Risk factors for gastric ulcers in Australian pigs at slaughter.
The stomachs of pigs (n=15,741) originating from 136 herds from the Australian states of Queensland, Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales were examined at slaughter for the presence of oesophago-gastric ulcers (OGUs). Stomachs were categorised as being normal, hyperkeratotic, eroded, ulcerated, or having strictures. A questionnaire was distributed to piggery owners to identify factors associated with an above-average herd prevalence of OGU. Thirty percent of all pigs examined had OGU (median within-herd prevalence of 17%). The median within-herd prevalence in Victoria (53%) was significantly higher than in Western Australia (30%) or Queensland (7%). The prevalence of OGU in culled breeding animals was significantly higher than in porkers or baconers from the same herds. There was no difference between the prevalence of OGU in male and female pigs sampled from the same Western Australian herds. The relationship between OGU and herd and pig risk factors was assessed by random effects logistic-regression analysis. Herds with a high prevalence of OGU were more likely to feed ad libitum (OR=13.7), use automated feeding systems (OR=7.8), feed a pelleted ration (OR=384) and get water from a dam rather than from a bore or river (OR=3.8). Furthermore, for every change in the ration formulation for finisher pigs, the risk of OGU increased 1.5 times.


QT Prolongation in Cancer Patients.
Background: QT prolongation and torsades de pointes pose a major concern for cardiologists and oncologists. Although cancer patients are suspected to have prolonged QT intervals, this has not been investigated in a large population. The purpose of this study was to analyze the QT interval distribution in a cancer population and compare it to a non-cancer population in the same institution. Methods: The study was a retrospective review of 82,410 ECGs performed in cancer patients (51.8% women and 48.2% men) and 775 ECGs performed in normal stem cell donors (47.9% women and 52.1% men) from January 2009 to December 2013 at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Pharmacy prescription data was also collected and analyzed during the same time period. Correction of the QT interval for the heart rate was performed using the Bazett and Fridericia formulas. Results: After QT correction for heart rate by the Fridericia formula (QTcF), the mean and 99% percentile QTc for cancer patients were 414 and 473 ms, respectively. These were significantly longer than the normal stem cell donors, 407 and 458 ms, p < 0.001, respectively. Among the cancer patients, the QTc was longer in the inpatient setting when compared to both outpatient and emergency center areas. The most commonly prescribed QT prolonging medications identified were ondansetron and methadone. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates significantly longer QTc intervals in cancer patients, especially in the inpatient setting. Frequently prescribed QT prolonging medications such as antiemetics and analgesics may have a causative role in QT prolongation seen in our cancer hospital.


Expression of autofluorescent proteins reveals a novel protein permeable pathway between cells in the lens core.
The lens of the eye is composed of concentric layers of tightly packed fiber cells. The oldest fibers, those in the lens core, lose their nuclei and other organelles during terminal differentiation. This is thought to ensure the clarity of the lens. The anucleated core fibers are sustained by gap junction-mediated communication with metabolically active cells near the lens surface. In this study, we expressed autofluorescent proteins and microinjected fluorescent markers to probe cell-to-cell communication in different regions of the developing lens. Our data indicate that a novel cell-cell diffusion pathway becomes patent in the lens core during development. This pathway is remarkable in that it is permeable to proteins and other large molecules and is thus distinct from gap junctions. Diffusion of large molecules probably occurs through regions of membrane fusion observed between neighboring cells in the lens core. Further direct evidence for a continuous plasma membrane system was provided by the observation that exogenous membrane proteins expressed in one core fiber cell were able to diffuse laterally into the membranes of adjacent fibers. Thus, the lens core appears to represent a true syncytium within which both membrane proteins and cytoplasmic proteins freely diffuse. Significantly, the outermost edge of the core syncytium encompasses a shell of nucleated, transcriptionally-competent, fiber cells. This arrangement could facilitate the delivery of newly synthesized protein components to the aged and metabolically quiescent cells in the center of the lens.


Respiratory complications in outpatient endoscopy with endoscopist-directed sedation.
Respiratory complications represent an important adverse event of endoscopic procedures. We screened for respiratory complications after endoscopic procedures using a questionnaire and followed-up patients suggestive of respiratory infection. In this prospective observational, multicenter study performed in Outpatient practices of gastroenterology we investigated 15,690 patients by questionnaires administered 24 hours after the endoscopic procedure. 832 of the 15,690 patients stated at least one respiratory symptom after the endoscopic procedure: 829 patients reported coughing (5.28%), 23 fever (0.15%) and 116 shortness of breath (SOB, 0.74%); 130 of the 832 patients showed at least two concomitant respiratory symptoms (107 coughing + SOB, 17 coughing + fever, 6 coughing + coexisting fever + SOB) and 126 patients were followed-up to assess their respiratory complaints. Twenty-nine patients (follow-up: 22.31%, whole sample: 0.18%) reported signs of clinically evident respiratory infection and 15 patients (follow-up: 11.54%; whole sample: 0.1%) received therefore antibiotic treatment. Coughing or vomiting during the endoscopic procedure resulted in a 156.12-fold increased risk of respiratory complications (95% CI: 67.44 - 361.40) and 520.87-fold increased risk of requiring antibiotic treatment (95% CI: 178.01 - 1524.05). All patients of the follow-up sample who coughed or vomited during endoscopy developed clinically evident signs of respiratory infection and required antibiotic treatment while this occurred in a significantly lower proportion of patients without these symptoms (17.1% and 5.1%, respectively). We demonstrated that respiratory complications following endoscopic sedation are of comparably high incidence and we identified major predictors of aspiration pneumonia which could influence future surveillance strategies after endoscopic procedures.


Vesicular stomatitis virus pseudotyped with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus spike protein.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) contains a single spike (S) protein, which binds to its receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), induces membrane fusion and serves as a neutralizing antigen. A SARS-CoV-S protein-bearing vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) pseudotype using the VSVDeltaG* system was generated. Partial deletion of the SARS-CoV-S protein cytoplasmic domain allowed efficient incorporation into VSV particles and led to the generation of a pseudotype (VSV-SARS-St19) at high titre. Green fluorescent protein expression was demonstrated as early as 7 h after infection of Vero E6 cells with VSV-SARS-St19. VSV-SARS-St19 was neutralized by anti-SARS-CoV antibody and soluble ACE2, and its infection was blocked by treatment of Vero E6 cells with anti-ACE2 antibody. These results indicated that VSV-SARS-St19 infection is mediated by SARS-CoV-S protein in an ACE2-dependent manner. VSV-SARS-St19 will be useful for analysing the function of SARS-CoV-S protein and for developing rapid methods of detecting neutralizing antibodies specific for SARS-CoV infection.


Low-Field Dynamic Magnetic Separation by Self-Fabricated Magnetic Meshes for Efficient Heavy Metal Removal.
Wastewater contaminated with heavy metals is a worldwide concern due to the toxicity to human and animals. The current study presents an incorporation of adsorption and low-field dynamic magnetic separation technique for the treatment of heavy-metal-contaminated water. The key components are the eco-fabricated magnetic filter with mesh architectures (constituted of a soft magnetic material (Ni,Zn)Fe2O4) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA)-coated quasi-superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs). PAA-coated Fe3O4 NPs possess high adsorption capacity of heavy metal ions including Pb, Ni, Co, and Cu and can be easily regenerated after the adjustment of pH. Moreover, magnetic mesh filter has shown excellent collection ability of quasi-superparamagnetic particles under a magnetic field as low as 0.7 kOe (0.07 T) and can easily release these particles during ultrasonic washing when small magnets are removed. In the end, after one filtration process, the heavy metal concentration can be significantly decreased from 1.0 mg L-1 to below the drinking water standard recommended by the World Health Organization (e.g., less than 0.01 mg L-1 for Pb). Overall, a proof-of-concept adsorption and subsequent low-field dynamic separation technique is demonstrated as an economical and efficient route for heavy metal removal from wastewater.


Titanium Carbide MXene Shows an Electrochemical Anomaly in Water-in-Salt Electrolytes.
Identifying and understanding charge storage mechanisms is important for advancing energy storage. Well-separated peaks in cyclic voltammograms (CVs) are considered key indicators of diffusion-controlled electrochemical processes with distinct Faradaic charge transfer. Herein, we report on an electrochemical system with separated CV peaks, accompanied by surface-controlled partial charge transfer, in 2D Ti3C2Tx MXene in water-in-salt electrolytes. The process involves the insertion/desertion of desolvation-free cations, leading to an abrupt change of the interlayer spacing between MXene sheets. This unusual behavior increases charge storage at positive potentials, thereby increasing the amount of energy stored. This also demonstrates opportunities for the development of high-rate aqueous energy storage devices and electrochemical actuators using safe and inexpensive aqueous electrolytes.


Diagnostic Value of Bilateral Petrosal Sinus Sampling in Children with Cushing Disease: A Multi-center Study
Although the sensitivity and specificity of bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling (BIPSS) were shown to be quite high in adult patients, pediatric studies are limited in number and have conflicting results, since BIPSS is much less commonly performed in children. The aim of this study was to assess the role of BIPSS in the detection and accuracy of lateralization of pituitary adenomas in pediatric patients with Cushing disease (CD) and its possible advantage over other diagnostic methods. This was a multicenter, nationwide, web-based study. The diagnostic value of BIPSS in 16 patients, aged between four and 16.5 years with a confirmed diagnosis of CD, was evaluated retrospectively. The sensitivity and specificity of BIPSS and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were calculated, and compared statistically. Standard tests, except for morning cortisol level, were effective in proving the presence of Cushing syndrome. While MRI findings were consistent with microadenoma in eight cases (50%), CD presence and lateralization was successfully predicted in 14 of 16 patients using BIPSS. BIPSS compared with MRI examination was significantly more accurate, both in pre-stimulation and post-stimulation results (p=0.047 and p=0.041, respectively). BIPSS showed a significantly higher sensitivity (92.8%) than MRI in detecting the pituitary source of adrenocorticotropic hormone secretion. These results suggest that BIPSS is superior to MRI for diagnostic work-up to confirm the diagnosis of CD. Moreover, in line with previous studies, BIPSS was shown to provide better information about adenoma location, which is vital for possible surgical intervention.


Soluble proteins of a melanoma and normal skin from the swordtail, platyfish, and their hybrids.
Acrylamide gel electrophoresis has been used to make comparisons of the distribution of soluble protein and the activity of esterase in skin and melanoma extracts of the swordtail, the platyfish, and their hybrids. There is a striking difference between the extracts of normal skin and tumor tissue derived from the same cytological elements. Several prominent protein bands are found only in the tumor tissue. Their origin and function are unknown.


Cortical synchronization suggests neural principles of visual feature grouping.
Compositions of visual scenes are related here to neural signals in visual cortex and to cortical circuit models to understand neural mechanisms of perceptual feature grouping. Starting from the hypothesis that synchronization and decoupling of cortical gamma-activities (35-90 Hz) define the relations among visual objects, we concentrate on synchronization related to (1) static retinal stimulation during ocular fixation, and (2) transient stimulation by sudden shifts in object position. The synchronization hypothesis has been tested by analyzing signal correlations in visual cortex of monkeys with the following results: Static retinal stimuli induce loosely phase-coupled gamma-activities among neurons of an object's cortical representation. Patches of gamma-synchronization become decoupled across the representation of an object's contour, and thereby can code figure-ground segregation. Transient stimuli evoke synchronized volleys of stimulus-locked activities that are typically non-rhythmic and include low frequency components in addition to those in the gamma-range. It is argued that stimulus-induced and stimulus-locked synchronizations may play different roles in perceptual feature grouping.


Diagnosis and Management of Functional Heartburn.
Heartburn is among the most common gastrointestinal symptoms presenting to both generalist physicians and gastroenterologists. Heartburn that does not respond to traditional acid suppression is a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma. In the era of high utilization of proton pump inhibitors, a substantial proportion of patients presenting to the gastroenterologist with chronic symptoms of heartburn do not have a reflux-mediated disease. Subjects without objective evidence of reflux as a cause of their symptoms have "functional heartburn". The diagnostic role of endoscopy, reflux and motility testing in functional heartburn (FH) patients is discussed. Lifestyle modifications, pharmacological interventions, and alternative therapies for FH are also presented. Recognition of patients with FH allows earlier assignment of these patients to different treatment algorithms, which may allow greater likelihood of success of treatment, diminished resource utilization and improved quality of life. Further data on this large and understudied group of patients is necessary to allow improvement in treatment algorithms and a more evidence-based approach to care of these patients.


[Microcirculation and inflammation].
On the basis of the literature analysis and own observations the author concludes that the process of inflammation involves all the components of the microcirculatory bed and the endothelial lining: arterioles, blood precapillaries, capillaries, postcapillaries, venules, lymph capillaries, systems of the interstitial tissue channels as well as the connective tissue rich in hyaluronic acid and proteoglycans. The emergence of all cardinal signs of inflammation is associated with damage of different components of the microcirculatory bed. Intensive peroxidation of lipids ("oxidative stress") was observed in the focus of inflammation. Microcirculatory disorders in the inflammation focus are always synchronously accompanied by activation of blood plasma protein systems: coagulation, anticoagulation, kinin, complementary.


Maternal early life factors associated with hormone levels and the risk of having a child with an autism spectrum disorder in the nurses health study II.
It is not known whether reproductive factors early in the mother's life influence risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We assessed maternal age at menarche, menstrual cycle characteristics during adolescence, oral contraceptive use prior to first birth, body shape, and body mass index (BMI) in association with ASD using binomial regression in a cohort study of 61,596 women, including 743 cases. Overall, early life factors were not associated with ASD, though early age at menarche (RR for age 10 or less = 1.54, 95% CI 1.18, 2.02, p = 0.0002) and BMI at age 18 of ≥30 (RR 2.03, 95% CI 1.34, 3.08, p = 0.0008) were significantly associated with increased risk of ASD. Further work should investigate the potential influence of these factors.


Differential relationships between anthropometry measures and cardiovascular risk factors in boys and girls.
The aim of the study was to compare commonly used anthropometry for cardiovascular risk factors in 14-year-olds. A total of 1 149 children of an Australian pregnancy (Raine) cohort with recruitment 1989-1991 were assessed for anthropometry and fasting lipids, insulin, and blood pressure. There were significant distinctions in the associations between anthropometry and groups of cardiovascular risk factors. These distinctions differed by gender. Insulin resistance, triglycerides, C-reactive protein levels, low density lipoprotein (LDH)/high density lipoprotein (HDL) and total/HDL cholesterol ratios had the strongest association with waist, waist/height ratio and body mass index. By contrast, in boys, height was the strongest independent predictor (in a negative direction) of total and LDL-cholesterol. Blood pressure and uric acid was most strongly correlated with body weight and height (heavier and taller boys). Taller male adolescents had highest blood pressures and lowest cholesterol levels. No single adolescent anthropometric measure best predicted all cardiovascular risk factors. Each measure showed distinct relationships with specific groups of risk factors. Contrasting associations may reflect different pathogenesis by which gender, puberty, and adiposity affect metabolic risk. No single anthropometric measurement in childhood would appear to be superior or sufficient when investigating the developmental origins of cardiovascular health and related metabolic disease.


Light-microscopy evaluation of zonular fiber morphology in dogs with glaucoma: secondary to lens displacement.
Lens displacement resulting in secondary glaucoma is common in terrier breeds. This study was carried out to evaluate whether light microscopy was useful in detecting abnormal patterns in zonular fiber protein. Eyes from 63 dogs with glaucoma secondary to lens displacement were evaluated for the presence of abnormal zonular fiber morphology using the following stains: hematoxylin and eosin, periodic acid Schiff (PAS), Masson's trichrome and Verhoeff's elastin stains. Two distinct forms of abnormal zonular fiber morphology were recognized and designated as zonular fiber dysplasia (ZFD) and zonular fiber collagenization (ZFC). ZFD protein morphology was characterized by being tightly adherent to the nonpigmented ciliary body epithelium, exhibiting a distinct lamellar and cross-hatched pattern and staining strongly positive with PAS and trichrome stains, and staining negative with elastin stains. ZFD was predominant in terrier breeds (18 of 29) and Shar-Pei dogs (4 of 29). ZFC abnormality was characterized by excessive zonular fiber that was not tightly adherent to the ciliary body epithelium and staining positive with PAS, trichrome (blue for collagen) and elastin stains. Only 7 of 19 dogs with ZFC changes were terrier breeds, and there was no pattern in the breeds affected. Fifteen of the 63 dogs used in the study had normal appearing zonular fibers. The staining pattern in these dogs matched normal controls by staining positive with PAS and Verhoeff's elastin stains and had only minimal positive staining with Masson's trichrome stain. Results suggest that light microscopy is useful in detecting breed-related changes in zonular fiber morphology in cases of glaucoma secondary to lens displacement. These changes may correlate with the presence of abnormal zonular fiber proteins and might be important in the pathogenesis of primary lens displacement in terrier and Shar-Pei dogs.


[Leisure--a way to alleviate tension in the work environment of an intensive care unit: a concept of the nursing team].
In the present study, we aimed at verifying close to ICU nursing team the service representation and this unit meaning, looking at finding the sense of leisure and its implication in the professional environment. We worked with DUMAZEDIER framework, considering the application of leisure in health promotion, through a quali-quantitative survey. We have investigated 10 members of the nursing team, among different categories, most of them were women, half single, from 28 to 45 years old, with predominantly 10 years in service. They showed pleasure in their job (90%), although they consider it stressing (50%). The job was identified as assistance (80%) and requiring vocation/donation (50%). They also showed relationship and communication. They have the concept of leisure as entertainment/deconcentration (80%), relaxation (20%) etc., emphasizing the importance of discussing the theme. They admit tension/stress caused in the location, considering the need of leisure in the service, to help communication and alleviate the tension. We suggest to nurses special attention on this.


Construction and characterization of Escherichia coli genetically engineered for bioremediation of Hg(2+)-contaminated environments.
Escherichia coli strains were genetically engineered to express an Hg2+ transport system and metallothionein. Overexpression of a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae or pea metallothionein significantly increased the bioaccumulation of Hg2+ transported by MerT and MerP and protected the cells from the accumulated Hg2+. The recombinant strains have excellent properties for bioremediation of Hg(2+)-contaminated environments.


True, true, unrelated? A review of recent evidence for a causal influence of breakfast on obesity.
It has long been known that breakfast skipping is associated with obesity; however, well controlled clinical trials have only recently been conducted to determine a causative relationship. Skipping breakfast is likely to be detrimental for insulin sensitivity; however, randomized trials suggest that it does not play a large role in weight gain or weight loss. Specific breakfast strategies such as certain types of breakfast, and consuming more calories in the morning relative to the evening, however, may produce greater weight loss. The act of eating breakfast, compared to skipping it, does not appear to have a large impact on body weight. More specific strategies regarding the size and type of breakfast may be required for a substantial effect on weight loss, and improving glycemic regulation may be an important reason to consume breakfast rather than skipping it.


InTeI: a novel wide-bandgap 2D material with desirable stability and highly anisotropic carrier mobility.
Recently, stable 2D wide-bandgap semiconductors with excellent electronic and photoelectronic properties have attracted much scientific and technological interest. In this study, we predict a novel InTeI monolayer which has a wide bandgap of 2.735 eV and a anisotropic electron mobility as high as 12 137.80 cm2 V-1 s-1 based on first-principles calculations. With an exfoliating energy lower than that of monolayer phosphorene, it is feasible to synthesize the 2D InTeI monolayer through mechanical exfoliation from their 3D bulk crystals. Remarkably, the monolayer InTeI achieves the indirect-to-direct bandgap transition under a small in-plane uniaxial strain, while a quasi-direct bandgap can be achieved in the InTeI nanosheets with elevated thickness. The InTeI monolayer and nanosheets have suitable band alignments in the visible-light excitation region. In addition, our theoretical simulations determine that 2D InTeI materials exhibit more excellent oxidation resistance than black phosphorene. The results not only identify a novel class of 2D wide-bandgap semiconductors but also demonstrate their potential applications in nanoelectronics and optoelectronics.


Children, medical radiation and the environment: An important dialogue.
There are unique considerations in the medical care of children, which includes the use of medical imaging. Medical imaging is frequently necessary and is essential in diagnosis and management of children with illness and injury. Much of medical imaging requires ionizing radiation. While virtually all diagnostic imaging radiation is considered low-dose level, there is still a broad misperception about what modalities use ionizing radiation and how much radiation risk exists in the medical environment. A discussion of radiation exposure is especially relevant in children due to their increased vulnerability, including to radiation-induced cancer. Ionizing radiation is both naturally occurring and man-made, including medical sources that have been increasing over the past few decades and can vary in radiation dose both between different modalities and for similar examinations. Perspectives vary regarding cancer risk and levels of radiation resulting from diagnostic imaging, however most medical and scientific organization support the perspective that the risk of cancer at these levels is uncertain. It is important to have balanced and informed resources for the use of ionizing radiation in the care of children, and it is equally important to assure that the delivery of this content is appropriate to the audience to which it is intended. For these reasons, it is valuable to review the issues related to use of ionizing radiation in medical imaging in children.


Bone marrow endothelial cells sustain a tumor-specific CD8+ T cell subset with suppressive function in myeloma patients.
Endothelial cells (EC) line the bone marrow microvasculature and are in close contact with CD8+ T cells that come and go across the permeable capillaries. Because of these intimate interactions, we investigated the capacity of EC to act as antigen-presenting cells (APC) and modulate CD8+ T cell activation and proliferation in bone marrow of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. We found that EC from MM patients show a phenotype of semi-professional APC given that they express low levels of the co-stimulatory molecules CD40, CD80 and CD86, and of the inducible co-stimulator ligand (ICOSL). In addition, they do not undergo the strong switch from immunoproteasome to standard proteasome subunit expression which is typical of mature professional APC such as dendritic cells. EC can trap and present antigen to CD8+ T cells, stimulating a central memory CD8+ T cell population that expresses Foxp3 and produces high amounts of IL-10 and TGF-β. Another CD8+ T cell population is stimulated by professional APC, produces IFN-γ, and exerts antitumor activity. Thus, two distinct CD8+ T cell populations coexist in the bone marrow of MM patients: the first population is sustained by EC, expresses Foxp3, produces IL-10 and TGF-β, and exerts pro-tumor activity by negatively regulating the second population. This study adds new insight into the role that EC play in MM biology and describes an additional immune regulatory mechanism that inhibits the development of antitumor immunity and may impair the success of cancer immunotherapy.


Molecular cloning, sequence analysis, and cadmium stress-rated expression changes of BTG1 in freshwater pearl mussel (Hyriopsis schlegelii).
The B cells translocation gene 1 (BTG1) is a member of the BTG/TOB family of anti-proliferative genes, which have recently emerged as important regulators of cell growth and differentiation among verteates. Here, for the first time we cloned the full-length cDNA sequence of Hyriopsis schlegelii (Hs-BTG1), an economically important freshwater shellfish and potential indicator of environmental heavy metal pollution, for the first time. Using rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) together with splicing the EST sequence from a haemocyte cDNA liary, we found that Hs-BTG1 contains a 525 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a 174 amino-acid polypeptide, a 306 bp 5' untranslated region (5' UTR), and a 571 bp 3' UTR with a Poly(A) tail as well as a transcription termination signal (AATAAA). Homologue searching against GenBank revealed that Hs-BTG1 was closest to Crassostrea gigas BTG1, sharing 50.57% of protein identities. Hs-BTG1 also shares some typical features of the BTG/TOB family, possessing two well-conserved A and B boxes. Clustering analysis of Hs-BTG1 and other known BTGs showed that Hs-BTG1 was also closely related to BTG1 of C. gigas from the inverteate BTG1 clade. Function prediction via homology modeling showed that both Hs-BTG1 and C. gigas BTG1 share a similar three-dimensional structure with Homo sapiens BTG1. Tissue-specific expression analysis of the Hs-BTG1 via real-time PCR showed that the transcripts were constitutively expressed, with the highest levels in the hepatopancreas and gills, and the lowest in both haemocyte and muscle tissue. Expression levels of Hs-BTG1 in hepatopancreas (2.03-fold), mantle (2.07-fold), kidney (2.2-fold) and haemocyte (2.5-fold) were enhanced by cadmium (Cd²⁺) stress, suggesting that Hs-BTG1 may have played a significant role in H. schlegelii adaptation to adverse environmental conditions.


[Role of migraine history in the development of postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing general and combined general-epidural anesthesia].
To assess the role of migraine history in the development of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients undergoing general and combined general-epidural anaesthesia. 127 women with oncogynecological pathology were randomized into 3 groups according to anaesthesia method. Patients of the group C (comparative group; n = 43; 18 with migraine) received general anaesthesia. Patients of the Group CA (n = 40; 19 with migraine) received combined general-epidural anaesthesia. Patients of the group D (n = 44; 19 with migraine) received general anaesthesia with adding of Droperidolum. All patients received standard prophylactics of PONV- Ondansetronum 8 mg and dexamethasone 8 mg intravenous. In the group C a PONV occurred in 15 of 43 women (34.9%). PONV occurred in 6 of 18 women with migraine (33.3%) and in 9 of 25 women without migraine (36%). In the group CA a PONV occurred in 10 of 40 women (25%). PONV occurred in 8 of 19 women with migraine (42.1%) and in 2 of 21 women without migraine (9.5%; p = 0.036 in comparison with group C). In the group D a PONV occurred in 8 of 44 women (18.2%). PONV occurred in 1 of 19 women with migraine (5.3% p = 0.03 in comparison with group C and p = 0.008 with group CA) and in 7 of 25 women without migraine (28%; there was no significant difference with groups C and CA). Migraine history is a significant risk factor of PONV. Epidural component of anaesthesia does not effect on frequency of PONV in women with migraine, but Droperidolum use allows increasing the frequency of PONV.


Clinical and Radiographic Evaluation of Early Loaded Maxillary Anterior Implants: Three-Year Follow-up.
The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical and radiologic results up to 3 years in patients treated with early loading of anterior implants supporting single-tooth all-ceramic restorations. Twenty-four patients were treated with 29 screw-type implants in the anterior maxilla. The implants were evaluated by clinical and radiographic parameters. Clinical parameters Plaque Index (PI), Sulcus Bleeding Index (BI), peri-implant probing depth (PD), and marginal bone loss (MBL) were recorded. At the recall examinations, all implants were successfully integrated, demonstrating healthy peri-implant soft tissues as documented by standard clinical parameters. No biologic complications were observed. There was no statistically significant increase in MBL between the baseline and recall stages (P > .05). Early loaded maxillary anterior implants supporting single-tooth restorations reveal successful clinical and radiographic outcomes when treatment steps were performed.


Photorefractive Incoherent-to-Coherent Optical Converter Based on Anisotropic Self-Diffraction in BaTiO(3).
A photorefractive incoherent-to-coherent optical converter (PICOC) is demonstrated; conversion is accomplished by anisotropic self-diffraction in BaTiO(3). The setup of the PICOC is easy, and only two writing beams are required. The diffraction efficiency reaches 50%, and the resolution is 22 line pairs (lp)/mm in a typical-size crystal. Further, the resolution reaches 40 lp/mm when a BaTiO(3):Rh crystal of thickness 1.2 mm is used, and the diffraction efficiency is as high as 51%. The resolution of the PICOC can be increased effectively by reduction of the crystal thickness with no penalty for low diffraction efficiency.


Building a chemical space based on fragment descriptors.
This article reviews the application of fragment descriptors at different stages of virtual screening: filtering, similarity search, and direct activity assessment using QSAR/QSPR models. Several case studies are considered. It is demonstrated that the power of fragment descriptors stems from their universality, very high computational efficiency, simplicity of interpretation and versatility.


Smoking status of parents, siblings and friends: predictors of regular smoking? Findings from a longitudinal twin-family study.
The relationship between regular smoking behavior and the smoking behavior of parents, siblings and friends was investigated using data from the Netherlands Twin Register. Cross-sectional analyses of data of 3906 twins showed significant associations between smoking behavior of the participant and smoking behavior of co-twin, additional brothers, parents of the same sex as the participant and friends. Those variables, together with age, explained 47% of the variance in smoking behavior. Longitudinal analyses of data from 2397 twins, who, in 1993, reported never to have smoked (regularly), showed that uptake of regular smoking two years later was predicted by having a smoking co-twin, smoking same-sex siblings, smoking mother and smoking friends. Males are, in contrast to females, at a later age still vulnerable to taking up regular smoking. The variables explained 21% of the variance. Sport participation, alcohol use, boredom susceptibility and neuroticism significantly added to the predictive value of this model. Including those additional factors increased the explained variance to 30%, and subsequently adding experimental smoking behavior further increased the explained variance to almost 50%. In summary, having smoking family members and friends, as well as lifestyle and personality factors are important predictors for the uptake of regular smoking. However, the experimental smoking behavior of the participant is equally important.


Clinical features and treatment outcomes of patients with tearing after chemotherapy.
To evaluate the clinical features and treatment outcomes of patients complaining of tearing after receiving chemotherapy. The clinical records of patients who complained of tearing between August 2014 and February 2016, and underwent or were undergoing chemotherapy were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical measurements were as follows: LipiView® interferometer (lipid layer thickness and meibography), lacrimal drainage examinations (syringing), and outcomes at 6 months after treatment. This study included 34 eyes of 17 patients with a mean age of 62.4 ± 14.82 years. The mean follow-up period was 9.6 months. On syringing, 10 eyes (29.4%) showed total regurgitation, 19 eyes (55.9%) showed partial regurgitation, and 5 eyes (14.7%) showed no regurgitation. On LipiView®, mean lipid layer thickness was 34.5 nm (range, 20-89 nm). Mean meiboscore was 2.15 ± 0.86 in upper eyelid and 2.53 ± 0.79 in lower eyelid. Patients were treated with silicon tube intubation (STI) (10 eyes, 29.4%), dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) (4 eyes, 17.6%), conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy (CDCR) (8 eyes, 11.8%), DCR combined with CDCR (1 eyes, 8.8%), and conservative care (11 eyes, 32.4%). Mean time interval from onset of tearing to first clinic visit was 1.4 months in the conservative care group, 2.9 months in the STI and DCR groups, and 6.0 months in the CDCR group. Because of the high incidence of accompanying meibomian gland loss in cases of lacrimal drainage system (LDS) obstruction, reflex tearing by mebibomian gland dysfunction should also be considered for proper management of tearing. Early recognition and management of LDS stenosis could result in patients undergoing surgery with a lower burden.


Influence of form IA RubisCO and environmental dissolved inorganic carbon on the delta13C of the clam-chemoautotroph symbiosis Solemya velum.
Many nutritive symbioses between chemoautotrophic bacteria and invertebrates, such as Solemya velum, have delta(13)C values of approximately -30 to -35%, considerably more depleted than phytoplankton. Most of the chemoautotrophic symbionts fix carbon with a form IA ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (RubisCO). We hypothesized that this form of RubisCO discriminates against (13)CO(2) to a greater extent than other forms. Solemya velum symbiont RubisCO was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and characterized. Enzyme from this recombinant system fixed carbon most rapidly at pH 7.5 and 20-25 degrees C. Surprisingly, this RubisCO had an epsilon-value (proportional to the degree to which the enzyme discriminates against (13)CO(2)) of 24.4 per thousand, similar to form IB RubisCOs, and higher than form II RubisCOs. Samples of interstitial water from S. velum's habitat were collected to determine whether the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) could contribute to the negative delta(13)C values. Solemya velum habitat DIC was present at high concentrations (up to approximately 5 mM) and isotopically depleted, with delta(13)C values as low as approximately -6%. Thus environmental DIC, coupled with a high degree of isotopic fractionation by symbiont RubisCO likely contribute to the isotopically depleted delta(13)C values of S. velum biomass, highlighting the necessity of considering factors at all levels (from environmental to enzymatic) in interpreting stable isotope ratios.


Negotiating parenthood: Experiences of economic hardship among parents with cognitive difficulties.
People with cognitive difficulties often have scarce economic resources, and parents with cognitive difficulties are no exception. In this article, parents' experiences are put forth and discussed, for example, how does economic hardship affect family life? How do the parents experience support, what kind of strain does the scarce economy put on their situation and how are their children coping? The data consist of interviews with parents living in this often problematic situation. Experiences of poverty and how it can be related to - and understood in the light of - cognitive difficulties and notions of parenthood and children's agency are scarcely addressed in the current research. The findings suggest that experiences of poverty are often associated with the limitations caused by cognitive difficulties. Poverty may thus be articulated as one aspect of the stigma they can experience due to their impairments, not least in relation to their children and naturalized discourses on parenthood.


Immunization status of 2-year-olds in a prepaid health care system.
The immunization compliance among 2-year-olds in a prepaid healthcare system in Indianapolis was studied. Since appointments and immunizations are covered benefits, immunization rates should approach 100%; complete immunizations were found in only 72%. Problems identified included transient membership, failure to determine immunization status on patients, reluctance to administer immunizations to children with mild illnesses, asking patients to return for administration of immunizations without a physician exam and record-keeping errors.


Impact of the inherent separation of scales in the Navier-Stokes- alphabeta equations.
We study the effect of the length scales alpha and beta in the Navier-Stokes- alphabeta equations on the energy spectrum and the alignment between the vorticity and the eigenvectors of the stretching tensor in three-dimensional homogeneous and isotropic turbulent flows in a periodic cubic domain, including the limiting cases of the Navier-Stokes- alpha and Navier-Stokes equations. A significant increase in the accuracy of the energy spectrum at large wave numbers arises for beta<alpha . The vorticity structures predicted by the Navier-Stokes- alphabeta equations also improve as beta decreases away from alpha . However, optimal choices for alpha and beta depend not only on the problem of interest but also on the grid resolution.


Influence of organic versus conventional agricultural practice on the antioxidant microconstituent content of tomatoes and derived purees; consequences on antioxidant plasma status in humans.
The present study aims first to compare the antioxidant microconstituent contents between organically and conventionally grown tomatoes and, second, to evaluate whether the consumption of purees made of these tomatoes can differently affect the plasma levels of antioxidant microconstituents in humans. When results were expressed as fresh matter, organic tomatoes had higher vitamin C, carotenoids, and polyphenol contents (except for chlorogenic acid) than conventional tomatoes. When results were expressed as dry matter, no significant difference was found for lycopene and naringenin. In tomato purees, no difference in carotenoid content was found between the two modes of culture, whereas the concentrations of vitamin C and polyphenols remained higher in purees made out of organic tomatoes. For the nutritional intervention, no significant difference (after 3 weeks of consumption of 96 g/day of tomato puree) was found between the two purees with regard to their ability to affect the plasma levels of the two major antioxidants, vitamin C and lycopene.


[Genogeographic primary hypolactasia in the Old World populations].
The geographic distribution of primary hypolactasia (i.e., the genetically determined (LAC*R), age-dependent decrease in lactase activity, which is phenotypically expressed as the intolerance to whole milk), was studied. Data on the distribution of primary hypolactasia and the LAC*R gene frequencies in populations of the Old World are analyzed, with special emphasis on LAC*R distribution in Russia. New data on populations of Kildin Saamis, Mordovian ethnic groups (Mokshas and Erzyas), Udmurtians, Komi-Permiaks, Komi-Zyrians (Komi-Izhem ethnographic group), Northern (Sos'va) Mansis, Northern Khantys, and Russians are described. Gene geographic maps of the LAC*R gene's distribution in populations of the Old World, Europe, and the Ural region were constructed. A map reflecting the amount of the original information on different regions and, therefore, the reliability of the gene geographic maps, is given. In Europe, the interpopulation diversity Gst of the LAC*R gene was significantly higher (0.169) than the average diversity of the European gene pool. The high variation was assumed to result from a potent differentiating selection that affects the gene for primary hypolactasia.


Pulmonary hypertension in hemodialysis patients.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of primary pulmonary hypertension (PHT) among hemodialysis patients and search for possible etiologic factors. The prevalence of PHT was prospectively estimated by Doppler echocardiogram in 62 long-term hemodialysis patients on the day post dialysis. PHT (> 35 mm Hg) was found in 32 (51.6%) patients with a mean systolic pulmonary artery pressure of 39.6 +/- 13.3 mmHg. The hemoglobin and albumin levels were significantly lower in the PHT subgroup (11.1 +/- 1.86 vs 9.8 +/- 1.97 g/dL and 3.75 +/- 0.44 vs 3.38 +/- 0.32 g/dL, p = 0.01 and 0.02, respectively). Our study demonstrates a surprisingly high prevalence of PHT among patients receiving long-term hemodialysis. Early detection is important in order to avoid the serious consequences of the disease.


[Structural-functional characteristics of phagocytes in the broncho-alveolar lavage fluid in acute focal pneumonia].
The alveolar macrophages and neutrophils of the bronchoalveolar fluid from 37 patients with acute focal pneumonia were studied cytochemically. A comparison group consisted of 20 patients with primary chronic bronchitis, 11 subjects without pulmonary affections served control. Phagocytes with a high motile, oxygen-dependent bactericidal and hydrolytic activity as well as with increased level of absorptive capacity prevailed during the peak of the disease and its regression. At the phase of convalescence the number of phagocytes with a high oxygen-dependent bactericidal and hydrolytic activity decreased but their high absorptive activity was retained.


Impulse debracketing compared to conventional debonding.
To evaluate impulse debonding compared to three conventional methods for bracket removal in relation to the damage caused to the enamel surface. Ninety-six osteotomed third molars were randomly assigned to two study groups (n = 48) for bracket bonding with either a composite adhesive system (CAS) or a glass-ionomeric cement (GIC). These two groups were then each randomly divided into four subgroups (n = 12) according to the method of debonding using (1) bracket removal pliers, (2) a side-cutter, (3) a lift-off debracketing instrument, or (4) an air pressure pulse device. Following debonding and corresponding postprocessing with either a finishing bur (CAS) or ultrasound (GIC), the enamel surfaces were assessed for damage, adhesive residues, and the need for postprocessing using scanning electron microscopy and the Adhesive Remnant Index, and the surfaces were compared in terms of mode of removal and type of adhesive using Fisher's exact test (alpha = 5%). No significant differences were found between the two different types of adhesives (CAS, GIC) in terms of the amount of damage to the enamel. Portions of enamel damage were found for impulse debonding/0%<bracket removal pliers/4%<lift-off debracketing instrument/17%<side-cutter/21%. The highest Adhesive Remnant Index grades were seen for impulse debonding. GIC residues after postprocessing using ultrasound were seen in 79%, compared to 48% after rotational postprocessing of CAS residues. Impulse debonding provides a good alternative to conventional debonding methods, as the adhesion is usually separated at the bracket-adhesive interface, thereby avoiding enamel damage, independent of the adhesive used.


[Microsurgical autograft in children and adolescents].
Children make up 18% of 238 patients subjected to autotransplantation of tissues with the help of microsurgical technique. The reestablishment of blood circulation was reached in all the operations by making microvascular anastomoses. The results obtained show that the microsurgical autotransplantation of tissues can be successfully used in children and juveniles and is a perspective method.


Gender differences in the association of overweight and asthma morbidity among urban adolescents with asthma.
Asthma and obesity disproportionately affect US African-American youth. Among youth with asthma, obesity has been associated with poor control. The impact of gender on this association is unclear. We examined these relationships in a sample of urban, African-American adolescents with asthma. Questionnaires were used to identify high school students with asthma, and to examine the association of body mass index (BMI) to asthma morbidity, by gender. Of 5967 students completing questionnaires, 599 (10%) met criteria for asthma and 507 had data sufficient for inclusion in further analyses (46% male, mean age = 15.1 yr). Univariately, BMI > 85th percentile was significantly related only to reported emergency department visits (ED) and school days missed for any reason, Odds Ratio (95%Confidence Interval) = 1.7(1.1-2.7), p = 0.01 and 1.8(1.1-3.0), p = 0.01, respectively. A significant gender-BMI interaction (p < 0.05) was observed in multivariate models for ED visits, hospitalizations and school days missed for asthma. In gender-specific models, adjusted Risk Ratios for BMI > 85th and ED visits, hospitalizations, and school days missed because of asthma were 1.7(0.9-3.2), 6.6(3.1-14.6) and 3.6(1.8-7.2) in males. These associations were not observed in females. Gender modifies the association between BMI and asthma-related morbidity among adolescents with asthma. Results have implications for clinical management as well as future research.


The reduction of wax precipitation in waxy crude oils by Pseudomonas species.
Crude oil with different concentrations was subjected to Pseudomonas species at 37 degrees C and various incubation periods. The results showed that Pseudomonas species grew faster at 1% (v/v) concentration of crude oil and exhibited high biodegradation ability within 1 week. On measuring the emulsification activity and emulsion stability during different stages of growth, in various immiscible hydrocarbons, it appeared that the species was able to produce a stable emulsion with a maximum at the end of stationary phase of growth. The gas chromatography analysis of the saturated hydrocarbons of crude oil showed that, an increase in concentration of iso-alkanes in the range of C15-C20, and a bioconversion of heavy iso-alkanes in the range of C21-C22+. Chemical analysis of crude oil by liquid chromatographic technique before and after growth showed that, the saturated alkanes were more degradable than aromatic and asphaltenic compounds. Treatment by Pseudomonas species may possibly be an effective method for the biodegradation of heavy paraffinic hydrocarbon leading to an enhancement in crude oil properties.


Multiple loose bodies in the joints: from snowstorm to hailstones.
We report the cases of 2 young-adult patients with multiple loose bodies, one in the knee and the other in the elbow joint. Loose bodies were composed of hundreds of brilliant white particles up to 5 mm in the first patient, who had a history of pain and swelling. From the right elbow joint of the second patient, arthroscopic removal of about 25 osteocartilaginous loose bodies, ranging from 5 to 14 mm in diameter, was performed. This patient also had the effects of poliomyelitis, which had required him to use a crutch since childhood for right lower limb length discrepancy. Arthroscopic removal provided elimination of symptoms in both patients. Histopathologic examination of the specimens and clinical evidence supported the previously proposed pathogenic mechanisms on development of loose bodies. Mechanisms that could affect the natural history of loose bodies in these particular patients are discussed and speculated on in this report. We suggest that some of the numerous cartilaginous multiple loose bodies in the joints (snowstorm appearance) are attached and incorporated into synovium and the total number decreases with time, while the remaining grow with nutritional effects of synovial fluid medium, resulting in larger loose bodies with osteocartilaginous characteristics. The term "hailstone" is used to describe the ultimate situation of the previous arthroscopically defined snowstorm loose bodies.


Solid-phase capture of proteins, spores, and bacteria.
Current methods for the detection of pathogens in food and water samples generally require a preenrichment step that allows selective enrichment of the test organism. The objective of this research was to eliminate an enrichment step to allow detection of bacteria directly in food and water samples in 30 min. A high-flow-rate, fluidized bed to capture and concentrate large (bacteria and spores) and small (protein) molecules was developed. This format, ImmunoFlow, is volume independent and uses large beads (greater than 3 mm in diameter) when capturing bacteria to prevent sample clogging when testing food samples. Detection of bound targets was done using existing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) protocols. Four antibodies (anti-Escherichia coli O157:H7, -Bacillus globigii, -bovine serum albumin [BSA], and -ovalbumin [OVA]) were covalently coupled to various glass and ceramic beads. Very small amounts of BSA (<1 ng) and OVA (0.2 to 4.0 microg) were detected. Various industrial and environmental samples were used to observe the effect of the sample composition on the capture of anti-B. globigii and anti-E. coli O157:H7 modified beads. The lower limit of detection for both E. coli O157:H7 and B. globigii was 1 spore/cell independent of the sample size. The activity of anti-B. globigii modified beads declined after 3 days. Anti-E. coli O157:H7 modified beads declined in their capture ability after 2 days in various storage buffers. Storage temperature (4 and 25 degrees C) did not influence the stability. The ImmunoFlow technology is capable of capturing bacteria and spores directly from samples, with subsequent detection in an ELISA format in 30 min.


Serotonin receptor involvement in the avoidance learning deficit caused by p-chloroamphetamine-induced serotonin release.
The receptor involvement in the p-chloramphetamine (PCA, 2.5 mg kg-1) induced impairment of active avoidance acquisition was examined in the male rat. The avoidance deficit was blocked at low doses by serotonergic (5-HT)-receptor blocking agents but not by alpha-adrenergic-, beta-adrenergic-, opiate-, muscarinic- or dopamine D2-receptor antagonists. The potency of the 5-HT antagonists to block the PCA-induced deficit correlated with their affinity in displacing [3H]ketanserin but not [3H]5-HT binding in the frontal cortex. The potencies of the 5-HT antagonists to block the action of PCA could not be related to their action on muscarinic-, histaminergic H1- or dopaminergic D2-receptor binding in vitro. It is concluded that the avoidance learning deficit caused by PCA-induced 5-HT release is related to activation of 5-HT receptors in the frontal cortex having the characteristics of a 5-HT2 receptor.


3D Bioprinting of shear-thinning hybrid bioinks with excellent bioactivity derived from gellan/alginate and thixotropic magnesium phosphate-based gels.
3D Bioprinting is expected to become a strong tool for regenerative medicine, but satisfactory bioinks for the printing of constructs containing living cells are lacking due to the rigorous requirement of high printability and biocompatibility, which are often contradictory. Here, we have reported the development of a novel hybrid bioink by combining rigid gellan gum (GG), flexible sodium alginate (SA), and a bioactive substance thixotropic magnesium phosphate-based gel (TMP-BG). The ratio of these components was first optimized to obtain satisfactory gelating, mechanical, rheological, and printing properties. The formulated hybrid GG-SA/TMP-BG bioink had a good printability due to the shear-thinning and its multiple cross-linking by Mg2+ and Ca2+. The tunable mechanical performance of the hybrid bioink could simulate various extracellular matrices of the different tissues and support integrity of 3D printing constructs. Moreover, the hybrid bioink induced apatite deposition during immersion in simulated body fluids, and also promoted cell proliferation in vitro. MG-63 osteosarcoma cells were dispersed in the bioink and printed into 3D constructs. The cells exhibited good cell survival due to the shear-thinning property of the bioink and the ion concentration used for cross-linking. The proliferation rate of the cells also significantly exceeded those in non-printed samples. Confocal microscopy revealed a homogeneous distribution of cells in the printed constructs, and survival for more than 7 d. In vivo animal experiments showed that the hybrid bioink without cells could induce osteochondral repair. Therefore, this hybrid bioink has good printability, biocompatibility, mechanical support, and bioactivity, which is expected to have promising applications in 3D bioprinting.


Stigma and mental disorder: conceptions of illness, public attitudes, personal disclosure, and social policy.
The end of the last millennium witnessed an unprecedented degree of public awareness regarding mental disorder as well as motivation for policy change. Like Sartorius, we contend that the continued stigmatization of mental illness may well be the central issue facing the field, as nearly all attendant issues (e.g., standards of care, funding for basic and applied research efforts) emanate from professional, societal, and personal attitudes towards persons with aberrant behavior. We discuss empirical and narrative evidence for stigmatization as well as historical trends regarding conceptualizations of mental illness, including the field's increasing focus on genetic and neurobiological causes and determinants of mental disorder. We next define stigma explicitly, noting both the multiple levels (community, societal, familial, individual) through which stigma operates to dehumanize and delegitimize individuals with mental disorders and the impact of stigma across development. Key developmental psychopathology principles are salient in this regard. We express concern over the recent oversimplification of mental illness as "brain disorder," supporting instead transactional models which account for the dynamic interplay of genes, neurobiology, environment, and self across development and which are consistent with both compassion and societal responsibility. Finally, we consider educational and policy-related initiatives regarding the destigmatization of mental disorder. We conclude that attitudes and policy regarding mental disorder reflect, in microcosmic form, two crucial issues for the next century and millennium: (a) tolerance for diversity (vs. pressure for conformity) and (b) intentional direction of our species' evolution, given fast-breaking genetic advances.


Strain differences in adrenergic sensitivity of neuropathic pain behaviors in an experimental rat model.
The aim of this study was to examine and delineate the differences in adrenergic sensitivity of mechanical allodynic behavior among various strains of rats. Neuropathic injury was produced by tight ligation of the L5 and L6 spinal nerves in several strains of rats. The degree of mechanical allodynic behavior was estimated by measuring the mechanical threshold for paw flinching with von Frey filaments. Adrenergic sensitivity of the allodynic behavior was resolved by measuring changes of the mechanical threshold after intraperitoneal injection of phentolamine, an alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonist. Injection of phentolamine caused a significant but small increase in the thresholds for paw flinching in rats of most of the tested strains; however, in Lewis rats, the resulting threshold increase was extensive enough to eliminate allodynic behavior almost completely. It is concluded that there is a difference in adrenergic sensitivity to mechanical allodynic behavior among different strains of neuropathic rats. In particular, rats of the Lewis strain were extremely sensitive to systemic injection of an alpha-adrenergic receptor blocker.


The first step in the activation of chicken pepsinogen is similar to that of prochymosin.
Chicken pepsinogen was incubated at pH2.5 with pepstatin. The zymogen activated itself by a sequential mechanism and an intact peptide derived from residues 1-26 in the protein was released in the first step. This peptide was found to inhibit the milk-clotting activities of pig and chicken pepsins and calf chymosin but to different extents.


Taxation reduces smoking but may not reduce smoking disparities in youth.
This study examines the extent to which cigarette taxes affect smoking behaviour and disparities in smoking among adolescents by gender, socioeconomic status (SES) and race/ethnicity. We used US nationally representative, repeated cross-sectional data from the 2005 to 2016 Monitoring the Future study to evaluate the relationship between state cigarette taxes and past 30-day current smoking, smoking intensity, and first cigarette and daily smoking initiation using modified Poisson and linear regression models, stratified by grade. We tested for interactions between tax and gender, SES and race/ethnicity on the additive scale using average marginal effects. We found that higher taxes were associated with lower smoking outcomes, with variation by grade. Across nearly all of our specifications, there were no statistically significant interactions between tax and gender, SES or race/ethnicity for any grades/outcomes. One exception is that among 12th graders, there was a statistically significant interaction between tax and college plans, with taxes being associated with a lower probability of 30-day smoking among students who definitely planned to attend college compared with those who did not. We conclude that higher taxes were associated with reduced smoking among adolescents, with little difference by gender, SES and racial/ethnicity groups. While effective at reducing adolescent smoking, taxes appear unlikely to reduce smoking disparities among youth.


Phosphorylation of PITSLRE p110 isoforms accompanies their processing by caspases during Fas-mediated cell death.
A number of cellular proteins have been identified as caspase targets during cell death, including the PITSLRE protein kinases. These targets generally fall into one of three possible categories: 1) other caspases, 2) proteins that are inactivated during apoptosis, and 3) proteins that are required for execution of the cell death program. However, not all proteins are cleaved by caspases during apoptosis. Why only specific proteins are destined to be processed by caspases during cell death is currently not clear. Here we show that multiple caspase-like activities are involved in the processing of the PITSLRE p110 isoforms during Fas-induced apoptosis in Jurkat T-cells. Three p110 caspase cleavage sites have been mapped to the amino-terminal domain of p110 and verified by site-directed mutagenesis. Curiously, the mutagenesis studies revealed that cleavage of two juxtaposed caspase sites is necessary for the complete processing of this protein during cell death in vivo. Finally, we demonstrate that the PITSLRE p110 protein is rapidly phosphorylated during Fas-induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells and that phosphorylation of an amino-terminal portion of the protein may enhance caspase cleavage in this region.


Synergistic capture of Clostridium botulinum type A neurotoxin by scFv antibodies to novel epitopes.
A non-immune library of human single chain fragment variable (scFv) antibodies displayed on Saccharomyces cerevisiae was screened for binding to the Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin serotype A binding domain [BoNT/A (Hc)] with the goal of identifying scFv to novel epitopes. To do this, an antibody-mediated labeling strategy was used in which antigen-binding yeast clones were selected after labeling with previously characterized monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific to the Hc. Twenty unique scFv clones were isolated that bound Hc. Of these, 3 also bound to full-length BoNT/A toxin complex with affinities ranging from 5 to 48 nM. Epitope binning showed that the three unique clones recognized at least two epitopes distinct from one another as well as from the detection MAbs. After production in E. coli, scFv were coupled to magnetic particles and tested for their ability to capture BoNT/A holotoxin using an Endopep-MS assay. In this assay, toxin captured by scFv coated magnetic particles was detected by incubation of the complex with a peptide containing a BoNT/A-specific cleavage sequence. Mass spectrometry was used to detect the ratio of intact peptide to cleavage products as evidence for toxin capture. When tested individually, each of the scFv showed a weak positive Endopep-MS result. However, when the particles were coated with all three scFv simultaneously, they exhibited significantly higher Endopep-MS activity, consistent with synergistic binding. These results demonstrate novel approaches toward the isolation and characterization of scFv antibodies specific to unlabeled antigens. They also provide evidence that distinct scFv antibodies can work synergistically to increase the efficiency of antigen capture onto a solid support.


Acrosome reaction-related steroidal saponin, Co-ARIS, from the starfish induces structural changes in microdomains.
Cofactor for acrosome reaction-inducing substance (Co-ARIS) is a steroidal saponin from the starfish Asterias amurensis. Saponins exist in many plants and few animals as self-defensive chemicals, but Co-ARIS has been identified as a cofactor for inducing the acrosome reaction (AR). In A. amurensis, the AR is induced by the cooperative action of egg coat components (ARIS, Co-ARIS, and asterosap); however, the mechanism of action of Co-ARIS is obscure. In this study we elucidated the membrane dynamics involved in the action of Co-ARIS. We found that cholesterol specifically inhibited the Co-ARIS activity for AR induction and detected the binding of labeled compounds with sperm using radioisotope-labeled Co-ARIS. Co-ARIS treatment did not reduce the content of sperm sterols, however, the condition was changed and localization of GM1 ganglioside on the periacrosomal region disappeared. We then developed a caveola-breaking assay, a novel method to detect the effect of chemicals on microdomains of culture cell, and confirmed the disturbance of somatic cell caveolae in the presence of Co-ARIS. Finally, by atomic force microscopy observations and surface plasmon resonance measurements using an artificial membrane, we revealed that Co-ARIS colocalized with GM1 clusters on the microdomains. Through this study, we revealed a capacitation-like event for AR in starfish sperm.


Catastrophizing, depression and pain-related disability.
The objective of the study was to examine catastrophizing, depression and their interactive effects in predicting disability in patients with chronic pain. A battery of questionnaires was mailed to primary care patients in a large integrated health care delivery system. The Patient Health Questionnaire was used to assess major depression, the Coping Strategies Questionnaire assessed catastrophizing and the Graded Chronic Pain Scale was used to assess pain intensity and two measures of disability, including self-report of pain interference and days missed from usual activities. Patient medical records were used to assess severe medical illness. Of the 5808 respondents, 2618 met criteria for chronic pain. Multiple regression analyses, covarying for age, gender, severe medical illness and pain intensity, estimated the main and interactive effects of catastrophic thinking and depression on two measures of pain-related disability. Both catastrophic thinking and depression were statistically significant predictors of both measures of pain-related disability, with larger effect sizes observed for catastrophic thinking. Routine assessment of both catastrophic thinking and depression is important in the treatment of chronic pain patients, and modification of these factors may reduce disability and increase the ability of chronic pain patients to participate in daily life activity.


Treatment Adherence in Child and Adolescent Chronic Migraine Patients: Results From the Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Amitriptyline Trial.
To examine treatment adherence among children and adolescents with chronic migraine who volunteered to be in a clinical trial using 3 measures: treatment session attendance, therapy homework completion, and preventive medication use by daily diary. Analyses are secondary from a trial of 135 youth aged 10 to 17 years diagnosed with chronic migraine and with a Pediatric Migraine Disability Score over 20. Participants were randomly assigned to cognitive-behavioral therapy plus amitriptyline (CBT+A, N=64) or headache education plus amitriptyline (HE+A, N=71). Therapists recorded session attendance. Completion of homework/practice between sessions was reported to therapists by patients. Patients reported preventive medication adherence using a daily headache diary. Mean session attendance adherence out of 10 treatment sessions was 95% for CBT+A and 99% for HE+A. CBT+A participants reported completing a mean of 90% of home practice of CBT skills between the 10 sessions. Participants reported taking amitriptyline daily at a mean level of 90% when missing diaries were excluded and 79% when missing diaries were considered as missed doses of medication. Our findings demonstrate that youth with chronic migraine who agree to be a part of a clinical trial do quite well at attending therapy sessions, and report that they are adherent to completing home/practice between sessions and taking medication. These results lend further support to consideration of CBT+A as a first-line treatment for youth with chronic migraine and suggest that measurement of adherence when this treatment is provided in practice will be important.


Origin and molecular evolution of receptor tyrosine kinases with immunoglobulin-like domains.
Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are involved in the control of fundamental cellular processes in metazoans. In vertebrates, RTK could be grouped in distinct classes based on the nature of their cognate ligand and modular composition of their extracellular domain. RTK with immunoglobulin-like domains (IG-like RTK) encompass several RTK classes and have been found in early metazoans, including sponges. Evolution of IG-like RTK is characterized by extended molecular and functional diversification, which prompted us to study their evolutionary history. For that purpose, a nonredundant data set including annotated protein sequences of IG-like RTK (n = 85) was built, representing 19 species ranging from sponges to humans. Phylogenetic trees were generated from alignment of conserved regions using maximum likelihood approach. Molecular phylogeny strongly suggests that IG-like RTK diversification occurred according to a complex scenario. In particular, we propose that specific cis duplications of a common ancestor to both platelet-derived growth factor receptor (class III) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (class V) families preceded two trans duplications. In contrast, other IG-like RTK genes, like Musk and PTK7, apparently did not evolve by duplications, whereas fibroblast growth factor receptors (class IV) evolved through two rounds of trans duplications. The proposed model of IG-like RTK evolution is supported by high bootstrap values and by the clustering of genes encoding class III and class V RTKs at specific chromosomal locations in mouse and human genomes.


Diversification of the light-harvesting complex gene family via intra- and intergenic duplications in the coral symbiotic alga Symbiodinium.
The light-harvesting complex (LHC) is an essential component in light energy capture and transduction to facilitate downstream photosynthetic reactions in plant and algal chloroplasts. The unicellular dinoflagellate alga Symbiodinium is an endosymbiont of cnidarian animals, including corals and sea anemones, and provides carbohydrates generated through photosynthesis to host animals. Although Symbiodinium possesses a unique LHC gene family, called chlorophyll a-chlorophyll c2-peridinin protein complex (acpPC), its genome-level diversity and evolutionary trajectories have not been investigated. Here, we describe a phylogenetic analysis revealing that many of the LHCs are encoded by highly duplicated genes with multi-subunit polyprotein structures in the nuclear genome of Symbiodinium minutum. This analysis provides an extended list of the LHC gene family in a single organism, including 80 loci encoding polyproteins composed of 145 LHC subunits recovered in the phylogenetic tree. In S. minutum, 5 phylogenetic groups of the Lhcf-type gene family, which is exclusively conserved in algae harboring secondary plastids of red algal origin, were identified. Moreover, 5 groups of the Lhcr-type gene family, of which members are known to be associated with PSI in red algal plastids and secondary plastids of red algal origin, were identified. Notably, members classified within a phylogenetic group of the Lhcf-type (group F1) are highly duplicated, which may explain the presence of an unusually large number of LHC genes in this species. Some gene units were homologous to other units within single loci of the polyprotein genes, whereas intergenic homologies between separate loci were conspicuous in other cases, implying that gene unit 'shuffling' by gene conversion and/or genome rearrangement might have been a driving force for diversification. These results suggest that vigorous intra- and intergenic gene duplication events have resulted in the genomic framework of photosynthesis in coral symbiont dinoflagellate algae.


[Intraductal mucinous tumor of the pancreas: report of a clinical case].
A 49-year-old diabetic patient with abdominal pain was found at ultrasonography and computed tomography to have a cystic mass in the head of the pancreas with dilatation of the main pancreatic duct. The head of the pancreas and the duodenum were removed surgically. Examination of the operative specimen showed chronic pancreatitis, dilatation of the main pancreatic duct, and impacted mucus in the secondary ducts with villous proliferation of the ductal epithelium, thus allowing a diagnosis of intraductal adenomatosis. There was no evidence of malignancy. The resection margin was involved, and consequently the remainder of the pancreas was removed six months after the initial surgical procedure. A review of the literature showed that intraductal adenomatosis tends to spread and carries a high risk of malignant transformation. Surgery is required because of the risk of pancreatic duct obstruction and pancreatic cancer. Intraductal papillary tumour of the pancreas shares many characteristic with other adenomatous proliferation of the gastrointestinal tract (colorectal villous adenoma, bile duct adenomatosis) including the presence of villous structures with increased mucus production, a tendency to spread massively, and a high risk of malignant transformation.


The summating potential and Meniere's disease. I. Summating potential amplitude in Meniere and non-Meniere ears.
We investigated the relationship between Meniere's disease and the abnormally enlarged summating potential (SP) in a series of patients and normal subjects. Cochlear and auditory nerve responses to rectangular-pulse clicks, delivered at a rate of 8/s and an intensity of 115 dB peak-equivalent sound pressure level, were recorded from ear canal skin. We performed a parabolic regression for SP amplitudes as a function of auditory nerve action potential (AP) amplitudes in normal ears and obtained the 95% confidence interval (+/- 2 SD) for normal scatter around the fitted curve. Sixty-eight percent of SP amplitudes from ears with Meniere's disease exceeded the upper normal confidence limit. In contrast, only 7% of the cochlear ears and none of the retrocochlear ears had SP amplitudes above this normal upper limit. Cochlear microphonic potentials and APs from the ears with Meniere's disease also tended to be larger than normal, but this tendency was not strong enough to be of diagnostic use.


The small GTP-binding protein Rho1p is localized on the Golgi apparatus and post-Golgi vesicles in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
In Saccharomyces cerevisiae the ras-related protein Rho1p is essentially the only target for ADP-ribosylation by exoenzyme C3 of Clostridium botulinum. Using C3 to detect Rho1p in subcellular fractions, Rho1p was found primarily in the 10,000 g pellet (P2) containing large organelles; small amounts also were detected in the 100,000 g pellet (P3), and cytosol. When P2 organelles were separated in sucrose density gradients Rho1p comigrated with the Kex-2 activity, a late Golgi marker. Rho1p distribution was shifted from P2 to P3 in several mutants that accumulate post-Golgi vesicles. Rho1p comigrated with post-Golgi transport vesicles during fractionation of P3 organelles from wild-type or sec6 cells. Vesicles containing Rho1p were of the same size but different density than those bearing Sec4p, a ras-related protein located both on post-Golgi vesicles and the plasma membrane. Immunofluorescence microscopy detected Rho1p as a punctate pattern, with signal concentrated towards the cell periphery and in the bud. Thus, in S. cerevisiae Rho1p resides primarily in the Golgi apparatus, and also in vesicles that are likely to be early post-Golgi vesicles.


Making Checkpoint Inhibitors Part of Treatment of Patients With Locally Advanced Lung Cancers: The Time Is Now.
The PACIFIC trial of durvalumab administered for 1 year to patients with stage III lung cancers has set a new standard of care. PACIFIC established the role of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for individuals with inoperable and unresectable locally advanced lung cancers that achieve disease control from concurrent chemoradiation. For patients with resectable and operable disease, ICIs administered before surgery, either alone (JHU/MSK, LCMC3, and NEOSTAR) or in combination with chemotherapy (Columbia/MGH and NADIM), have yielded high rates of major pathologic response in resection specimens, an outcome measure that correlates with improved progression-free survival and overall survival. These results have brought forth the dilemma of how to choose the optimal local therapy-either definitive concurrent chemoradiation or surgery-to use with an ICI for patients with stage III lung cancers that are both operable and resectable. Here, we review the data that support the use of each local therapy. Recent successes have also raised the possibility that using ICIs in patients with earlier stages of lung cancer will enhance curability. Randomized trials are underway; however, until they read out, physicians must choose between local and systemic therapies on the basis of the information we have today. Research demonstrates that using surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and ICIs improve all efficacy outcomes and curability. All modalities should be considered in every patient with locally advanced lung cancer. It is imperative that a multimodality discussion that includes the possible addition of ICIs takes place to choose the best modality and sequence of therapies for each patient.


Performance of Non-EPI DW MRI for Pediatric Cholesteatoma Follow-Up.
To evaluate the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of nonecho planar (non-EPI) diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect residual cholesteatoma in children. Retrospective study. Tertiary comprehensive hospital. Children operated on for a first-stage cholesteatoma procedure from 2010 to 2019 were included. MRIs were performed with non-EPI DW sequences. Initial reports were collected, indicating the presence or absence of hyperintensity suggestive of cholesteatoma. Three hundred twenty-three MRIs were correlated with the subsequent surgery (66%) or year-later MRI (21%), or were considered accurate if performed 5 years or more after the last surgery (13%). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of each imaging procedure for the detection of cholesteatoma were calculated. Two hundred twenty-four children with mean age of 9 ± 4 years old presented with cholesteatoma. MRIs were performed 27 ± 24 months after surgery. Residual cholesteatoma was diagnosed in 35%. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of MRI were 62%, 86%, 74%, and 78%, respectively. Accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity increased significantly over time (multivariate analysis). The mean delay after last surgery was of 30 ± 2.0 months for accurate MRI (true positive or negative) versus 17 ± 2.0 months for nonaccurate (false positive or negative) MRIs (p < .001). However, long the delay after the last surgery, the sensitivity of non-EPI diffusion sequence MRI in children has limitations for the detection of residual cholesteatoma. Surveillance for residual cholesteatoma should incorporate findings at primary surgery, surgeon experience, a low threshold for second-look procedures, and routine imaging.


Disrupted brain circuitry for pain-related reward/punishment in fibromyalgia.
While patients with fibromyalgia (FM) are known to exhibit hyperalgesia, the central mechanisms contributing to this altered pain processing are not fully understood. This study was undertaken to investigate potential dysregulation of the neural circuitry underlying cognitive and hedonic aspects of the subjective experience of pain, such as anticipation of pain and anticipation of pain relief. Thirty-one FM patients and 14 controls underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging, while receiving cuff pressure pain stimuli on the leg calibrated to elicit a pain rating of ~50 on a 100-point scale. During the scan, subjects also received visual cues informing them of the impending onset of pain (pain anticipation) and the impending offset of pain (relief anticipation). Patients exhibited less robust activation during both anticipation of pain and anticipation of relief within regions of the brain commonly thought to be involved in sensory, affective, cognitive, and pain-modulatory processes. In healthy controls, direct searches and region-of-interest analyses of the ventral tegmental area revealed a pattern of activity compatible with the encoding of punishment signals: activation during anticipation of pain and pain stimulation, but deactivation during anticipation of pain relief. In FM patients, however, activity in the ventral tegmental area during periods of pain and periods of anticipation (of both pain and relief) was dramatically reduced or abolished. FM patients exhibit disrupted brain responses to reward/punishment. The ventral tegmental area is a source of reward-linked dopaminergic/γ-aminobutyric acid-releasing (GABAergic) neurotransmission in the brain, and our observations are compatible with reports of altered dopaminergic/GABAergic neurotransmission in FM. Reduced reward/punishment signaling in FM may be related to the augmented central processing of pain and reduced efficacy of opioid treatments in these patients.


Surgical treatment for a ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm.
The treatment for a ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm remains controversial. This study was undertaken to assess the outcome from surgery. Between 1993 and 1998, we have performed 19 operations for a ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm. Patients with an impending rupture or a chronic false aneurysm were excluded. There were 11 men and 8 women, with a mean age of 70.5 +/- 6.7 years. The aneurysm was caused by dissection in 8 patients. Of these, 7 were acute (Stanford type A, 6; type B, 1), and the other one was chronic (type B). Aortic rupture occurred into the pericardial cavity (n = 7), into the left lung (n = 6), the mediastinum (n = 3), the pleural cavity (n = 2), or into the esophagus (n = 1). Severely unstable hemodynamics were noted in 12 patients with a rupture into the pericardium, mediastinum, or pleural cavity (Group A). Inotropic support was required in each of these patients. Metabolic acidosis developed all but 1 patient. The 7 patients with a rupture into the lung or esophagus coughed or vomited blood (Group B). The operative approach was anterior (n = 17) or lateral (n = 2). Grafts were placed in the ascending aorta (n = 4), ascending and transverse arch aorta (n = 7), transverse arch aorta (n = 3), or in the descending thoracic aorta (n = 5). Selective cerebral perfusion was used in 13 patients. There were 5 hospital deaths (26.3%). The postoperative complications included central nervous system dysfunction (n = 3), low cardiac output syndrome or cardiac arrhythmias (n = 3), respiratory failure (n = 4), acute renal failure (n = 1), and local or systemic infections (n = 4). The perioperative event-free rate was 36.8% overall, 25% in Group A, and 57.1% in Group B. Patients with unstable hemodynamics require prompt operative intervention. Rupture into the esophagus is associated with a high mortality rate. Rupture in a thoracic aortic aneurysm can be successfully treated with emergency surgery.


Drop behavior on a thermally-stripped acrylic polymer: influence of surface tension induced wetting ridge formation on retention and running.
Results are reviewed from a study on retention and running of water and other liquids on tilted, polymer coated surfaces. The polymer is a thermally-stripped, solvent-borne acrylic composed primarily of the monomer 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, providing a soft and viscoelastic substrate absent of contaminants. It is shown that drop retention does not obey standard models, which assume dominance of capillary forces in offsetting drop weight for tilted plates. For these surfaces, maximum volumes correlate with capillary lengths, and distinct deformations, which vary in magnitude depending on location, are apparent over the entire drop perimeter. Deformation images indicate that running, which in real time appears to be continuous motion, actually proceeds through a series of steps beginning with the failure of the front edge wetting line. This produces a relatively large translation of the drop's front edge down the plate surface stretching the drop. This is followed by multiple failures at the rear edge producing a series of small translations, contracting the drop volume to a more spherical-like geometry. Repetition of this mechanism results in the appearance of propagation similar to that employed by an inchworm. The proposed mechanism is consistent with images of drop movement and deformations induced on polymer surfaces, which are apparent subsequent to the running process.


Disorder effects of left-handed metamaterials with unitary dendritic structure cell.
We demonstrate that the left-handed materials (LHMs) with unity dendritic unit cells arrayed in disorder state present still passband and negative refractive. The resonance behavior of LHMs in disturbed periodic lattice, quasi-periodic lattice and random array are experimentally investigated. Employing amended retrieval method, the LHMs with disordered state exhibits a negative index of refraction. Basing on such LHMs lens, the subwavelength imaging experiment give a clearly point image with a full wave at half maximum width of 0.4 lambda at 9.3 GHz. Similarly, the power field distribution of "N" shaped antenna is measured beyond the diffraction limit.


Antigenic relationships among the proteolytic and nonproteolytic strains of Clostridium botulinum.
Relationships of the somatic antigens among Clostridium botulinum strains have been investigated by tube agglutination and agglutinin absorption tests. Results revealed a relationship by which strains of C. botulinum are grouped by their proteolytic capacity rather than by the type of specific toxin produced. Thus, C. botulinum type E and its nontoxigenic variants, which are nonproteolytic, share common somatic antigens with the nonproteolytic strains of types B and F. Absorption of antiserum of a strain of any one type with antigen of any of the others removes the antibody to all three types. In the same manner, C. botulinum type A shares somatic antigens with the proteolytic strains of types B and F, and absorption of any one antiserum with an antigen of either of the other two types removes the antibody to all three types. Partial cross-agglutination of C. sporogenes, C. tetani, and C. histolyticum with the somatic antisera of the proteolytic group was also observed.


Physiologic changes that occur in response to allergen induced challenge.
In summary, bronchial inhalation challenges with allergens can serve as a clinical and investigative tool to better ascertain the role of airborne allergens in asthma. A thorough understanding of the factors influencing a given response, as well as the biochemical and physiologic changes that occur, ultimately will be translated into improved modalities of therapy.


Comparative effects of curcumin and resveratrol on aflatoxin B(1)-induced liver injury in rats.
Aflatoxin B(1) is a potent hepatotoxic and hepatocarcinogenic mycotoxin. Lipid peroxidation and oxidative DNA damage are the principal manifestations of aflatoxin B(1)-induced toxicity that could be counteracted by antioxidants. Many plant constituents have been reported to prevent liver damage associated with lipid peroxidation. In this study, curcumin (polyphenolic antioxidant purified from turmeric) and resveratrol (polyphenol obtained from grapes) were evaluated for possible protection against liver injury induced by aflatoxin B(1) in rats. Adult male Fischer rats were divided into six groups including untreated control, curcumin control (200 mg/kg BW), resveratrol control (10 mg/kg BW) and aflatoxin B(1) (25 microg/kg BW). Other two groups were administered either curcumin or resveratrol along with aflatoxin B(1). The study was carried out for 90 days. At the end of the experiment period, blood and tissue samples were collected from the animals before they were killed. Livers were collected for histopathologic studies and fixed in 10% buffered formalin solution. Serum was used for estimation of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (gamma-GT) enzymes. The lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were estimated in liver homogenates. The results revealed that aflatoxin B(1) administration caused liver damage as indicated by statistically significant (P < 0.05) increase in serum ALT, AST and gamma-GT levels. In addition, there were general statistically significant reductions in the activities of GSH, SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, and an increase in lipid peroxidation in the liver of aflatoxin B(1)-treated group compared to the untreated control group. Curcumin showed a significant hepatoprotective activity by lowering the levels of serum marker enzymes, lipid peroxidation and elevating the levels of GSH, SOD, CAT and GSH-Px. However, resveratrol failed to protect from the aflatoxin B(1)-induced liver injury. These findings suggest that curcumin but not resveratrol has a hepatoprotective effect against aflatoxin B(1)-induced liver injury.


Extracellular potassium ions mediate specific neuronal interaction.
The giant interneurons from the nerve system of the cockroach Periplaneta americana exhibit a peculiar reciprocal synaptic interaction. The synaptic potentials are not blocked by addition of 5 millimolar cobalt chloride and have an extrapolated reversal potential close to 0 millivolt. Hyperpolarizing current injected into one cell does not spread to the other. Intracellular injection of tetraethylammonium ions into one giant interneuron increases the duration of the action potential of the injected cell to 30 milliseconds and reduces the rise time and amplitude of the postsynaptic response recorded in the other giant interneuron. These results indicate that the interaction between the interneurons is not mediated by conventional chemical or electrotonic synapses.. All evidence points to generation of the potentials by localized increases in extracellular potassium concentrations as a consequence of firing of one neuron.


Zinc absorption, mineral balance, and blood lipids in women consuming controlled lactoovovegetarian and omnivorous diets for 8 wk.
Zinc absorption, mineral balance, and blood lipid concentrations were measured in 21 women aged 33 +/- 7 y (range: 20-42 y) consuming controlled lactoovovegetarian and nonvegetarian diets for 8 wk each in a crossover design. The lactoovovegetarian and nonvegetarian diets, respectively, provided (by analysis) 973 and 995 mg Ca, 1.8 and 1.3 mg Cu, 367 and 260 mg Mg, 5.9 and 2.5 mg Mn, 1457 and 1667 mg P, 9.1 and 11.1 mg Zn, and (by calculation) 40 and 16 g dietary fiber, 2.5 and 0.8 mmol phytic acid, molar ratios of phytate to Zn of 14 and 5, and millimolar ratios of (phytate x Ca) to Zn of 344 and 111. Dietary zinc absorption was measured by extrinsic isotopic labeling and whole-body counting. Plasma cholesterol, cholesterol fractions, and lipoproteins were reduced 7-12% with the lactoovovegetarian diet, consistent with predictions based on dietary cholesterol and fat. Blood pressure was unaffected. Calcium, copper, magnesium, and phosphorus balances were not different between diets; manganese balance tended to be greater with the lactoovovegetarian diet (P < 0.07). The lactoovovegetarian diet was associated with a 21% reduction in absorptive efficiency that, together with a 14% reduction in dietary zinc, reduced the amount of zinc absorbed by 35% (2.4 compared with 3.7 mg/d) and reduced plasma zinc by 5% within the normal range. Zinc balance was maintained with both diets. Although there is a greater risk of zinc deficiency in persons consuming lactoovovegetarian compared with omnivorous diets, with inclusion of whole grains and legumes zinc requirements can be met and zinc balance maintained.


A journey to citizenship: constructions of citizenship and identity in the British Citizenship Test.
The British Citizenship Test was introduced in 2005 as one of a raft of new procedures aimed at addressing the perceived problems of integration and social cohesion in migrant communities. In this study, we argue that this new citizenship procedure signals a shift in British political discourse about citizenship - particularly, the institutionalization of a common British citizen identity that is intended to draw citizens together in a new form of political/national community. In line with this, we examine the British Citizenship Test from a social psychological perspective to interrogate the ways in which the test constitutes identity, constitutes citizenship, and constitutes citizenship-as-identity. Analysis of the test and its associated documents highlights three ways in which Britishness-as-identity is constituted, that is, as a collective identity, as a superordinate and national identity, and finally as both a destination and a journey. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for models of citizenship and models of identity.


Adenovirus-transduced dendritic cells injected into skin or lymph node prime potent simian immunodeficiency virus-specific T cell immunity in monkeys.
Adenoviral vectors can be used to deliver complex Ag to dendritic cells (DC), and thus may be ideal for stimulating broad T cell responses to viral pathogens and tumors. To test this hypothesis in a relevant primate model, we used recombinant adenovirus serotype 5 vectors expressing SIV Gag Ag to transduce monocyte-derived DC from rhesus macaques, and then immunized donor animals either by intradermal or intranodal injections. T cell responses were evaluated by ELISPOT assay using previously frozen PBMC pulsed with pools of 15-mer peptides representing the Gag sequence. Immunization resulted in rapid and potent induction of T cell responses to multiple regions of Gag, with frequencies approaching 1 Gag-specific T cell per 500 uncultured PBMC. Surprisingly, intradermal and intranodal injections generated a similar intensity and breadth of response, indicating that administration of Ag-expressing DC by either route may be equally effective at inducing immune responses. Detailed analysis of two monkeys revealed CD8(+) T cell responses to several peptide epitopes of Gag not previously described, at least two of which are restricted by MHC class I alleles not currently identified. Repeated vaccination did not induce T cell responses to the adenoviral vector and did not prevent Ag-expressing DC injected under the capsule of the lymph node from migrating to the paracortex and interposing between T cells. However, boost injections of adenovirus-transduced DC were generally limited in efficacy. These findings support the use of adenovirus-transduced DC in the therapy of HIV infection and cancer.


Automated MRI parcellation of the frontal lobe.
Examination of associations between specific disorders and physical properties of functionally relevant frontal lobe sub-regions is a fundamental goal in neuropsychiatry. Here, we present and evaluate automated methods of frontal lobe parcellation with the programs FreeSurfer(FS) and TOADS-CRUISE(T-C), based on the manual method described in Ranta et al. [2009]: Psychiatry Res 172:147-154 in which sulcal-gyral landmarks were used to manually delimit functionally relevant regions within the frontal lobe: i.e., primary motor cortex, anterior cingulate, deep white matter, premotor cortex regions (supplementary motor complex, frontal eye field, and lateral premotor cortex) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) regions (medial PFC, dorsolateral PFC, inferior PFC, lateral orbitofrontal cortex [OFC] and medial OFC). Dice's coefficient, a measure of overlap, and percent volume difference were used to measure the reliability between manual and automated delineations for each frontal lobe region. For FS, mean Dice's coefficient for all regions was 0.75 and percent volume difference was 21.2%. For T-C the mean Dice's coefficient was 0.77 and the mean percent volume difference for all regions was 20.2%. These results, along with a high degree of agreement between the two automated methods (mean Dice's coefficient = 0.81, percent volume difference = 12.4%) and a proof-of-principle group difference analysis that highlights the consistency and sensitivity of the automated methods, indicate that the automated methods are valid techniques for parcellation of the frontal lobe into functionally relevant sub-regions. Thus, the methodology has the potential to increase efficiency, statistical power and reproducibility for population analyses of neuropsychiatric disorders with hypothesized frontal lobe contributions.