Male germline development in the tammar wallaby, Macropus eugenii.
Male germ cells undergo two consecutive processes - pre-spermatogenesis and spermatogenesis - to generate mature sperm. In eutherian mammals, epigenetic information such as DNA methylation is dynamically reprogrammed during pre-spermatogenesis, before and during mitotic arrest. In mice, by the time germ cells resume mitosis, the majority of DNA methylation is reprogrammed. The tammar wallaby has a similar pattern of germ cell global DNA methylation reprogramming to that of the mouse during early pre-spermatogenesis. However, early male germline development in the tammar or in any marsupial has not been described previously, so it is unknown whether this is a general feature regulating male germline development or a more recent phenomenon in mammalian evolutionary history. To answer this, we examined germ cell nuclear morphology and mitotic arrest during male germline development in the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii), a marsupial that diverged from mice and humans around 160 million years ago. Tammar pro-spermatogonia proliferated after birth and entered mitotic arrest after day 30 postpartum (pp). At this time, they began moving towards the periphery of the testis cords and their nuclear size increased. Germ cells increased in number after day 100 pp which is the time that DNA methylation is known to be re-established in the tammar. This is similar to the pattern observed in the mouse, suggesting that resumption of germ cell mitosis and the timing of DNA methylation reprogramming are correlated and conserved across mammals and over long evolutionary timescales.


[Anatomy and clinical application of vascularized tarsal bone flaps].
To provide a series of surgical approaches for treatment of talus neck fracture, ischemic necrosis of talus body, and other bone lesions in ankle and foot. The major blood supply to cuboid bone, medial cuneiform bone and navicular bone was observed in 30 adult cadavers, by infiltration of red emulsion via major arteries of the lower limbs. Based on these anatomical investigations, 3 types of vascularized tarsal bone grafting were designed for repair of bone lesions in the area of ankle and foot, and applied in 49 clinical cases, ranging from 10 to 58 years in age, and 43 cases of which were followed up for 4 years and 3 months in average. Primary healing was achieved in 40 cases, and secondary healing achieved after further surgical intervention in other 3 cases. The function of all ankle joints recovered satisfactorily. The designed three types of vascularized tarsal bone flaps are easy and reliable for dissection because of their superficial pedicles, and they are available for different clinical cases with various bone lesions in ankle and foot.


Prognostic relevance of p53 alterations and Mib-1 proliferation index in subgroups of primary liposarcomas.
For prognostic analyses of p53 alterations (p53 gene mutations + p53 immunopositivity) and Mib-1 proliferation index, we investigated 42 primary malignant lipomatous tumors for which complete clinical data and a long follow-up were available. p53 gene mutations were investigated by PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism-sequencing analysis, and immunohistochemistry was used to determine p53 protein expression and Mib-1 proliferation index. We found a mutation frequency of 14.3%. Nine liposarcomas (21%) were p53 immunopositive, and 11 (26.2%) had at least one p53 alteration. In myxoid liposarcomas, p53 alterations are not relevant to the presence or absence of round cell components. Pleomorphic liposarcomas showed a significantly higher proliferation index and more p53 alterations than myxoid or well-differentiated variants (P<0.001). When the Cox's regression analysis tumors of grade III histology (P = 0.005) was performed, the pleomorphic subtype (P = 0.016) and liposarcomas of retroperitoneal localization (P = 0.015) showed a significantly poorer prognosis. Moreover, we found that p53 alterations and high proliferation index correlated significantly with reduced overall survival. Their prognostic value seemed to be higher in myxoid than in pleomorphic liposarcomas. The metastasis-free survival was reduced in patients who had liposarcomas with p53 alterations (P = 0.171) or elevated proliferation index (P<0.016), reflecting a more aggressive behavior. In conclusion, the determination of p53 alterations and/or Mib-1 proliferation index is useful for assessing the prognosis of patients with liposarcomas and may especially be helpful in dividing different prognostic groups for patients with myxoid variants.


Association of serum ceruloplasmin level with obesity: some components of metabolic syndrome and high-sensitive C-reactive protein in Iran.
One of the mechanisms that has been suggested for obesity related metabolic disturbances is obesity-induced inflammation. Pro-inflammatory cytokines generated in adipose tissue can increase hepatic synthesis of inflammation-sensitive plasma proteins (ISPs) including ceruloplasmin (Cp). In this study we aimed to investigate the relation between serum Cp level and obesity. 61 persons with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m² (case group) and 61 persons with BMI < 25 kg/m² (control group) were included in this study with a case-control design. Serum Cp levels, triglyceride level, fating blood glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and hsCRP were measured in both groups. We did not observe any significant association between serum Cp level and BMI in all subjects [OR: 1.02 (CI, 0.967 to 1.07)] and in case (β = 0.012, P = 0.86) and control groups (β = 0.49, P = 0.07) separately. However, in control group, this positive association was marginally significant. We found a positive correlation between serum Cp level and serum triglyceride level. Serum Cp level was not related to obesity in this group of subjects. None of the baseline variables could predict obesity in this group of subjects, including serum Cp level, FBS, total cholesterol, LDL and HDL- cholesterols and hsCRP.


Catalysts for Stone Age innovations: What might have triggered two short-lived bursts of technological and behavioral innovation in southern Africa during the Middle Stone Age?
Fossil and genetic evidence suggests the emergence of anatomically modern humans (Homo sapiens) in sub-Saharan Africa some time between 200 and 100 thousand years (ka) ago. But the first traces of symbolic behavior-a trait unique to our species-are not found until many tens of millennia later, and include items such as engraved ochres and eggshells, tools made from bone, and personal ornaments made of shell beads. These behavioral indicators appear in concert with two innovative phases of Middle Stone Age technology, known as the Still Bay (SB) and Howieson's Poort (HP) industries, across a range of climatic and ecological zones in southern Africa. The SB and HP have recently been dated to about 72-71 ka and 65-60 ka, respectively, at sufficiently high resolution to investigate the possible causes and effects. A remarkable feature of these two industries is the spatial synchroneity of their start and end dates at archaeological sites spread across a region of two million square kilometers. What were the catalysts for the SB and HP, and what were the consequences? Both industries flourished at a time when tropical Africa had just entered a period of wetter and more stable conditions, and populations of hunter-gatherers were expanding rapidly throughout sub-Saharan Africa before contracting into geographically and genetically isolated communities. The SB and HP also immediately preceded the likely exit time of modern humans from Africa into southern Asia and across to Australia, which marked the beginning of the worldwide dispersal of our species. In this paper, we argue that environmental factors alone are insufficient to explain these two bursts of technological and behavioral innovation. Instead, we propose that the formation of social networks across southern Africa during periods of population expansion, and the disintegration of these networks during periods of population contraction, can explain the abrupt appearance and disappearance of the SB and HP, as well as the hiatus between them. But it will take improved chronologies for the key demographic events to determine if the emergence of innovative technology and symbolic behavior provided the stimulus for the expansion of hunter-gatherer populations (and their subsequent global dispersal), or if these Middle Stone Age innovations came into existence only after populations had expanded and geographically extensive social networks had developed.


Intervention-related bias in reporting of food intake by fifth-grade children participating in an obesity prevention study.
Data collected as part of Pathways, a school-based trial for the primary prevention of obesity in American Indian children conducted between 1997 and 2000, were analyzed to examine possible intervention-related bias in food reporting. The authors hypothesized that children in the intervention schools may have systematically underreported their dietary intake relative to children in the control schools. Nutrient intake estimates for lunch derived from record-assisted 24-hour dietary recalls were compared with intake estimates from observed lunch intakes. Reported nutrient intakes were included in regression analyses as the dependent variables; observed intake, intervention condition, and age were included as independent variables. Results indicated that, among females, intervention condition was a significant predictor of reported energy, fat, and saturated fatty acid intakes. Independently of observed intake, reported lunch energy intake among females in the intervention schools was 66.8 calories lower than reported intake among females in the control schools (p = 0.03). These findings suggest that investigators should consider bias in reporting of dietary intake by intervention condition when conducting diet-focused intervention studies. Specifically, enhancing measures that rely on self-reports with objective measures of dietary intake would help investigators to evaluate whether differential reporting by treatment group has occurred.


Association between ovine Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) gene coding variants and presence of Eimeria spp. in naturally infected adult Turkish native sheep.
Coccidiosis caused by Eimeria spp. is a protozoan disease prevalent in farm animals, and it is responsible for serious economic losses especially in young animals. It has been popular to breed disease-resistant animals due to the concern about food safety, animal welfare, and public health. Toll-like receptor (TLR) gene family plays a key role in the innate immune system participating in host-antigen interaction, therefore, they are candidate genes for breeding disease-resistant animals. In the present study, possible genetic associations between TLR4 gene coding variants and the presence of Eimeria spp. in adult Turkish sheep were investigated. For this purpose, the presence of Eimeria spp. in fecal samples from six native Turkish sheep were determined, and approximately 1450 bp region in the 3rd exon of the ovine TLR4 gene was sequenced. Ten nonsynonymous and four synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected in the targeted region. Statistical analyses revealed that the SNP at the codon at 356th position encoding Leucine instead of Phenylalanine (F356L) was significantly associated with the presence of Eimeria spp. It was found that the individuals carrying at least one Leucine amino acid sequence at this position have 2.3-fold more risk for the presence of Eimeria spp.


Morphology of immature stages of Dohrniphora cornuta (Bigot) (Diptera: Phoridae).
Morphology of all larval instars and puparium of Dohrniphora cornuta (Bigot), a most common phorid fly species indoors in China, is presented using scanning electron microscopy. The first instar larva was composed of 12 segments, each of segments 3-11 with six slender tubercles situated dorsally, dorsolaterally, and laterally in transverse row. These tubercles divided into two segments, of which the basal one was smooth, and the brush-shaped distal one was comprised of a cluster of fine spines. Antennae and maxillary palp complex were visible. Two slits could be seen at the posterior spiracle. Besides the presence of anterior spiracle, the tubercles of second instar became stouter than those of first instar and were covered by numerous long bristles from the base to top. The posterior spiracle contained four slits. Third larval instar was similar to second instar. The bubble membrane comprised of ≈120 globules with a pointed tip on their top presented at the segment 5 of third instar larvae. Puparia showed a retracted cephalic region and a pair of distinct pupal respiratory horns on the dorsum. The respiratory horns were long and bore numerous branches from base to apex. The apex of branch with two longitudinal slits was relatively broad and curled dorsally.


Impact of selective catalytic reduction on exhaust particle formation over excess ammonia events.
The introduction of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) aftertreatment to meet stringent diesel NOx emission standards around the world increases exhaust ammonia. Further to the direct air quality and health implications of ammonia, this may also lead to particle formation in the exhaust. In this study, an ammonia SCR system was examined with respect to its impact on both solid and total exhaust particle number and size distribution, downstream of a diesel particulate filter (DPF). Fuel post-injection was conducted in some tests to investigate the effect of ammonia during active DPF regeneration. On average, the post-DPF solid >23 nm and total <23 nm particle number emissions were increased by 129% (range 80-193%) and by 67% (range 26-136%), respectively, when 100 ppm ammonia level was induced downstream of the SCR catalyst. This is a typical level during ammonia overdosing, often practiced for efficient NOx control. Ammonia did not have a significant additional effect on the high particle concentrations measured during DPF regeneration. Based on species availability and formation conditions, sulfate, nitrate, and chloride salts with ammonium are possible sources of the new particles formed. Ammonia-induced particle formation corresponds to an environmental problem which is not adequately addressed by current regulations.


Risk Factor Analysis of Anaphylactic Reactions in Patients With Systemic Mastocytosis.
Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is a rare disorder of abnormal mast cells in at least 1 extracutaneous organ/tissue. Anaphylaxis is an acute, severe systemic hypersensitivity reaction, and a strong association between SM and anaphylaxis has been shown. However, not all patients with SM experience anaphylaxis. Presently, there are no predictive markers to discriminate patients with SM at high risk of anaphylaxis from those at low risk. This study sought to determine risk factors for the occurrence of anaphylaxis in patients with SM. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 122 consecutive adult patients with SM admitted to the Mastocytosis Center at Karolinska University Hospital. All patients underwent medical evaluation, including bone marrow biopsy and a thorough allergy workup. To determine risk factors, study subjects were categorized into 2 groups according to the presence (n = 55) or absence (n = 67) of anaphylaxis and compared for their demographic, clinical, and biochemical characteristics. Patients with SM with anaphylaxis had less frequent presence of mastocytosis in the skin (P < .001), more atopic predisposition (P = .021), higher total IgE levels (P < .001), and lower baseline tryptase levels (27 ng/mL vs 42 ng/mL; P = .024) compared with patients with SM without anaphylaxis. Patients with SM with anaphylaxis display unique clinical and laboratory features. Hence, a risk analysis tool that is capable of discriminating patients with SM at high risk of anaphylaxis from those at low risk with 86% sensitivity was developed by using the variables male sex, absence of mastocytosis in the skin, presence of atopy, IgE levels of 15 kU/L or more, and baseline tryptase levels of less than 40 ng/mL.


Labour-efficient in vitro lymphocyte population tracking and fate prediction using automation and manual review.
Interest in cell heterogeneity and differentiation has recently led to increased use of time-lapse microscopy. Previous studies have shown that cell fate may be determined well in advance of the event. We used a mixture of automation and manual review of time-lapse live cell imaging to track the positions, contours, divisions, deaths and lineage of 44 B-lymphocyte founders and their 631 progeny in vitro over a period of 108 hours. Using this data to train a Support Vector Machine classifier, we were retrospectively able to predict the fates of individual lymphocytes with more than 90% accuracy, using only time-lapse imaging captured prior to mitosis or death of 90% of all cells. The motivation for this paper is to explore the impact of labour-efficient assistive software tools that allow larger and more ambitious live-cell time-lapse microscopy studies. After training on this data, we show that machine learning methods can be used for realtime prediction of individual cell fates. These techniques could lead to realtime cell culture segregation for purposes such as phenotype screening. We were able to produce a large volume of data with less effort than previously reported, due to the image processing, computer vision, tracking and human-computer interaction tools used. We describe the workflow of the software-assisted experiments and the graphical interfaces that were needed. To validate our results we used our methods to reproduce a variety of published data about lymphocyte populations and behaviour. We also make all our data publicly available, including a large quantity of lymphocyte spatio-temporal dynamics and related lineage information.


Expression and characterization of a recombinant C4b-binding protein lacking the beta-chain.
C4b-binding protein (C4BP) is a high-molecular-mass glycoprotein which contains binding sites for complement component C4b, anti-coagulant vitamin K-dependent protein S and serum amyloid P component (SAP). The major form of C4BP in plasma is composed of seven identical alpha-chains and a single beta-chain. We have expressed full-length cDNA for the alpha-chain in a eukaryotic expression system and characterized functional properties of non-beta-chain-containing C4BP. During synthesis, recombinant alpha-chains polymerized into two different high-molecular-mass C4BP forms which were composed of seven or eight alpha-chains. Recombinant C4BP bound C4(H2O) (used instead of C4b) equally as well as native C4BP, functioned equally as well as factor I cofactor in the degradation of C4(H2O) and bound to SAP. In contrast, the recombinant C4BP did not bind protein S and therefore did not inhibit the ability of protein S to function as a cofactor to activated protein C. Tunicamycin treatment of the transfected cells prevented N-linked glycosylation, but did not affect polymerization of the alpha-chains into a high-molecular-mass C4BP. The non-glycosylated C4BP had comparable properties to glycosylated C4BP in several functional assays. These results demonstrate polymerization of C4BP alpha-chains to be independent both of the beta-chain and of the N-linked carbohydrates. Moreover, N-linked carbohydrates and the beta-chain were neither required for the ability of C4BP to bind C4b and to function as factor I cofactor nor for the interaction with SAP.


Neuroendocrine and behavioural responses to opioid receptor-antagonist during heroin detoxification: relationship with personality traits.
The present study investigated clinical, cardiovascular and neuroendocrine consequences of rapid opioid detoxification (ROD) in heroin-dependent individuals, affected, or not, by comorbid antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). Thirty-two patients underwent ROD and subsequent treatment with daily naltrexone: 3 days detoxification procedures were performed utilizing clonidine, baclofen, oxazepam and ketoprofene, without anaesthesia. Withdrawal symptoms, mood changes, cardiovascular indexes (heart rate, blood pressure), norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (EPI), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol (CORT) were evaluated during naloxone-naltrexone administration on the second day of detoxification treatment. The patients were divided into two groups following DSM-IV criteria for ASPD. Group A comprised 14 ASPD patients and group B comprised 18 patients without ASPD. Slight and transient withdrawal symptoms and mood changes were demonstrated on the second day in the whole sample of patients, in association with a significant, but moderate, elevation of heart rate, blood pressure, NE (two-fold), EPI (five-fold), ACTH (two-fold) and CORT (two-fold) plasma levels, in response to opioid receptor-antagonist administration. When evaluated separately in ASPD (group A) and non-ASPD patients (group B), significantly higher withdrawal symptoms and mood changes, heart rate, blood pressure, NE, ACTH and cortisol levels were observed in ASPD subjects. By contrast, no differences were found in EPI responses to naloxone-naltrexone administration between group A and B patients. The significant differences demonstrated in clinical and neuroendocrine responses to opioid receptor-antagonist administration, in relation to personality traits, could be due to reduced alpha-adrenergic receptor sensitivity, which was previously reported in ASPD, with a possible impairment of clonidine action. Our study suggests that a detailed diagnostic assessment before detoxification procedure may help to predict treatment outcome.


Multiple description coding using pairwise correlating transforms.
The objective of multiple description coding (MDC) is to encode a source into multiple bitstreams supporting multiple quality levels of decoding. In this paper, we only consider the two-description case, where the requirement is that a high-quality reconstruction should be decodable from the two bitstreams together, while lower, but still acceptable, quality reconstructions should be decodable from either of the two individual bitstreams. This paper describes techniques for meeting MDC objectives in the framework of standard transform-based image coding through the design of pairwise correlating transforms. The correlation introduced by the transform helps to reduce the distortion when only a single description is received, but it also increases the bit rate beyond that prescribed by the rate-distortion function of the source. We analyze the relation between the redundancy (i.e., the extra bit rate) and the single description distortion using this transform-based framework. We also describe an image coder that incorporates the pairwise transform and show its redundancy-rate-distortion performance for real images.


Effective suppression of multiply scattered light in static and dynamic light scattering.
The evaluation of conventional light-scattering experiments in turbid media is often highly complicated because of the presence of multiple scattering contributions. The three-dimensional (3-D) cross-correlation method presented provides an effective and handy method to suppress the influence of multiply scattered light. As the time dependence of the 3-D cross-correlation function is determined solely by the singly scattered light, the evaluation of the decay constant yields reliable values for the effective diffusion coefficient and the hydrodynamic particle size of the suspended particles. Furthermore, analysis of the amplitude of the 3-D cross-correlation function permits the determination of the differential scattering cross section even for highly turbid suspensions.


Probiotics in man and animals.
There is good evidence that the complex microbial flora present in the gastrointestinal tract of all warm-blooded animals is effective in providing resistance to disease. However, the composition of this protective flora can be altered by dietary and environmental influences, making the host animal susceptible to disease and/or reducing its efficiency of food utilization. What we are doing with the probiotic treatments is re-establishing the natural condition which exists in the wild animal but which has been disrupted by modern trends in conditions used for rearing young animals, including human babies, and in modern approaches to nutrition and disease therapy. These are all areas where the gut flora can be altered for the worse and where, by the administration of probiotics, the natural balance of the gut microflora can be restored and the animal returned to its normal nutrition, growth and health status.


Pertussis in infants under one year old: risk markers and vaccination status--a case-control study.
Pertussis is a contagious bacterial disease causing substantial health burden. Pertussis-related morbidity and mortality are highest in young infants. We investigated risk markers for pertussis and vaccination status in infants. Reported pertussis cases under one year old during 1998-2011 in the Jerusalem district were matched to controls by birthdate and residence. Data sources included epidemiological investigations, health records and vaccination records (number and dates of DTP\DTaP doses scheduled at 2, 4, 6 months). Vaccine effectiveness was calculated by number of vaccine doses stratified by age group. Timeliness of vaccine doses was also evaluated. The study population included 1268 infants under 1 year: 317 pertussis cases and 951 age-matched controls (mean age 3.95±3, median 2.9 months). Low birthweight (<2500g, 12.3% in cases vs. 6.3% in controls) and high birth order (4th and above) were found to be independent risk markers. Male gender and low socio-economic status were more frequent among cases. Some 40% of the cases (127/317) were hospitalized, most of them (111/127, 87.4%) were under 4 months (mean age 2.42±2.05, median 1.8 months). The distribution of the number of pertussis vaccine doses 0, 1, 2 and 3 differed considerably being 42.2%, 32.7%, 15.6%, 9.5% vs. 13.7%, 41.9%, 22.9%, 21.5% among cases and controls (≥2m), respectively. The overall vaccine effectiveness found was 72.9%, 76.1% and 84.4%, for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd doses of a pertussis vaccine. The infant's age at the first dose of pertussis vaccine was recorded with follow-up until age 18 months. Delay was more common among cases with a lower proportion vaccinated-78.9% at 18 months vs. 99% in controls. Specific risk markers for pertussis in young infants were identified. Reported pertussis cases over age 2 months were significantly more likely to be unvaccinated and have delayed vaccinations. The vaccine effectiveness increased with the number of vaccine doses.


[Dynamics of ventricular arrhythmia in the acute period of myocardial infarction].
Patients with acute myocardial infarction exhibited during the first three days of the disease pronounced intra- and interindividual variability in the amount of ventricular ectopic complexes and significant differences in the dynamics of the number of single premature beats and complexes in the so-called "complex" arrhythmias--paired premature beats, periods of ventricular tachycardia and accelerated idioventricular rhythm. The regularities revealed may be used for the additional evaluation of antiarrhythmic drugs efficacy in myocardial infarction.


Dosage Mutator Genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: A Novel Mutator Mode-of-Action of the Mph1 DNA Helicase.
Mutations that cause genome instability are considered important predisposing events that contribute to initiation and progression of cancer. Genome instability arises either due to defects in genes that cause an increased mutation rate (mutator phenotype), or defects in genes that cause chromosome instability (CIN). To extend the catalog of genome instability genes, we systematically explored the effects of gene overexpression on mutation rate, using a forward-mutation screen in budding yeast. We screened ∼5100 plasmids, each overexpressing a unique single gene, and characterized the five strongest mutators, MPH1 (mutator phenotype 1), RRM3, UBP12, PIF1, and DNA2 We show that, for MPH1, the yeast homolog of Fanconi Anemia complementation group M (FANCM), the overexpression mutator phenotype is distinct from that of mph1Δ. Moreover, while four of our top hits encode DNA helicases, the overexpression of 48 other DNA helicases did not cause a mutator phenotype, suggesting this is not a general property of helicases. For Mph1 overexpression, helicase activity was not required for the mutator phenotype; in contrast Mph1 DEAH-box function was required for hypermutation. Mutagenesis by MPH1 overexpression was independent of translesion synthesis (TLS), but was suppressed by overexpression of RAD27, a conserved flap endonuclease. We propose that binding of DNA flap structures by excess Mph1 may block Rad27 action, creating a mutator phenotype that phenocopies rad27Δ. We believe this represents a novel mutator mode-of-action and opens up new prospects to understand how upregulation of DNA repair proteins may contribute to mutagenesis.


A quality assurance tool for high-dose-rate brachytherapy.
The purpose of this work was to develop a quality assurance (QA) tool for high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy that would quickly and easily verify both source positioning (dwell positions) and durations (dwell times). The authors constructed a QA tool that combined radiochromic film to verify position with four photodiode detectors to verify dwell times. To characterize the temporal accuracy of the tool, a function generator powered four red light-emitting diodes that were optically coupled to the four photodiode detectors. The QA tool was used to verify the dwell positions and times of a commercial brachytherapy afterloader. Measurements of dwell time were independently verified by a one-dimensional optical camera that acquired 1000 lines/s. The temporal accuracy of the QA tool was found to be about 1 ms. For visual assessment, the source position could be located within about 0.5 mm. Evaluating the accuracy and precision of an HDR brachytherapy afterloader, the authors found that the bias in dwell time can exceed 60 ms and the dwell time associated with the first dwell position had an unexpectedly large standard deviation of 30 ms. They found that the source locations were much easier to locate on the film if a plastic catheter was used instead of a metal treatment tube. Scanning the films enabled the dwell positions to be determined within about 0.2 mm. For pretreatment QA, the authors found that this tool allowed verification of dwell positions and dwell times in about 6 min.


[Capsid protein L1 HPV-16 in a modified cervical epithelium].
The 58 cervical biopsies were studied by cytological, histological, immunomorphological methods, electron microscopy and PCR. Expression of L1 was observed only in the differentiated cells of squamous and metaplastic cervical epithelium. At increase of grade of cervical epithelial lesion decrease expression L1 from 75% of cases of CIN1 up to 28.5% of cases of SCC. Not all capsid structures connect with DNA HPV in case of CIN3.


Transvection regulates the sex-biased expression of a fly X-linked gene.
Sexual dimorphism in animals results from sex-biased gene expression patterns. These patterns are controlled by genetic sex determination hierarchies that establish the sex of an individual. Here we show that the male-biased wing expression pattern of the Drosophila biarmipes gene yellow, located on the X chromosome, is independent of the fly sex determination hierarchy. Instead, we find that a regulatory interaction between yellow alleles on homologous chromosomes (a process known as transvection) silences the activity of a yellow enhancer functioning in the wing. Therefore, this enhancer can be active in males (XY) but not in females (XX). This transvection-dependent enhancer silencing requires the yellow intron and the chromatin architecture protein Mod(mdg4). Our results suggest that transvection can contribute more generally to the sex-biased expression of X-linked genes.


Phylogenetic studies favour the unification of Pennisetum, Cenchrus and Odontelytrum (Poaceae): a combined nuclear, plastid and morphological analysis, and nomenclatural combinations in Cenchrus.
Twenty-five genera having sterile inflorescence branches were recognized as the bristle clade within the x = 9 Paniceae (Panicoideae). Within the bristle clade, taxonomic circumscription of Cenchrus (20-25 species), Pennisetum (80-140) and the monotypic Odontelytrum is still unclear. Several criteria have been applied to characterize Cenchrus and Pennisetum, but none of these has proved satisfactory as the diagnostic characters, such as fusion of bristles in the inflorescences, show continuous variation. A phylogenetic analysis based on morphological, plastid (trnL-F, ndhF) and nuclear (knotted) data is presented for a representative species sampling of the genera. All analyses were conducted under parsimony, using heuristic searches with TBR branch swapping. Branch support was assessed with parsimony jackknifing. Based on plastid and morphological data, Pennisetum, Cenchrus and Odontelytrum were supported as a monophyletic group: the PCO clade. Only one section of Pennisetum (Brevivalvula) was supported as monophyletic. The position of P. lanatum differed among data partitions, although the combined plastid and morphology and nuclear analyses showed this species to be a member of the PCO clade. The basic chromosome number x = 9 was found to be plesiomorphic, and x = 5, 7, 8, 10 and 17 were derived states. The nuclear phylogenetic analysis revealed a reticulate pattern of relationships among Pennisetum and Cenchrus, suggesting that there are at least three different genomes. Because apomixis can be transferred among species through hybridization, its history most likely reflects crossing relationships, rather than multiple independent appearances. Due to the consistency between the present results and different phylogenetic hypotheses (including morphological, developmental and multilocus approaches), and the high support found for the PCO clade, also including the type species of the three genera, we propose unification of Pennisetum, Cenchrus and Odontelytrum. Species of Pennisetum and Odontelytrum are here transferred into Cenchrus, which has priority. Sixty-six new combinations are made here.


Expression of an abundant alpha-class glutathione S-transferase in bovine and human adrenal cortex tissues.
Bovine adrenal cortex tissue expresses high levels of glutathione S-transferase (GST) from each of the alpha, mu and pi gene families. We describe the purification and characterization of an abundant alpha-class GST from this tissue that has not been identified previously because of its failure to bind to S-hexylglutathione-Sepharose 6B (S-hexG-Ag). This enzyme has been affinity purified on glutathione-Sepharose 6B (GSH-Ag) and was obtained in a highly purified form by employing S-hexG-Ag to remove the bulk of GST before chromatography on GSH-Ag. The purified GST eluted from GSH-Ag was found to exhibit marked peroxidase and delta 5-ketosteroid isomerase activities (19.2 and 1.67 U/mg respectively). The bovine enzyme also showed high GST activity towards 4-hydroxynonenal (5.09 U/mg). Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis revealed that the bovine GST contains two distinct polypeptides, one with an Mr of 25,900 and the other with an Mr of 26,500. An abundant alpha-class GST was also purified from human adrenal cortex that possessed properties which were similar to the bovine alpha-class GST described above; however, unlike the bovine enzyme, the corresponding human alpha-class GST bound to S-hexG-Ag. As with the bovine enzyme, the purified human GST displayed marked peroxidase and isomerase activities (27 and 4.02 U/mg respectively). Further analysis on SDS-PAGE (Mr 25,800) and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography established that this abundant alpha-class GST in human adrenal cortex is equivalent to the human liver GST B1B1 enzyme. As both human and bovine adrenal cortex contain high levels of alpha-class GST with similar catalytic properties, we discuss the possible functions of these enzymes in this tissue.


Evaluation of surgical repair of humeral condylar fractures using self-compressing orthofix pins in 23 dogs.
To report short- and long-term clinical and radiographic outcomes in dogs with humeral condylar fractures repaired using self-compressing Orthofix pins. Retrospective evaluation with solicited long-term clinical and radiographic evaluations. Twenty-three dogs with humeral condylar fractures. Medical records and radiographs were reviewed. Owners were asked to return dogs for long-term clinical and radiographic evaluation. Dogs were aged 1.5-26 months (mean+/-SD, 5.8+/-5.0 months) with 20 dogs weighing <5 kg (mean, 3.6+/-2.8 kg). Of 21 dogs with immediate post-operative radiographs, 10 had anatomic reduction with the rest having either a step and/or gap at the articular surface. Kirschner wire migration and implant loosening were the most common post-operative complications. All fractures with adequate follow-up radiographic evaluations achieved union. Twelve of 13 dogs returned for long-term evaluation (mean, 19.0+/-18.5 months) were either sound (10 dogs) or had subtle, weight-bearing lameness (2). Fourteen dogs had radiographs >/=75 days after surgery (mean, 18.7+/-18.3 months), 8 dogs (57%) had no radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis (OA; mean OA score, 0.8; median 0), and all dogs had good or excellent limb function. Self-compressing Orthofix pins are suitable implants for the stabilization of humeral condylar fractures in small breed dogs. Implants were convenient and simple to use and complications were easily resolved. Dogs consistently had good long-term clinical and radiographic outcomes with no or minimal lameness and OA. Self-compressing Orthofix pins should be considered for the repair of humeral condylar fractures in small breed dogs.


Trace metal exposure is associated with increased exhaled nitric oxide in asthmatic children.
Children with asthma experience increased susceptibility to airborne pollutants. Exposure to traffic and industrial activity have been positively associated with exacerbation of symptoms as well as emergency room visits and hospitalisations. The effect of trace metals contained in fine particulate matter (aerodynamic diameter 2.5 μm and lower, PM2.5) on acute health effects amongst asthmatic children has not been well investigated. The objective of this panel study in asthmatic children was to determine the association between personal daily exposure to ambient trace metals and airway inflammation, as measured by fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). Daily concentrations of trace metals contained on PM2.5 were determined from personal samples (n = 217) collected from 70 asthmatic school aged children in Montreal, Canada, over ten consecutive days. FeNO was measured daily using standard techniques. A positive association was found between FeNO and children's exposure to an indicator of vehicular non-tailpipe emissions (8.9 % increase for an increase in the interquartile range (IQR) in barium, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 2.8, 15.4) as well as exposure to an indicator of industrial emissions (7.6 % increase per IQR increase in vanadium, 95 % CI: 0.1, 15.8). Elevated FeNO was also suggested for other metals on the day after the exposure: 10.3 % increase per IQR increase in aluminium (95 % CI: 4.2, 16.6) and 7.5 % increase per IQR increase in iron (95 % CI: 1.5, 13.9) at a 1-day lag period. Exposures to ambient PM2.5 containing trace metals that are markers of traffic and industrial-derived emissions were associated in asthmatic children with an enhanced FeNO response.


A review of bovine tuberculosis in the kafue basin ecosystem.
The Kafue basin ecosystem is the only remaining natural habitat for the endangered Kafue lechwe antelope (Kobus leche Kafuensis). However, hydroelectricity power production, large-scale sugar plantations, commercial fishing and increasing livestock production are threatening its natural existence and sustainability. Further, increasing human settlements within and around the Kafue basin have resulted in decreased grazing grounds for the Kafue lechwe antelopes despite a corresponding increase in cattle population sharing the same pasture. Baseline epidemiological data have persistently reported findings of bovine tuberculosis (BTB) in both wild and domestic animals, although these have been deficient in terms of describing direct evidence in the role of either lechwe antelopes or cattle in the reported observations. Despite the current literature being deficient in establishing the casual role and transmission patterns of BTB, a bimodal route of infection at the livestock/wildlife interface has been postulated. Likewise, it is not known how much of (BTB) has the potential of causing disease in humans. This paper, seeks to underline those aspects that need further research and update available data on BTB in the Kafue basin with regards to the prevalence, distribution, risk factors, threats on wildlife conservation, livestock production, public health implications, and possible mitigatory measures.


Histological analysis of the effects of thymoquinone on testicular damage in pentylenetetrazole-induced temporal lobe epilepsy model.
In this study, it was aimed to investigate possible ameliorating effects of thymoquinone on testicular damage in an epilepsy model. Adult male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups. The animals in sham-operated groups were given saline or thymoquinone (s.c.); and the animals in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) group were applied PTZ. The animals in PTZ+thymoquinone group were given thymoquinone (i.p) for 6 days after applying PTZ. Hematoxylin-eosin, periodic acid-Schiff and TUNEL staining and PCNA, StAR, inhibin β-B immunohistochemistry and ZO-1 immunofluorescence methods were applied. Staining intensity and cell numbers were determined. Degeneration of seminiferous tubules was observed in PTZ group. Most of the tubules showed normal morphology in the PTZ+thymoquinone group. Apoptotic cell index was found to be increased and proliferative index decreased in PTZ group. Thymoquinone administration decreased apoptotic index and increased proliferation index. In PTZ group, ZO-1, StAR and inhibin β-B immunohistochemical staining intensity was observed to be decreased and after thymoquinone application, ZO-1 was increased. StAR and inhibin β-B-positive cell numbers were decreased in PTZ group and increased in the PTZ +thymoquinone group. In this study, it was observed that PTZ-induced epileptic seizures caused testicular damage in the rat and thymoquinone ameliorated these effects.


Kaposi's sarcoma and community-acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), or idiopathic multiple hemorrhagic sarcoma, has heretofore been considered an indolent disease of the elderly, which also occurs in immunosuppressed hosts. Within the last two years, an epidemic of a community-acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and disseminated KS has been reported in various population groups across the United States. The head and neck manifestations of KS in AIDS and our experience at UCLA are reviewed. Of 45 patients with AIDS, 18 (40%) had initial disease in the head and neck region. Most commonly, dermal lesions (44%), oropharyngeal lesions (39%), and cervical lymphadenopathy (33%) were noted. One patient had coexistent lymphoma. Six patients (33%) died of opportunistic infections. Head and neck lesions often herald more extensive disease. Early recognition of AIDS is important for complete patient evaluation as well as for personal safety.


Evaluation of central and peripheral neuropathy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The aim of the study was to investigate the frequency and characteristics of peripheral nervous system (PNS) and central nervous system (CNS) involvement in COPD. The study included 41 COPD patients and 41 healthy volunteers. Electrophysiological studies were carried out: electromyography (EMG) and visual evoked potentials (VEPs). The median nerve, ulnar nerve, common peroneal nerve, and tibial nerve were evaluated for latency, amplitude, and conduction velocity. The mean age of patients with COPD was 61.8 years and disease duration 10.3 years. There was no difference between patient and control groups in terms of age, BMI, smoking status, or biochemical parameters. Upon VEP examination, latencies were significantly prolonged and amplitudes shortened in the patient group compared to the control group. In EMG measurements, conduction velocity and amplitudes in all nerves were low in the patient group. Similarly, latencies in all nerves were higher in patients with COPD. Central and peripheral nervous system involvement could develop in patients with moderate-severe COPD, and these patients should be monitored for neuropathic changes in combination with neurological examination.


Best management practices for newly weaned calves for improved health and well-being.
Morbidity and mortality in newly weaned calves resulting from bovine respiratory disease (BRD) continue to be the most significant problems facing the beef industry. Morbidity attributed to BRD accounts for approximately 75% of total feedlot morbidity. Several experiments have documented the economic impacts of BRD. Direct costs attributable to BRD include death loss, treatment and labor costs, and prevention costs, while indirect costs associated with BRD include decreased growth performance and feed efficiency, increased days on feed, and decreased carcass merit and market value. In recent years, cattle treated for BRD have returned $50 to $250 less per head at harvest than cattle never treated for BRD. Best management practices for newly weaned calves vary depending on a multitude of factors including: season of year calves are purchased, calf genetics, length of time in the marketing and transport channels, previous management and vaccination programs, and other factors. In general, calves purchased directly from a ranch have fewer health problems than calves purchased through auction markets. The longer a calf is in the marketing chain, the more likely health problems will be encountered. Calves that have spent several days in the marketing chain may develop clinical BRD before or very soon after arrival, whereas cattle with less time in the marketing chain may get sick later (2 to 4 wk), due to the length of time it takes for BRD to develop. On or before arrival, calves should be given a risk score (high, medium, or low) that relates to the quantity and magnitude of stress they have encountered and the probability they will develop BRD. High-risk calves typically will have been recently weaned, received no vaccinations, not been castrated or dehorned, been commingled, and moved through an auction market. Low-risk calves will often originate from a single source and will have gone through a preconditioning program that includes vaccination, castration, dehorning, weaning, and potentially feed bunk adaptation. Variation exists within risk category, so the preliminary assessment should be combined with visual observation on arrival as additional health assessments and feed intake information becomes available. Cattle managers should adjust management strategies based on risk category to meet the perceived needs of individual lots of cattle to improve the health and well-being of newly weaned calves.


Exacerbated inflammatory arthritis in response to hyperactive gp130 signalling is independent of IL-17A.
Interleukin (IL)-17A producing CD4 T-cells (TH-17 cells) are implicated in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). IL-6/STAT3 signalling drives TH-17 cell differentiation, and hyperactive gp130/STAT3 signalling in the gp130F/F mouse promotes exacerbated pathology. Conversely, STAT1-activating cytokines (eg, IL-27, IFN-γ) inhibit TH-17 commitment. Here, we evaluate the impact of STAT1 ablation on TH-17 cells during experimental arthritis and relate this to IL-17A-associated pathology. Antigen-induced arthritis (AIA) was established in wild type (WT), gp130F/F mice displaying hyperactive gp130-mediated STAT signalling and the compound mutants gp130F/F:Stat1-/- and gp130F/F:Il17a-/- mice. Joint pathology and associated peripheral TH-17 responses were compared. Augmented gp130/STAT3 signalling enhanced TH-17 commitment in vitro and exacerbated joint pathology. Ablation of STAT1 in gp130F/F mice (gp130F/F:Stat1-/-) promoted the hyperexpansion of TH-17 cells in vitro and in vivo during AIA. Despite this heightened peripheral TH-17 cell response, disease severity and the number of joint-infiltrating T-cells were comparable with that of WT mice. Thus, gp130-mediated STAT1 activity within the inflamed synovium controls T-cell trafficking and retention. To determine the contribution of IL-17A, we generated gp130F/F:IL-17a-/- mice. Here, loss of IL-17A had no impact on arthritis severity. Exacerbated gp130/STAT-driven disease in AIA is associated with an increase in joint infiltrating T-cells but synovial pathology is IL-17A independent.


Cardiac hypertrophy, low blood pressure, and low aldosterone levels in mice devoid of the three circadian PAR bZip transcription factors DBP, HLF, and TEF.
The cardiovascular system is under the control of the circadian clock, and disturbed circadian rhythms can induce cardiovascular pathologies. This cyclic regulation is probably brought about by the circadian expression of genes encoding enzymes and regulators involved in cardiovascular functions. We have previously shown that the rhythmic transcription of output genes is, in part, regulated by the clock-controlled PAR bZip transcription factors DBP (albumin D-site binding protein), HLF (hepatic leukemia factor), and TEF (thyrotroph embryonic factor). The simultaneous deletion of all three PAR bZip transcription factors leads to increased morbidity and shortened life span. In the present study, we demonstrate that Dbp/Tef/Hlf triple knockout mice develop cardiac hypertrophy and left ventricular dysfunction associated with a low blood pressure. These dysfunctions are exacerbated by an abnormal response to this low blood pressure characterized by low aldosterone levels. The phenotype of PAR bZip knockout mice highlights the importance of circadian regulators in the modulation of cardiovascular functions.


Nonsurgical factors that influence the outcome of bariatric surgery: a review.
Severe obesity (ie, at least 100% overweight or body mass index > or =40 kg/m2) is associated with significant morbidity and increased mortality. It is apparently becoming more common in this country. Conventional weight-loss treatments are usually ineffective for severe obesity and bariatric surgery is recommended as a treatment option. However, longitudinal data on the long-term outcome of bariatric surgery are sparse. Available data indicate that the outcome of bariatric surgery, although usually favorable in the short term, is variable and weight regain sometimes occurs at 2 years after surgery. The objective of this study is to present a review of the outcome of bariatric surgery in three areas: weight loss and improvement in health status, changes in eating behavior, and psychosocial adjustment. The study will also review how eating behavior, energy metabolism, and psychosocial functioning may affect the outcome of bariatric surgery. Suggestions for additional research in these areas are made. Literature review. On average, most patients lose 60% of excess weight after gastric bypass and 40% after vertical banded gastroplasty. In about 30% of patients, weight regain occurs at 18 months to 2 years after surgery. Binge eating behavior, which is common among the morbidly obese, may recur after surgery and is associated with weight regain. Energy metabolism may affect the outcome of bariatric surgery, but it has not been systematically studied in this population. Presurgery psychosocial functioning does not seem to affect the outcome of surgery, and psychosocial outcome is generally encouraging over the short term, but there are reports of poor adjustment after weight loss, including alcohol abuse and suicide. Factors leading to poor outcome of bariatric surgery, such as binge eating and lowered energy metabolism, should be studied to improve patient selection and outcome. Long-term outcome data on psychosocial functioning are lacking. Longitudinal studies to examine the long-term outcome of bariatric surgery and the prognostic indicators are needed.


Multitask Deep Learning Enabling a Synergy for Cadmium and Methane Mitigation with Biochar Amendments in Paddy Soils.
Biochar has demonstrated significant promise in addressing heavy metal contamination and methane (CH4) emissions in paddy soils; however, achieving a synergy between these two goals is challenging due to various variables, including the characteristics of biochar and soil properties that influence biochar's performance. Here, we successfully developed an interpretable multitask deep learning (MTDL) model by employing a tensor tracking paradigm to facilitate parameter sharing between two separate data sets, enabling a synergy between Cd and CH4 mitigation with biochar amendments. The characteristics of biochar contribute similar weightings of 67.9 and 62.5% to Cd and CH4 mitigation, respectively, but their relative importance in determining biochar's performance varies significantly. Notably, this MTDL model excels in custom-tailoring biochar to synergistically mitigate Cd and CH4 in paddy soils across a wide geographic range, surpassing traditional machine learning models. Our findings deepen our understanding of the interactive effects of Cd and CH4 mitigation with biochar amendments in paddy soils, and they also potentially extend the application of artificial intelligence in sustainable environmental remediation, especially when dealing with multiple objectives.


The safety of electroconvulsive therapy in patients with severe aortic stenosis.
Little is known about the safety of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in patients with severe aortic stenosis and depression and other psychiatric syndromes. We conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of 10 patients with severe aortic stenosis who underwent ECT at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, between January 1, 1995, and June 30, 2006. Of the 10 patients, 6 (60%) were women. The median age was 79.5 years (range, 65-93 years). All patients had an aortic valve area of 1.0 cm2 or less (median, 0.9 cm2). The median aortic transvalvular pressure gradient was 43.5 mm Hg (range, 32-58 mm Hg). The 10 patients underwent a total of 144 ECT sessions (range, 1-37 sessions per patient). Despite this large number of sessions, only 2 patients experienced single episodes of blood pressure perceived to be low 1 minute after an electroshock; these episodes were successfully treated. Hypertensive systolic blood pressure (Greater than 180 mm Hg) and tachycardia (greater than 100 beats/min) in response to ECT prompted treatment in 7 patients during 70 ECT sessions (49%). None of the patients died within 24 hours after dismissal from the postanesthesia care unit (95% confidence interval for death rate per person, 0%-26%). Hence, ECT was safe in 10 patients with severe aortic stenosis treated at our institution. Our findings may be informative to clinicians who manage the care of patients with severe aortic stenosis who are undergoing ECT.


Models and Approaches Describing the Metabolism, Transport, and Toxicity of Drugs Administered by the Ocular Route.
The eye is a complex organ with a series of anatomic barriers that provide protection from physical and chemical injury while maintaining homeostasis and function. The physiology of the eye is multifaceted, with dynamic flows and clearance mechanisms. This review highlights that in vitro ocular transport and metabolism models are confined by the availability of clinically relevant absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) data. In vitro ocular transport models used for pharmacology and toxicity poorly predict ocular exposure. Although ocular cell lines cannot replicate in vivo conditions, these models can help rank-order new chemical entities in discovery. Historic ocular metabolism of small molecules was assumed to be inconsequential or assessed using authentic standards. While various in vitro models have been cited, no single system is perfect, and many must be used in combination. Several studies document the use of laboratory animals for the prediction of ocular pharmacokinetics in humans. This review focuses on the use of human-relevant and human-derived models which can be utilized in discovery and development to understand ocular disposition of new chemical entities. The benefits and caveats of each model are discussed. Furthermore, ADME case studies are summarized retrospectively and capture the ADME data collected for health authorities in the absence of definitive guidelines. Finally, we discuss the novel technologies and a hypothesis-driven ocular drug classification system to provide a holistic perspective on the ADME properties of drugs administered by the ocular route.


Utility of STAT6 and 13q14 deletion in the classification of the benign spindle cell stromal tumors of the breast.
The boundaries of the benign spindle cell stromal tumors of the breast are still confusing. This is the reason why different names are interchangeably used for the same tumor and vice versa the same name for different tumors. Therefore, we studied the immunoexpression of easily available markers, such as CD34, α-smooth muscle actin, and desmin, with the addition of STAT6, as well as the chromosome 13q14 region by fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis in a series of 19 cases of benign spindle cell stromal tumors of the breast. Based on the morphologic and immunohistochemical findings, the following histotypes were identified: (i) tumors (10/19 cases) with the characteristic morphology of myofibroblastoma and stained with vimentin, CD34, desmin, and α-smooth muscle actin; (ii) fibroblastic benign spindle cell tumors (5/19 cases) composed of fibroblast-like cells stained only with vimentin and CD34; (iii) tumors (2/19 cases) with the typical morphologic features of solitary fibrous tumor and stained with vimentin, CD34, and STAT6; (iv) 1 case of spindle cell lipoma stained with vimentin and CD34; and (v) 1 case of fibroma composed of a paucicellular, diffusely hyalinized stroma with expression of vimentin and CD34. Notably most of the tumors, with the exception of solitary fibrous tumor, showed monoallelic deletion of FOXO1. This finding supports that myofibroblastoma, fibroblastic benign spindle cell tumor, spindle cell lipoma, and fibroma of the breast are histogenetically related lesions which belong to the same tumor entity.


[Treatment of extrahepatic bile duct atresia: Kasaï's operation or hepatic transplantation?].
The authors analyse the records of 60 children who had a failed Kasaï procedure and were referred for liver transplantation between 1984 and 1986. By the end of 1987, 45 had been transplanted, eight had died before transplantation, four had been excluded while three were still waiting for a potential donor. Actuarial survival at 2 and 3 years of the 30 children with a follow-up greater than one year is 79 +/- 8%. Nowadays, the surgical therapy of biliary atresia should include liver replacement. The original porto-enterostomy (one Roux-en-Y loop, no stoma) according to Kasaï should remain the first surgical procedure performed under 8 weeks by a trained surgeon. Good long-term results can be expected in 30 to 40%. In case of straight failure, liver replacement should be recommended in early age and, in case of delayed failure, before the age of 6 to avoid chronic disabling.


Transcriptome analysis identifies genes involved in sex determination and development of Xenopus laevis gonads.
Development of the gonads is a complex process, which starts with a period of undifferentiated, bipotential gonads. During this period the expression of sex-determining genes is initiated. Sex determination is a process triggering differentiation of the gonads into the testis or ovary. Sex determination period is followed by sexual differentiation, i.e. appearance of the first testis- and ovary-specific features. In Xenopus laevis W-linked DM-domain gene (DM-W) had been described as a master determinant of the gonadal female sex. However, the data on the expression and function of other genes participating in gonad development in X. laevis, and in anurans, in general, are very limited. We applied microarray technique to analyze the expression pattern of a subset of X. laevis genes previously identified to be involved in gonad development in several vertebrate species. We also analyzed the localization and the expression level of proteins encoded by these genes in developing X. laevis gonads. These analyses pointed to the set of genes differentially expressed in developing testes and ovaries. Gata4, Sox9, Dmrt1, Amh, Fgf9, Ptgds, Pdgf, Fshr, and Cyp17a1 expression was upregulated in developing testes, while DM-W, Fst, Foxl2, and Cyp19a1 were upregulated in developing ovaries. We discuss the possible roles of these genes in development of X. laevis gonads.


Biofluorescence in Catsharks (Scyliorhinidae): Fundamental Description and Relevance for Elasmobranch Visual Ecology.
Biofluorescence has recently been found to be widespread in marine fishes, including sharks. Catsharks, such as the Swell Shark (Cephaloscyllium ventriosum) from the eastern Pacific and the Chain Catshark (Scyliorhinus retifer) from the western Atlantic, are known to exhibit bright green fluorescence. We examined the spectral sensitivity and visual characteristics of these reclusive sharks, while also considering the fluorescent properties of their skin. Spectral absorbance of the photoreceptor cells in these sharks revealed the presence of a single visual pigment in each species. Cephaloscyllium ventriosum exhibited a maximum absorbance of 484 ± 3 nm and an absorbance range at half maximum (λ1/2max) of 440-540 nm, whereas for S. retifer maximum absorbance was 488 ± 3 nm with the same absorbance range. Using the photoreceptor properties derived here, a "shark eye" camera was designed and developed that yielded contrast information on areas where fluorescence is anatomically distributed on the shark, as seen from other sharks' eyes of these two species. Phylogenetic investigations indicate that biofluorescence has evolved at least three times in cartilaginous fishes. The repeated evolution of biofluorescence in elasmobranchs, coupled with a visual adaptation to detect it; and evidence that biofluorescence creates greater luminosity contrast with the surrounding background, highlights the potential importance of biofluorescence in elasmobranch behavior and biology.


Serum n-6 Fatty Acids are Positively Associated with Growth in 6-to-10-Year Old Ugandan Children Regardless of HIV Status-A Cross-Sectional Study.
Fatty acids (FAs) are crucial in child growth and development. In Uganda, antiretroviral therapy (ART) has drastically reduced perinatal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection of infants, however, the interplay of FAs, ART, and HIV in relation to child growth is not well understood. To investigate this, serum was collected from 240 children between 6-10 years old in Uganda and analyzed for FAs using gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry. HIV status and anthropometric measurements were taken, and relationships with FAs were assessed. No significant differences in growth parameters or serum FAs were found between HIV uninfected children with and without exposure to ART. HIV positive children had significantly lower height-for-age-z-scores (HAZ) than uninfected children (p < 0.001). HIV-positive children had higher arachidonic acid than uninfected children (p = 0.003). Total omega-6 FAs were significantly associated with HAZ regardless of HIV status (p = 0.035). Mean total omega-3 FAs (2.90%) were low in this population compared to other cohorts in Africa. These results provide reference serum FA values for 6-10-year-old children in Uganda and may be used to inform lipid supplementation programs to promote child growth. Future studies should investigate the relationships between child growth trajectories in relation to HIV status and serum FAs.


Parenting centers and caregiver mental health: Evidence from a large-scale randomized controlled trial in China.
This study conducts an exploratory analysis of the impacts of a center-based early childhood development intervention on the mental health of caregivers, using data from a cluster-randomized controlled trial of 1664 caregivers (Mage = 36.87 years old) of 6- to 24-month-old children in 100 villages in rural China. Caregivers and children in 50 villages received individual parenting training, group activities and open play space in village parenting centers. The results show no significant overall change in caregiver-reported mental health symptoms after 1 year of intervention. Subgroup analyses reveal heterogeneous effects by caregiver socioeconomic status and identity (mother vs. grandmother). Findings suggest that early childhood development interventions without targeted mental health components may not provide sufficient support to improve caregiver mental health.


[Role of hydrophobic interactions and functional groups in the inhibitor binding to various sites of mitochondrial succinate-cytochrome c reductase].
It was shown that the efficiency of succinate-cytochrome c reductase inhibitors, i. e. neutral polar substances, negatively charged phenols and 2-hydroxy-3-alkyl-1.4-naphthoquinones, is increased with an increase in their hydrophobicity. Plotting-lg C50 versus lg P for all the three groups of inhibitors, the role of functional groups of the inhibitors in their binding to the corresponding sites of the respiratory chain was determined. The efficiency of inhibition by neutral polar substances does not depend on the chemical nature of the inhibitors and is described by the equation-lg C50 = 0.864 lg P + 0.222 (r = 0.99). The negatively charged group of dissociated phenols determines the specificity of the inhibitor binding to the terminal site of the succinate dehydrogenase complex and is involved in the inhibitor binding to the enzyme. The carbonyl group of 2-hydroxy-3-alkyl-1.4-naphthoquinones selectively increases the affinity and efficiency of binding of these inhibitors to the b-c1 site of the respiratory chain.


The changing face of dental students.
Today's dental students are more diverse than typical. What they have in common, however, is a desire for independence and stability in an increasingly more complex profession.


CARBON-USE STRATEGIES IN MACROALGAE: DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSES TO LOWERED PH AND IMPLICATIONS FOR OCEAN ACIDIFICATION(1).
Ocean acidification (OA) is a reduction in oceanic pH due to increased absorption of anthropogenically produced CO2 . This change alters the seawater concentrations of inorganic carbon species that are utilized by macroalgae for photosynthesis and calcification: CO2 and HCO3 (-) increase; CO3 (2-) decreases. Two common methods of experimentally reducing seawater pH differentially alter other aspects of carbonate chemistry: the addition of CO2 gas mimics changes predicted due to OA, while the addition of HCl results in a comparatively lower [HCO3 (-) ]. We measured the short-term photosynthetic responses of five macroalgal species with various carbon-use strategies in one of three seawater pH treatments: pH 7.5 lowered by bubbling CO2 gas, pH 7.5 lowered by HCl, and ambient pH 7.9. There was no difference in photosynthetic rates between the CO2 , HCl, or pH 7.9 treatments for any of the species examined. However, the ability of macroalgae to raise the pH of the surrounding seawater through carbon uptake was greatest in the pH 7.5 treatments. Modeling of pH change due to carbon assimilation indicated that macroalgal species that could utilize HCO3 (-) increased their use of CO2 in the pH 7.5 treatments compared to pH 7.9 treatments. Species only capable of using CO2 did so exclusively in all treatments. Although CO2 is not likely to be limiting for photosynthesis for the macroalgal species examined, the diffusive uptake of CO2 is less energetically expensive than active HCO3 (-) uptake, and so HCO3 (-) -using macroalgae may benefit in future seawater with elevated CO2 .


[Health effects of nanoparticles and nanomaterials (I) recent oveview of health effects of nanoparticles].
Recently, the impact of nanoparticles and nanomaterials on health and environmental effects has become a big issue. There are two types of nanoparticles to be considered in hygiene science; environmental nanopartcles emitted from automobiles and manufactured nanoparticles such as fullerenes, carbon nanobutbes, and ultrafine metals/metal oxides. These very fine particles are potentially health threatening, because they are supposed to be highly permeable in the lung and skin tissues and small enough to evade phagocytosis by reticuloendothelial system. The dose metrics are critical to evaluate toxicity of nanoparticles, because the surface-based rather than weight-based concentration has been reported to correlate well with effects and endopoints of nanoparticles. Research on environmental nanoparticles should be done as a part of research for fine particles or particulate materials less than 2.5 microm (PM2.5). Variety of materials, such as carbon, metals, and metal oxides, are included in manufactured nanoparticles. Moreover, some of manomaterials are generated in the shape of fiber and sheet. Thus, we should focus more on nano-specific biological interactions and tissue permeability to investigate health effects of manufactured nanoparticles. In this report trend in health effects of nanoparticles is overviewed.


Acquired immunobullous disease: a cutaneous manifestation of IgM macroglobulinaemia.
Waldenström's macroglobulinaemia has been associated with a variety of cutaneous manifestations. We report a patient with an acquired bullous disorder associated with skin fragility and IgM kappa paraprotein. Immunofluorescence studies demonstrated bright linear deposition of IgM along the basement membrane zone (BMZ), around dermal blood vessels and on arrector pili muscles. Weak keratinocyte cell surface staining with IgM was also noted. There was no deposition of complement or other immunoglobulins. Indirect immunofluorescent studies revealed a circulating IgM anti-BMZ antibody (titre 1/200), which bound to both the roof and the floor of a 1 mol/l NaCl split skin substrate. Immunoblotting analysis of the patient's serum, with both epidermal and dermal extracts, was negative. Treatment with a combination of prednisolone and azathioprine was successful. We suggest that this IgM kappa paraprotein has a low affinity for an undefined epitope within the lamina lucida, which has produced a subepidermal bullous disorder associated with skin fragility.


Measuring contraction propagation and localizing pacemaker cells using high speed video microscopy.
Previous studies have shown the ability of many lymphatic vessels to contract phasically to pump lymph. Every lymphangion can act like a heart with pacemaker sites that initiate the phasic contractions. The contractile wave propagates along the vessel to synchronize the contraction. However, determining the location of the pacemaker sites within these vessels has proven to be very difficult. A high speed video microscopy system with an automated algorithm to detect pacemaker location and calculate the propagation velocity, speed, duration, and frequency of the contractions is presented in this paper. Previous methods for determining the contractile wave propagation velocity manually were time consuming and subject to errors and potential bias. The presented algorithm is semiautomated giving objective results based on predefined criteria with the option of user intervention. The system was first tested on simulation images and then on images acquired from isolated microlymphatic mesenteric vessels. We recorded contraction propagation velocities around 10 mm/s with a shortening speed of 20.4 to 27.1 μm/s on average and a contraction frequency of 7.4 to 21.6 contractions/min. The simulation results showed that the algorithm has no systematic error when compared to manual tracking. The system was used to determine the pacemaker location with a precision of 28 μm when using a frame rate of 300 frames per second.


Mindfulness-Based Intervention Effect on the Psychophysiological Marker of Self-Regulation in Women With Endometriosis-Related Chronic Pain.
Endometriosis is a gynecological disease that involves a broad biopsychosocial compromise with the potential to create a negative vicious cycle. Despite the complexity of factors influencing women's improvement, most interventions investigated target just the peripheral nociceptive sources of endometriosis-related pain. An alternative is intervening in self-regulation, which can potentially influence multiple domains of the illness experience. The present study examines the effect of a brief Mindfulness-Based Intervention (bMBI) on attention and autonomic nervous system regulation in women with endometriosis-related pain. Also, explore the interaction between these self-regulation domains and the affective pain dimension. An exploratory analysis of the secondary outcomes of a pilot randomized controlled trial was performed. The vagally-mediated Heart Rate Variability (vmHRV) at rest, cognitive stress, and recovery was employed to measure autonomic regulation. The Flanker and Stroop tasks were used to estimate the attention domains. Results showed that bMBI (n = 26) significantly improved Flanker accuracy and Flanker and Stroop reaction time compared to the control group (n = 28). bMBI significantly increased vmHRV at rest and recovery after cognitive stress. Attention mediated the bMBI effect on affective pain improvement. Results suggest that bMBI improves self-regulation domains with the potential to develop a broad biopsychosocial benefit in the endometriosis context. PERSPECTIVE: This article demonstrates the positive impact of a brief Mindfulness-Based Intervention on attention and parasympathetic regulation in women suffering from endometriosis-related pain. This mindfulness-induced self-regulation improvement can benefit affective pain and potentially multiple psychophysiological processes relevant to endometriosis.


Ocular melanoma: surgical experience with "no touch" enucleation.
There is a controversy among ophthalmologists concerning the management of ocular melanomas. The "no touch" cryoenucleation technic was designed to prevent dissemination of tumor emboli during enucleation. I have observed no significant complications in five years of experience with this technic. It is a simple, safe, and potentially lifesaving procedure. My method is observation of very small lesions compatible with melanoma until growth occurs. At the 8 to 10 mm size or larger, "no touch" cryoenucleation is used provided the fellow eye is seeing.


Treatment-resistant depression: a survey of practice habits of Canadian psychiatrists.
Treatment-resistant depression is a fascinating yet poorly defined condition. The various management strategies in use are a source of controversy. The objective of this survey was to determine how Canadian psychiatrists treat patients with "intractable depression." This information may be used to plan future research into the management of treatment-resistant depression. It may also provide information about the practices of Canadian psychiatrists and help direct residency training. Confidential questionnaires were mailed to all psychiatrists residing in Canada registered with the Canadian Psychiatric Association. Respondents indicated that 12.4% of their depressed patients were "resistant to treatment." Respondents were asked to rank a list of treatment choices in the order they would use them to treat patients with treatment-resistant depression. Ninety-five point eight percent of respondents used tricyclics as the first treatment of choice. Almost equal portions of respondents chose a second tricyclic, a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) or a combination of lithium and tricyclics as their treatment of second choice.


Astaxanthin, a dietary carotenoid, protects retinal cells against oxidative stress in-vitro and in mice in-vivo.
We have investigated whether astaxanthin exerted neuroprotective effects in retinal ganglion cells in-vitro and in-vivo. In-vitro, retinal damage was induced by 24-h hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) exposure or serum deprivation, and cell viability was measured using a WST assay. In cultured retinal ganglion cells (RGC-5, a rat ganglion cell-line transformed using E1A virus), astaxanthin inhibited the neurotoxicity induced by H2O2 or serum deprivation, and reduced the intracellular oxidation induced by various reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, astaxanthin decreased the radical generation induced by serum deprivation in RGC-5. In mice in-vivo, astaxanthin (100 mg kg(-1), p.o., four times) reduced the retinal damage (a decrease in retinal ganglion cells and in thickness of inner plexiform layer) induced by intravitreal N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) injection. Furthermore, astaxanthin reduced the expressions of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE)-modified protein (indicator of lipid peroxidation) and 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG; indicator of oxidative DNA damage). These findings indicated that astaxanthin had neuroprotective effects against retinal damage in-vitro and in-vivo, and that its protective effects may have been partly mediated via its antioxidant effects.


[Register of Aphaereta laeviuscula (Spinola) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Nasonia vitripennis (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) as parasitoids of Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil].
The captures occurred between January and December of 2004 in urban area in the city of Nova Iguaçu, the rural area of the city of Seropédica and in a forest area in the Biological Reserve of the Tinguá, Nova Iguaçu State of Rio de Janeiro. The total of 1,528 larvae of Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) were used as bait, 505 in the urban area, 556 in rural and the 467 in the forest one. The indices of Synantropic, Coefficient of Constancy, the risk (Odds Ratio) of parasitism between the areas was calculated, prevalence and parasitic intensity. The percentage of emergence was of 46.6%. Aphaereta laeviuscula (Spinola) was captured only in rural environment; its indices were: Synantropic I. = +50, c. constancy = 25%, prevalence = 0.72% and I. parasitic = 44.5; already Nasonia vitripennis (Walker) was captured in the areas rural and urban and the indices had been: synanthropy = +98, constancy = 58.3%, Odds Ratio = IC95% = 0,025 < micro > 0.27, P < 0,05, prevalence = 3.2% and parasitic intensity = 7.35. The risk of parasitism for N. vitripennis in urban areas is high. The occurrence of A. laeviuscula as parasitic of C. hominivorax is registered in the State of Rio de Janeiro.


New selective method for quantification of organosilanol groups in silicone pre-elastomers.
The silicone elastomers used for drug delivery are normally reinforced by fumed silica, which contains a high density of silanol groups. These inorganic silanol groups have to be deactivated in order to avoid stiffening the uncured pre-elastomer, also called creep hardening. One commonly used way of achieving this deactivation is to mix the material with low molecular mass organosilanols at an elevated temperature. It is important to be able to quantify the nonbonded organosilanols remaining in the material after manufacture. Traditional testing does not distinguish between inorganic silanols and organosilanols. A new selective method for the quantification of organosilanol groups in silicone pre-elastomers has therefore been developed. This method is based on derivatization of the silanol groups with a mixture of dimethylphenylchlorosilane and tetramethyldiphenylsilazane, so that the silanol groups are replaced with a dimethylphenyl group. The derivatized organosilanols are then determined by liquid chromatography using a size exclusion column and a UV detector. No interference was found from other groups normally present in medical grade pre-elastomers, such as vinyls, hydrides, and inorganic bonded silanol on silica or water. The results agreed well with the nonselective Karl Fischer titration for some short chain silanols.


Sensitive periods and circuits for learned birdsong.
Experience influences the development of certain behaviors and their associated neural circuits during a discrete period after birth. Songbirds, with their highly quantifiable vocal output and well-delineated vocal control circuitry, provide an excellent context in which to examine the neural mechanisms regulating sensitive periods for learning. Recent discoveries indicate that auditory input to the vocal control circuitry in songbirds is dynamically modulated and show that neural circuitry previously thought to be used only in plastic juvenile song may also actively maintain stable adult song. These findings provide important clues to how sensitive periods for auditory feedback and vocal plasticity are regulated during song development.


Systemic Inflammation Is Associated with Oncological Outcome in Patients with High-Grade Myxofibrosarcoma of the Extremities: A Retrospective Analysis.
The aim of this retrospective study is to verify whether preoperative systemic inflammatory markers (serum C-reactive protein [CRP] and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio [NLR]) can help in predicting the disease-specific survival (DSS) and local recurrence (LR) rate in adult patients affected by localized myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) of the extremities. We reviewed 126 adult patients with primary, localized MFS of the limbs. We analyzed DSS and LR. Median age at the time of surgery was 68 years (range 19-92). Median CRP was 0.4 mg/dL and median NLR was 2.8. A worse DSS was found in patients who had preoperative CRP >0.5 mg/dL (p = 0.002) and in those with NLR >3.5 (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, tumor size and grade as well as preoperative CRP values and NLR were confirmed to be prognostic factors in terms of DSS. An increased risk of LR was found in multivariate analysis in patients with a tail sign and with high gadolinium enhancement at preoperative MRI. Patients with high preoperative CRP and NLR levels, as well as large and high-grade tumors, might be considered as candidates for additional, more aggressive treatment approaches or more stringent follow-up schedules.


Fatty acid remodeling in cellular glycerophospholipids following the activation of human T cells.
Changes in fatty acid (FA) and glycerophospholipid (GPL) metabolism associated with cell cycle entry are not fully understood. In this study FA-GPL remodeling was investigated in resting and proliferating primary human T cells. Significant changes were measured in the composition and distribution of FAs in GPLs following receptor activation of human T cells. The FA distribution of proliferating T cells was very similar to that of the human Jurkat T cell line and when the stimulus was removed from proliferating T cells, they stopped proliferating and the FA distribution largely reverted back to that of resting T cells. The cellular content of saturated and monounsaturated FAs was significantly increased in proliferating cells, which was associated with an induction of FA synthase and stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 gene expression. Additionally, cellular arachidonate was redistributed in GPLs in a distinct pattern that was unlike any other FAs. This redistribution was associated with an induction of CoA-dependent and CoA-independent remodeling. Accordingly, significant changes in the expression of several acyl-CoA synthetases, lysophospholipid acyltransferases, and phospholipase A2 were measured. Overall, these results suggest that metabolic pathways are activated in proliferating T cells that may represent fundamental changes associated with human cell proliferation.


Evaluating quality of life outcomes following joint replacement: psychometric evaluation of a short form of the WHOQOL-Bref.
Reducing participant burden is important in health research and clinical assessment. We examined the psychometric properties of the EUROHIS-QOL 8-item index, a short version of the 26-item World Health Organisation Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-Bref), in a sample of people receiving joint replacement surgery. Participants (n = 1008) completed the WHOQOL-Bref at either 6, 12, 24 or 60 months after hip or knee replacement. The factor structure, differential item functioning (DIF) and unidimensionality of the EUROHIS-QOL 8-item index were examined using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and Rasch analyses. Convergent validity was examined using correlations with the parent measure and other patient-reported outcome measures (Oxford scores, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index). Discriminant validity was assessed between groups reporting high versus low pain and function, and by joint replaced. The measure demonstrated high internal consistency (α = 0.86), adequate convergent (r = 0.47-0.82, p < 0.001) and discriminant validity (p < 0.001). Factor and Rasch analyses supported a unidimensional structure. However, there were also indications of multidimensionality, with support for a two-factor model focusing on general health and function, and psychosocial aspects of QOL. There was minimal evidence of DIF, with just one item evaluating energy level showing DIF for age. The EUROHIS-QOL 8-item index demonstrated adequate properties as a unidimensional scale and as a two-factor scale evaluating general health and function, and psychosocial aspects of quality of life. It is low on clinical and participant burden, showed minimal ceiling effects and showed good concurrent and discriminant validity.


Protein kinase G is not essential to NO-cGMP modulation of basal tone in rat pulmonary circulation.
Nitric oxide (NO) is important in modulating increased pulmonary vascular tone. Whereas in other systems it is believed that the action of NO is mediated through guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) and protein kinase G (PKG), the validity of this pathway in the pulmonary circulation has not been established. Using isolated salt-perfused normotensive and hypertensive rat lungs, we studied the effects of the soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitor, 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ), and the PKG inhibitors, KT5823, Rp-8-pCPT-cGMPS, and (N-[2-(methylamino)ethyl]-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide) (H-8), on pulmonary vascular resistance. In isolated normotensive lungs, ODQ-mediated inhibition of soluble guanylyl cyclase augmented hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction, whereas the PKG inhibitors had no effect. Despite the marked differences in the physiological effect, ODQ and Rp-8-pCPT-cGMPS inhibited PKG activity to a similar degree as determined by a back-phosphorylation assay showing decreased PKG-mediated phosphorylation of serine 1755 on the D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor. In hypertensive lungs, inhibition of soluble guanylyl cyclase by ODQ increased perfusion pressure by 101 +/- 20% (P < 0.05), an increase similar to that seen with inhibition of NO synthase (NOS), confirming an essential role for cGMP. In contrast, KT5823, Rp-8-pCPT-cGMPS, and H-8 (used in doses 5- to 100-fold in excess of their reported inhibitory concentrations for PKG) caused only a small increase in baseline perfusion pressure (14 +/- 2%, P = not significant from vehicle control). Effectiveness of PKG inhibition in the hypertensive lungs was also confirmed with the back-phosphorylation assay. These studies suggest that whereas NO-mediated modulation of vascular tone in the normotensive and hypertensive pulmonary circulation is dependent on cGMP formation, activation of PKG may not be essential.


The role of taste and oral somatosensation in olfactory localization.
Although there is only one set of olfactory receptors, odours are experienced as smells when sniffing things (e.g., sniffing a wine's bouquet) and as flavours when the olfactory stimulus is present in the mouth (e.g., drinking wine). How this location binding--external versus internal environment--is achieved is poorly understood. Experiment 1 employed a new procedure to study localization, which was then used to explore whether localization is primarily dependent upon simultaneous oral somatosensation. Experiment 2, using solutions of varying viscosity, and Experiment 3, using oral movement of varying vigour, revealed that sniffed odours are not localized to the mouth by somatosensation alone. Instead, Experiment 4 demonstrated that a tastant needs to be present and that increasing tastant concentration generates increasing oral localization. Experiment 5 found that this reliance upon gustation reflects the previously observed "confusion" that people show for taste and smell stimuli in the mouth. We suggest that this "confusion" reflects the gustatory system's superior ability to suppress olfactory attention, thus assisting flavour binding.


Upper Extremity Pulse Pressure Predicts Amputation-Free Survival after Lower Extremity Bypass.
Increased pulse pressure reflects pathologic arterial stiffening and predicts cardiovascular events and mortality. The effect of pulse pressure on outcomes in lower extremity bypass patients remains unknown. We thus investigated whether preoperative pulse pressure could predict amputation-free survival in patients undergoing lower extremity bypass for atherosclerotic occlusive disease. An institutional database identified 240 included patients undergoing lower extremity bypass from 2005 to 2014. Preoperative demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, operative factors, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures were recorded, and compared between patients with pulse pressures above and below 80 mm Hg. Factors were analyzed in bi- and multivariable models to assess independent predictors of amputation-free survival. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to evaluate the temporal effect of pulse pressure ≥80 mm Hg on amputation-free survival. Patients with a pulse pressure ≥80 mm Hg were older, male, and had higher systolic and lower diastolic pressures. Patients with pulse pressure <80 mm Hg demonstrated a survival advantage on Kaplan-Meier analysis at six months (log-rank P = 0.003) and one year (P = 0.005) postoperatively. In multivariable analysis, independent risk factors for decreased amputation-free survival at six months included nonwhite race, tissue loss, infrapopliteal target, and preoperative pulse pressure ≥80 mm Hg (hazard ratio 2.60; P = 0.02), while only tissue loss and pulse pressure ≥80 mm Hg (hazard ratio 2.30, P = 0.02) remained predictive at one year. Increased pulse pressure is independently associated with decreased amputation-free survival in patients undergoing lower extremity bypass. Further efforts to understand the relationship between increased arterial stiffness and poor outcomes in these patients are needed.


Study provides new evidence of back belts' effectiveness.
A major new study conducted by the UCLA School of Public Health has bolstered the claim that back support devices reduce low-back injuries. The study involved nearly 36,000 employees at Home Depot stores in California who logged 101 million work hours from 1989 through 1994. The company implemented mandatory wearing of belts in early 1990, and the study's authors reported that the workers' rate of acute low back injuries fell from 30.6 per million hours before implementation to 20.2 per million hours. UCLA Professor of Epidemiology Jess F. Kraus, the study's lead author, told The Wall Street Journal. "The study found a pretty big effect with a simple countermeasure. It is pretty hard to argue that it is a chance phenomenon." Kraus, who is the director of UCLA's Southern California injury Prevention Research Center, began his research by visiting 30 Home Depot stores to see whether employees were wearing the belts consistently. Compliance with the mandatory policy was quite high overall-above 98 percent, as calculated during an unannounced walk-through of all 77 stores in late 1993 and early 1994, according to the study. Back support manufactures hailed the Home Depot study as the largest long-term epidemiological study yet undertaken of the supports. It is proof, they said, that back supports are effective personal protective equipment-a contention at odds with the position of NIOSH the National institute for Occupational Safety and Health. In 1994, NIOSH reviewed the scientific literature and concluded there was not enough evidence to recommend that the supports be worn by uninjured workers. Sales plunged after NIOSH released its findings, according to the manufactures. The UCLA researchers found that low-back injuries declined in workers of both sexes, in younger workers as well as those older than 55, and among those with low levels of lifting as well as those with higher levels. The researchers concluded that mandatory use of back supports significantly reduces acute low-back work injuries. Low-back injuries account for one-fourth of all workers' compensation claims paid by U.S. employers-$11 billion in 1990 alone. NIOSH's ergonomic coordinator, Lawrence Fine, told The Journal, "for many companies this is the largest health and safety issue they are wrestling with." NIOSH has embarked on its own, smaller study of back supports' effectiveness among Wal-Mart workers.


The utility of procalcitonin in critically ill trauma patients.
Procalcitonin (PCT), the prohormone of calcitonin, has an early and highly specific increase in response to systemic bacterial infection. The objectives of this study were to determine the natural history of PCT for patients with critical illness and trauma, the utility of PCT as a marker of sepsis versus systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), and the association of PCT level with mortality. PCT assays were done on eligible patients with trauma admitted to the trauma intensive care unit (ICU) of a Level I trauma center from June 2009 to June 2010, at hours 0, 6, 12, 24, and daily until discharge from ICU or death. Patients were retrospectively diagnosed with SIRS or sepsis by researchers blinded to PCT results. A total of 856 PCT levels from 102 patients were analyzed, with mean age of 49 years, 63% male, 89% blunt trauma, mean Injury Severity Score of 21, and hospital mortality of 13%. PCT concentration for patients with sepsis, SIRS, and neither were evaluated. Mean PCT levels were higher for patients with sepsis versus SIRS (p < 0.0001). Patients with a PCT concentration of 5 ng/mL or higher had an increased mortality when compared with those with a PCT of less than 5 ng/mL in a univariate analysis (odds ratio, 3.65; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-12.9; p = 0.04). In a multivariate logistic analysis, PCT was found to be the only significant predictor for sepsis (odds ratio, 2.37; 95% confidence interval,1.23-4.61, p = 0.01). PCT levels are significantly higher in ICU patients with trauma and sepsis and may help differentiate sepsis from SIRS in critical illness. An elevated PCT level was associated with increased mortality.


Defining Pollinator Health: A Holistic Approach Based on Ecological, Genetic, and Physiological Factors.
Evidence for global bee population declines has catalyzed a rapidly evolving area of research that aims to identify the causal factors and to effectively assess the status of pollinator populations. The term pollinator health emerged through efforts to understand causes of bee decline and colony losses, but it lacks a formal definition. In this review, we propose a definition for pollinator health and synthesize the available literature on the application of standardized biomarkers to assess health at the individual, colony, and population levels. We focus on biomarkers in honey bees, a model species, but extrapolate the potential application of these approaches to monitor the health status of wild bee populations. Biomarker-guided health measures can inform beekeeper management decisions, wild bee conservation efforts, and environmental policies. We conclude by addressing challenges to pollinator health from a One Health perspective that emphasizes the interplay between environmental quality and human, animal, and bee health.


Au Nanoparticles Decorated TiO2 Nanotube Arrays as a Recyclable Sensor for Photoenhanced Electrochemical Detection of Bisphenol A.
A photorefreshable and photoenhanced electrochemical sensing platform for bisphenol A (BPA) detection based on Au nanoparticles (NPs) decorated carbon doped TiO2 nanotube arrays (TiO2/Au NTAs) is described. The TiO2/Au NTAs were prepared by quick annealing of anodized nanotubes in argon, followed by controllable electrodeposition of Au NPs. The decoration of Au NPs not only improved photoelectrochemical behavior but also enhanced electrocatalytic activities of the resulted hybrid NTAs. Meanwhile, the high photocatalytic activity of the NTAs allowed the electrode to be readily renewed without damaging the microstructures and surface states after a short UV treatment. The electrochemical detection of BPA on TiO2/Au NTAs electrode was significantly improved under UV irradiation as the electrode could provide fresh reaction surface continuously and the further increased photocurrent resulting from the improved separation efficiency of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs derived from the consumption of holes by BPA. The results showed that the refreshable TiO2/Au NTAs electrode is a promising sensor for long-term BPA monitoring with the detection limit (S/N = 3) of 6.2 nM and the sensitivity of 2.8 μA·μM(-1)·cm(-2).