon source; however, 2 and 5 g/L glyphosate seemed to inhibit cellular growth. Moreover, glyphosate at initial concentrations of 0.1, 0.5 and 1 g/L was completely degraded within 4, 13 and 18 h of incubation, respectively. Yano and Koga model was the best-fit model (R2 = 0.999, F = 173,106 and P = 0.000006).


Crystal structure of the human short coiled coil protein and insights into SCOC-FEZ1 complex formation.
The short coiled coil protein (SCOC) forms a complex with fasciculation and elongation protein zeta 1 (FEZ1). This complex is involved in autophagy regulation. We determined the crystal structure of the coiled coil domain of human SCOC at 2.7 Å resolution. SCOC forms a parallel left handed coiled coil dimer. We observed two distinct dimers in the crystal structure, which shows that SCOC is conformationally flexible. This plasticity is due to the high incidence of polar and charged residues at the core a/d-heptad positions. We prepared two double mutants, where these core residues were mutated to either leucines or valines (E93V/K97L and N125L/N132V). These mutations led to a dramatic increase in stability and change of oligomerisation state. The oligomerisation state of the mutants was characterized by multi-angle laser light scattering and native mass spectrometry measurements. The E93V/K97 mutant forms a trimer and the N125L/N132V mutant is a tetramer. We further demonstrate that SCOC forms a stable homogeneous complex with the coiled coil domain of FEZ1. SCOC dimerization and the SCOC surface residue R117 are important for this interaction.


[Phlebography of the upper extremity (author's transl)].
Various modifications of phlebography of the upper extremity are described. Evaluation of 95 pathological phlebograms proves the importance of phlebographic early diagnosis in the Paget-Schrötter syndrome, in traumatic and iatrogenic vein lesions. A phlebographic delimitation of obstructed drainage, caused by tumors, from scarred stenosing is only seldom possible.


Modeling post-death transmission of Ebola: challenges for inference and opportunities for control.
Multiple epidemiological models have been proposed to predict the spread of Ebola in West Africa. These models include consideration of counter-measures meant to slow and, eventually, stop the spread of the disease. Here, we examine one component of Ebola dynamics that is of ongoing concern - the transmission of Ebola from the dead to the living. We do so by applying the toolkit of mathematical epidemiology to analyze the consequences of post-death transmission. We show that underlying disease parameters cannot be inferred with confidence from early-stage incidence data (that is, they are not "identifiable") because different parameter combinations can produce virtually the same epidemic trajectory. Despite this identifiability problem, we find robustly that inferences that don't account for post-death transmission tend to underestimate the basic reproductive number - thus, given the observed rate of epidemic growth, larger amounts of post-death transmission imply larger reproductive numbers. From a control perspective, we explain how improvements in reducing post-death transmission of Ebola may reduce the overall epidemic spread and scope substantially. Increased attention to the proportion of post-death transmission has the potential to aid both in projecting the course of the epidemic and in evaluating a portfolio of control strategies.


Targeted mutagenesis of Burkholderia thailandensis and Burkholderia pseudomallei through natural transformation of PCR fragments.
Burkholderia pseudomallei is the causative agent of melioidosis, an overwhelming, rapidly fatal septic infection, and B. thailandensis is a closely related, less virulent species. Both organisms are naturally competent for DNA transformation, and this report describes a procedure exploiting this property for the rapid generation of marked deletion mutations by using PCR products. The method was employed to create 61 mutant strains. Several selectable elements were employed, including elements carrying loxP and FRT recombinase recognition sites to facilitate resistance marker excision. Chromosomal mutations could also be transferred readily between strains by transformation. The availability of simple procedures for creating defined chromosomal mutations and moving them between strains should facilitate genetic analysis of virulence and other traits of these two Burkholderia species.


Transcriptome Analysis of GmPUB20A Overexpressing and RNA-Interferencing Transgenic Hairy Roots Reveals Underlying Negative Role in Soybean Resistance to Cyst Nematode.
Ubiquitination genes are key components of plant responses to biotic stress. GmPUB20A, a ubiquitination gene, plays a negative role in soybean resistance to soybean cyst nematode (SCN). In this study, we employed high-throughput sequencing to investigate transcriptional changes in GmPUB20A overexpressing and RNA-interfering transgenic hairy roots. Totally, 7661 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses revealed that DEGs were significantly enriched in disease resistance and signal transduction pathways. In addition, silencing Glyma.15G021600 and Glyma.09G284700 by siRNA, the total number of nematodes was decreased by 33.48% and 27.47% than control plants, respectively. Further, GUS activity and reactive oxygen species (ROS) assays revealed that GmPUB20A, Glyma.15G021600, and Glyma.09G284700 respond to SCN parasitism and interfere with the accumulation of ROS in plant roots, respectively. Collectively, our study provides insights into the molecular mechanism of GmPUB20A in soybean resistance to SCN.