Influence of the radial stem composition on the thermal behaviour of miscanthus and sorghum genotypes.
The hypothesis made is that thermal resistance of sorghum and miscanthus stem pieces taken at well-defined positions of the stem is simply related to their biochemical composition. For miscanthus, two different genotypes and two internode levels were selected. For each region, the stem was divided into three radial layers. For sorghum, two different genotypes were selected and the stem was divided into the same three radial layers. The results show that the thermal analysis is only sensitive to very large variations of compositions. But aside of such large composition differences, it is impossible to correlate thermal effects to biochemical composition even on very small size, well-identified pieces of plant materials. The interplay between sugar-based components, lignin and minerals is totally blurring the thermal response. Extreme care must be exercised when willing to explain why a given plant material has a thermal behaviour different of another plant material.


Effects of intensive cell phone (Philips Genic 900) use on the rat kidney tissue.
To investigate effects of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) emitted by cell phones on the rat kidney tissue. Twenty-one male Albino rats were divided into 3 groups, each comprising 7 rats. Group 1 was exposed to a cell phone in speech mode for 8 hours/day for 20 days and their kidneys were removed. Group 2 was exposed to EMR for 20 days and then their kidneys were removed after an interval of 20 days. Cell phone used in the present study was Philips Genie 900, which has the highest specific absorption rate on the market. Light microscopic examination of the kidney tissues obtained from the first group of rats revealed glomerular damage, dilatation of Bowman's capsule, formation of large spaces between the tubules, tubular damage, perivascular edema, and inflammatory cell infiltration. The mean severity score was 4.64 ± 1.7 in group 1, 4.50 ± 0.8 in group 2, and 0 in group 3. While there was no significant difference between group 1 and group 2 (P > .05), the mean severity scores of groups 1 and 2 were significantly higher than that of the control group (P = .001 for each). Considering the damage in rat kidney tissue caused by EMR-emitting cell phones, high-risk individuals should take protective measures.


Freeze-dried plasma proteins are stable at room temperature for at least 1 year.
Thirty human EDTA plasma samples from male and female subjects ranging in age from 24 to 74 years were collected on ice, processed ice cold and stored frozen at -80 °C, in liquid nitrogen (LN2), or freeze dried and stored at room temperature in a desiccator (FDRT) or freeze dried and stored at -20 °C for 1 year (FD-20). In a separate experiment, EDTA plasma samples were collected onto ice, processed ice cold and maintained on ice ± protease inhibitors versus incubated at room temperature for up to 96 h. Random and independent sampling by liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS), as correlated by the MASCOT, OMSSA, X!TANDEM and SEQUEST algorithms, showed that tryptic peptides from complement component 4B (C4B) were rapidly released in plasma at room temperature. Random sampling by LC-ESI-MS/MS showed that peptides from C4B were undetectable on ice, but peptides were cleaved from the mature C4B protein including NGFKSHALQLNNR within as little as 1 h at room temperature. The frequency and intensity of precursors within ± 3 m/z of the C4B peptide NGFKSHALQLNNR was confirmed by automated targeted analysis where the precursors from MS/MS spectra that correlated to the target sequence were analyzed in SQL/R. The C4B preproprotein was processed at the N terminus to release the mature chain that was cleaved on the carboxyl side of the isoprene C2 domain within a polar C terminal sequence of the mature C4B protein, to reveal the thioester reaction site, consistent with LC-ESI-MS/MS and Western blot. Random sampling showed that proteolytic peptides from complement component C4B were rarely observed with long term storage at - 80 °C in a freezer or in liquid nitrogen (LN2), freeze drying with storage at - 20 °C (FD-20 °C) or freeze drying and storage at room temperature (FDRT). Plasma samples maintained at room temperature (RT) showed at least 10-fold to 100-fold greater frequency of peptide correlation to C4B and measured peptide intensity compared to samples on ice for up to 72 h or stored at - 80 °C, LN2, FDRT or FD-20 °C for up to a year.


Antitumor activity of delimotecan against human metastatic melanoma: pharmacokinetics and molecular determinants.
Delimotecan (MEN 4901/T-0128) is a new cytotoxic prodrug constituted by a camptothecin analog (T-2513) bound to carboxymethyl dextran through a triglycine linker. A significant antitumor activity of delimotecan against human metastatic melanoma xenograft model Me15392 is reported. Dacarbazine, the drug approved for the treatment of metastatic melanoma, was ineffective in this melanoma model. Pharmacokinetic studies, together with the expression analysis of mRNA for enzymes involved in delimotecan metabolism, showed that T-2513 and other cytotoxic metabolites of delimotecan (SN 38 and T-0055) are generated in greater quantities in the tumor tissue than in toxicity target tissues, such as liver, thus accounting for the antitumoral activity. Moreover, we demonstrated that human metastatic melanoma cells are able to phagocytose delimotecan and cleave it to release the cytotoxic moieties T-2513 in the tumoral environment. Further flow cytometric analysis showed a higher recruitment of macrophages in xenografted human metastatic melanoma, when compared with other human tumors. Thus, the antitumoral activity of delimotecan exerted on metastatic melanoma is due to several factors: (i) the ability of melanoma cells to phagocytose and metabolise delimotecan; (ii) the accumulation of delimotecan in tumoral mass; (iii) the recruitment of macrophage cells to the melanoma nodule and (iv) the expression in melanoma cells of a pattern of enzymes that converts delimotecan into cytotoxic metabolites. Based on these results, delimotecan might be exploited as a new anticancer agent for the therapy of metastatic melanoma because of its high efficacy and good selectivity, and therefore clinical trials for this indication are warranted.


Efficacy of mesotherapy using drugs versus normal saline solution in chronic spinal pain: a retrospective study.
Mesotherapy, or intradermal therapy, is a therapeutic approach that is gaining popularity, but there is still a significant lack of information on its mechanisms of action or the pharmacokinetics of the therapeutic regimens. This retrospective study on 220 records compared the short-term and long-term effects of mesotherapy using a mixture of drugs versus normal saline solution in the treatment of patients with chronic spinal pain (CSP). At the end of treatment, outcome measures showed a significant improvement (P<0.003) in both groups, which persisted at the follow-up assessments. At 12 weeks of follow-up, the improvement was significantly greater in patients treated with the drug cocktail than with the saline solution (P<0.05). Mesotherapy was effective in patients affected by CSP, with high patient satisfaction reported irrespective of the agent used. Considering the risks and costs of drugs, normal saline solution appears to be the best agent in cost-benefit terms for treating localized pain by mesotherapy in CSP.


Effectiveness of open-label donepezil treatment in patients with Alzheimer's disease discontinuing memantine monotherapy.
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of donepezil in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) who discontinue memantine due to a lack of efficacy or not being well tolerated. This study enrolled patients with moderate-to-severe AD (Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] score 5-17) who had a history of treatment with memantine monotherapy (10 mg/BID) for > or = 3 months prior to screening and maintained until study baseline. For inclusion in this study, the patient's memantine treatment had to have been judged as lacking efficacy or not well tolerated at the screening visit. Information on previous memantine use was also obtained with regard to dose and duration of treatment. At the baseline visit, patients were switched to open-label donepezil 5 mg/day for 4 weeks, and 10 mg/day thereafter. The primary efficacy measure was a change in MMSE at week 12 using a last observation carried forward (LOCF) analysis. Secondary measures included Physician and Caregiver Satisfaction Questionnaires (PSQ, CSQ), the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I), Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), and a Caregiver Diary (CD). At week 12-LOCF, MMSE scores increased by a mean of 1.55 points from baseline (p < 0.0001). At end point, the PSQ and CSQ indicated consistent improvements in satisfaction/ease of use with donepezil; 60.2% of patients improved on the CGI-I; and 44.4-55.6% improved on each of three components of the CD. Improvements on the MMSE, CSQ, and CGI-I were apparent, irrespective of previous cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitor use. No significant effects were seen for the total score on the NPI. Withdrawal rates (8.7% due to adverse events [AEs]) and AEs were consistent with the known donepezil safety profile. Donepezil was effective and well tolerated in moderate-to-severe AD patients who discontinued memantine monotherapy, including those with previous exposure to ChE inhibitors.


Similarities and differences of the volatile profiles of six spices explored by Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometry.
Aroma properties of spices are related to the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present, which can provide distinct analytical signatures. The aim of the study was to examine similarity and diversity of VOC profiles of six common market spices (black/white pepper, chili paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg and saffron). The key volatiles were identified by PTR-TOFMS. Twelve samples per spice were subjected to PTR-Quadrupole MS (PTR-QMS) and Principal Component Analysis to compare the groups and examine diversity. With PTR-TOFMS, 101 volatile compounds were identified as total sum across all samples by mass and comparing them with literature data. Some spices comprised key character aroma compounds, e.g. cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon. For others, VOC groups, such as terpenes, acids and aldehydes topped the list. The PTR-QMS in combination with variables selection resulted in distinct PCA patterns for each spice. Variation within the spice groups was observed, but varied with the kind of spice. The results are valuable for future authentication studies.


Prescriptions involving analgesic drugs at a secondary health facility in ibadan, Nigeria.
Pain is a cardinal feature of inflammation and is responsible for majority of hospital visits. The non-opioid analgesics possess antipyretic and anti-inflammatory activity and thus are often employed for such purpose of controlling inflammation as well as antipyretic. The non-opioid analgesics are freely available devoid of causing dependence but their potential harmful effects can sometimes be serious. The need for rational drug use is paramount and requires evaluation of physicians practice to serve as basis for continue medical education. A retrospective assessment of pattern of prescription at a secondary health facility owned by one of the 36 states of the federation of Nigeria. The age, sex, the drugs prescribed per patient were recorded and prescriptions involving analgesics were further analyzed. Proportions were compared using X2 and statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Analgesic drugs were commonly prescribed constituting 23.8% of all the prescriptions recorded in the study. Paracetamol was the most commonly prescribed analgesic drug accounting for 55.7% of all analgesic drugs prescribed while Dipyrone was the most commonly prescribed parenteral analgesic drug. Dipyrone accounted for 19% of total Analgesic drug prescriptions but 93% of analgesics administered by intramuscular route. Dipyrone was also the preferred Analgesic drug in traumatic conditions. No cognizance was taken of the potential of NSAIDs for causing gastrointestinal injury as Diclofenac, Nimesulide and Dipyrone were sometimes used even in patients with peptic ulcer disease. Pain management with NSAIDs requires some dexterity in particular when certain categories of patients are to be treated. There is need for continue medical education to ensure rational use of these drugs.


Polyuronide biosynthesis by cell-free extracts of Mucor rouxii.
Cell-free extracts from Mucor rouxii contain enzymes that catalyse the synthesis of uridine diphosphate glucuronic acid (UDPGlcA) from UDPglucose and the incorporation of glucuronic acid from UDPGlcA into polymer(s). Two different polyuronide fraction isolated from the cell walls of this fungus were used as primers. Mucoran, a heteropolymer, was much more efficient than mucoric acid, which is largely a homopolymer of D-glucuronic acid. The primer ability of native cell walls was comparable to that of mucoric acid. Most of the glucuronosyltransferase activity in the cell-free extract was found in a 20000 g particulate fraction. Optimum pH for polyuronide synthesis was 7.0. Mn2+ or Mg2+ stimulated incorporation of GlcA. The products synthesized from mucoric acid and mucoran primers were different and yielded different disaccharides upon hydrolysis.


B-lymphocyte alloantigens in Caucasians.
Human B lymphocytes have been shown to have at least five polymorphic specificities defined by 32 antisera. The antisera were produced by absorption with pooled platelets to remove HLA activity and were selected out of over 400 tested sera. The sera that defined the five specificities had high correlation coefficients within a group (generally in the range of 0.6-0.9). As shown by the fit in the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the five specificities appear to be determined by alleles at one genetic locus. No association between these specificities and HLA was noted.


Magnetic resonance imaging of the papillary muscles of the left ventricle: normal anatomy, variants, and abnormalities.
Left ventricular papillary muscles are small myocardial structures that play an important role in the functioning of mitral valve and left ventricle. Typically, there are two groups of papillary muscles, namely the anterolateral and the posteromedial groups. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is a valuable imaging modality in the evaluation of papillary muscles, providing both morphological and functional information. There is a remarkably wide variation in the morphology of papillary muscles. These variations can be asymptomatic or associated with symptoms related to LV outflow tract obstruction, often associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Abnormalities of the papillary muscles range from congenital disorders to neoplasms. Parachute mitral valve is the most common congenital abnormality of papillary muscles, in which all the chordae insert into a single papillary muscle. Papillary muscles can become dysfunctional, most commonly due to ischemia. Papillary muscle rupture is a major complication of acute myocardial infarction that results in mitral regurgitation and associated with high mortality rates. The most common papillary neoplasm is metastasis, but primary benign and malignant neoplasms can also be seen. In this article, we discuss the role of CMR in the evaluation of papillary muscle anatomy, function, and abnormalities.


Single- and double-Diffusion encoding MRI for studying ex vivo apparent axon diameter distribution in spinal cord white matter.
Mapping average axon diameter (AAD) and axon diameter distribution (ADD) in neuronal tissues non-invasively is a challenging task that may have a tremendous effect on our understanding of the normal and diseased central nervous system (CNS). Water diffusion is used to probe microstructure in neuronal tissues, however, the different water populations and barriers that are present in these tissues turn this into a complex task. Therefore, it is not surprising that recently we have witnessed a burst in the development of new approaches and models that attempt to obtain, non-invasively, detailed microstructural information in the CNS. In this work, we aim at challenging and comparing the microstructural information obtained from single diffusion encoding (SDE) with double diffusion encoding (DDE) MRI. We first applied SDE and DDE MR spectroscopy (MRS) on microcapillary phantoms and then applied SDE and DDE MRI on an ex vivo porcine spinal cord (SC), using similar experimental conditions. The obtained diffusion MRI data were fitted by the same theoretical model, assuming that the signal in every voxel can be approximated as the superposition of a Gaussian-diffusing component and a series of restricted components having infinite cylindrical geometries. The diffusion MRI results were then compared with histological findings. We found a good agreement between the fittings and the experimental data in white matter (WM) voxels of the SC in both diffusion MRI methods. The microstructural information and apparent AADs extracted from SDE MRI were found to be similar or somewhat larger than those extracted from DDE MRI especially when the diffusion time was set to 40 ms. The apparent ADDs extracted from SDE and DDE MRI show reasonable agreement but somewhat weaker correspondence was observed between the diffusion MRI results and histology. The apparent subtle differences between the microstructural information obtained from SDE and DDE MRI are briefly discussed.


Deficits in adaptive upper limb control in response to trunk perturbations in Parkinson's disease.
The ability of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) to compensate for unexpected perturbations remains relatively unexplored. To address this issue PD subjects were required to compensate at the arm for an unexpected mechanical perturbation of the trunk while performing a trunk-assisted reach. Twelve healthy and nine PD subjects (off medication) performed trunk-assisted reaching movements without vision or knowledge of results to a remembered target in the ipsilateral (T1) or contralateral (T2) workspace. On 60% of the trials trunk motion was unrestrained (free condition). On the remaining 40% of randomly selected trials trunk motion was arrested at movement onset (blocked condition). If subjects appropriately changed arm joint angles to compensate for the trunk arrest, there should be spatial and temporal invariance in the hand trajectories and in the endpoint errors across conditions. The control group successfully changed their arm configuration in a context-dependent manner which resulted in invariant hand trajectory profiles across the free and blocked conditions. More so, they initiated these changes rapidly after the trunk perturbation (group mean 70 ms). Some PD subjects were unable to maintain invariant hand paths and movement errors across conditions. Their hand velocity profiles were also more variable relative to those of the healthy subjects in the blocked-trunk trials but not in the free-trunk trials. Furthermore, the latency of compensatory changes in arm joint angles in movements toward T1 was longer in the PD group (group mean 153 ms). Finally, PD subjects' arm and trunk were desynchronized at movement onset, confirming our previous findings and consistent with PD patients' known problems in the sequential or parallel generation of different movement components. The findings that individual PD subjects were unsuccessful or delayed in producing context-dependent responses at the arm to unexpected perturbations of the trunk suggests that the basal ganglia are important nodes in the organization of adaptive behavior.


Contact Spread of Carcinoma of the Skin.
The case history of a patient with basal cell carcinomas on the thumb and the ear is presented. The patient had burnt the thumb 17 months prior to presentation and the burn had never fully healed. He volunteered that he habitually slept on his side with the thumb in contact with the ear. The histological features of the two lesions were identical. Similar reported cases and the experimental data on basal cell tumour implantation are reviewed in an attempt to prove that this case is one of implantation metastasis. Some of the evidence is strongly in favour of this possibility, but the verdict must be one of "not proven". A case of simultaneously occurring basal cell carcinomas with identical histology is presented. In the light of published clinical cases and experimental data, an attempt has been made to prove that one lesion was an implantation metastasis of the other. The available evidence allows only the Scottish verdict of "not proven" to be made. The points for and against a diagnosis of implantation metastasis are listed. Points in favour are the long history of contact, the rarity of basal cell carcinoma of the thumb, the histological features of the tumours, the unusual time interval if the tumour was a "burn cancer", and the suitable "culture medium" for metastasis following the burn. Points against such a diagnosis are the occurrence of many histologically similar basal cell carcinomas in a series of ten cases, the possibility that the tumour was a burn cancer, the experimental difficulty in transplanting basal cell carcinomas, and the experimental evidence that stroma is required to transplant basal cell carcinomas successfully.


Alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonists: a review of current clinical applications.
The α-2 adrenergic receptor agonists have been used for decades to treat common medical conditions such as hypertension; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; various pain and panic disorders; symptoms of opioid, benzodiazepine, and alcohol withdrawal; and cigarette craving. (1) However, in more recent years, these drugs have been used as adjuncts for sedation and to reduce anesthetic requirements. This review will provide an historical perspective of this drug class, an understanding of pharmacological mechanisms, and an insight into current applications in clinical anesthesiology.


Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy for patients with advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.
177Lu-DOTATATE peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) is now approved for patients with advanced gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NET), and it is therefore important to understand the efficacy and safety of PRRT in this patient population. PRRT efficacy and safety outcomes have frequently been summarized for patient populations with gastroenteropancreatic NET, but not specifically in patients with pancreatic NET (panNET). The pivotal phase 3 trial of 177Lu-DOTATATE PRRT in NET was restricted to patients with a midgut primary site. No phase 3 trial data on PRRT treatment outcomes are currently available for the panNET patient population. This review presents the available evidence for panNET treatment outcomes with PRRT and demonstrates that the available data favor PRRT as a modality for this NET primary site. However, several other therapies for advanced panNET are currently available, and the sequencing and combination of PRRT with these other therapies is set to become the big challenge for the future of panNET management. Patient, tumor, and logistical factors (tumor burden, expression of somatostatin receptors, availability of PRRT, patient preferences, and concerns over long-term toxicity) need to be taken into consideration when selecting therapy.


Guidelines for the management of basal cell carcinoma.
This article represents a planned regular updating of the previous British Association of Dermatologists guidelines for the management of basal cell carcinoma. These guidelines present evidence-based guidance for treatment, with identification of the strength of evidence available at the time of preparation of the guidelines, and a brief overview of epidemiological aspects, diagnosis and investigation.


Ex vivo adenovirus-mediated gene delivery leads to long-term expression in pancreatic islet transplants.
Replication-deficient adenovirus, one of the most efficient vectors in gene therapy, has been limited by transient transgene expression due to its episomal location and loss during cell division, as well as a host immune response against viral proteins. Murine pancreatic islets were infected ex vivo with ad5-cytomegalovirus (CMV)-beta-galactosidase and transplanted into diabetic recipients with normalization of glucose metabolism. High levels of beta-galactosidase activity were detectable histologically for at least 20 weeks after transplant, and beta-galactosidase and viral mRNA were also present that long. Sera from transplanted animals did not significantly inhibit ad5-CMV-interleukin-2-Ig infection of HeLa cells in vitro, whereas sera from intravenously delivered ad5-CMV-beta-galactosidase drastically diminished HeLa cell infection, suggesting the presence of reduced levels of antibodies in transplanted animals as compared with intravenously infected animals. Immunofluorescent staining of islet isografts infected with ad5-CMV-beta-galactosidase revealed the presence of CD8+ and CD4+ T lymphocytes at all time points, however, no islet destruction was seen. Treatment of islet isografts ex vivo with ad5-CMV-beta-galactosidase results in prolonged transgene expression, possibly due to an attenuated immune response against adenovirus.


Advances in the diagnosis, evaluation and management of cholangiocarcinoma.
Cholangiocarcinoma is an enigmatic malignancy of the biliary tract that has recently been shown to be increasing in incidence globally. There has been recent progress in identifying potential risk factors for the tumor, and in the use of emerging technologies for diagnosis and palliative treatment. Hepatitis B and C, cirrhosis and alcohol have been described as risk factors for cholangiocarcinoma. A morphology-based classification for cholangiocarcinoma is proposed that will facilitate future descriptive epidemiology, diagnosis and comparative therapeutic studies. Diagnosis may be improved by new approaches to enhance the diagnostic yield and utility of biliary cytology. The role of new imaging approaches such as positron emission tomography scanning, endoscopic ultrasound or optical coherence tomography for diagnosis are being examined and defined. Long-term results for transplantation protocols for curative intent in non-resectable localized disease have been described. Photodynamic therapy looks extremely promising for adjunct therapy of intrahepatic mass lesions. Recent advances in the epidemiology, classification, diagnosis and therapy of cholangiocarcinoma are expected to enhance the evaluation and management of patients with this devastating malignancy.


Two-photon interference between disparate sources for quantum networking.
Quantum networks involve entanglement sharing between multiple users. Ideally, any two users would be able to connect regardless of the type of photon source they employ, provided they fulfill the requirements for two-photon interference. From a theoretical perspective, photons coming from different origins can interfere with a perfect visibility, provided they are made indistinguishable in all degrees of freedom. Previous experimental demonstrations of such a scenario have been limited to photon wavelengths below 900 nm, unsuitable for long distance communication, and suffered from low interference visibility. We report two-photon interference using two disparate heralded single photon sources, which involve different nonlinear effects, operating in the telecom wavelength range. The measured visibility of the two-photon interference is 80 ± 4%, which paves the way to hybrid universal quantum networks.


αMSH blunts endotoxin-induced MuRF1 and atrogin-1 upregulation in skeletal muscle by modulating NF-κB and Akt/FoxO1 pathway.
Alpha melanocyte stimulating hormone (αMSH) has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anticachectic actions. We hypothesized that αMSH administration could attenuate the effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the skeletal muscle through modifications in IGF-Akt-FoxO1 pathway, or/and in serum corticosterone. Adult male Wistar rats were injected with LPS and/or αMSH. αMSH administration reduced LPS-induced increase in liver TNFα and serum nitrites as well as NF-κB activation in skeletal muscle. In contrast, αMSH was not able to prevent the stimulatory effect of LPS on serum concentration of ACTH and corticosterone. LPS decreased serum levels of IGF-I and IGFBP3 and their expression in the liver (P < 0.01). However IGFBP3 expression in the gastrocnemius was increased by LPS. Treatment with αMSH prevented the effects of LPS on IGFBP3 but not on IGF-I. In the gastrocnemius αMSH blocked LPS-induced decrease in pAkt as well as the increase in pNF-κB(p65), FoxO1, atrogin-1, and MuRF1 levels. These results suggest that αMSH blunts skeletal muscle response to endotoxin by downregulating atrogenes and FoxO1 at least in part by controlling NF-κB activation and Akt signalling, but not through modifications in the secretion of corticosterone or IGF-I.


Recognizing Differences in Hospital Quality Performance for Pediatric Inpatient Care.
Hospital quality-of-care measures are publicly reported to inform consumer choice and stimulate quality improvement. The number of hospitals and states with enough pediatric hospital discharges to detect worse-than-average inpatient care remains unknown. This study was a retrospective analysis of hospital discharges for children aged 0 to 17 years from 3974 hospitals in 44 states in the 2009 Kids' Inpatient Database. For 11 measures of all-condition or condition-specific quality, we assessed the number of hospitals and states that met a "power standard" of 80% power for a 5% level significance test to detect when care is 20% worse than average over a 3-year period. For this assessment, we approximated volume as 3 times actual 2009 admission volumes. For all-condition quality, 1380 hospitals (87% of all pediatric discharges) and all states met the power standard for the family experience-of-care measure; 1958 hospitals (95% of discharges) and all states met the standard for adverse drug events. For condition-specific quality measures of asthma, birth, and mental health, 203 to 482 hospitals (52%-90% of condition-specific discharges) met the power standard and 40 to 44 states met the standard. One hospital and 16 states met the standard for sickle cell disease. No hospital and ≤27 states met the standard for the remaining measures studied (appendectomy, cerebrospinal fluid shunt surgery, gastroenteritis, heart surgery, and seizure). Most children are admitted to hospitals in which all-condition measures of quality have adequate power to show modest differences in performance from average, but most condition-specific measures do not. Policies regarding incentives for pediatric inpatient quality should take these findings into account.


Regulation of hepatic stellate cell activation and growth by transcription factor myocyte enhancer factor 2.
Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) undergo activation during the development of liver fibrosis. Transcriptional regulation plays a key role in this process. We studied the role of transcription factor myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) during HSC activation. Culture of HSCs isolated from rat liver on plastic dishes and HSC-T6 on a basement membrane-like matrix were used as models of HSC activation and deactivation, respectively. The expression and activity of MEF2 were correlated with HSC activation. The roles of MEF2 during HSC activation were assessed in vitro and in vivo by animal models of fibrosis. Early induction of MEF2 messenger RNA and protein accompanied culture-induced HSC activation. This was associated with enhanced MEF2 DNA binding and transactivation activity. p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase but not extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway was required for increased MEF2 activity during HSC activation. Increased MEF2 protein also correlated with fibrosis in vivo. Reversal of HSC activation was paralleled by a marked decrease in MEF2 protein and activity. Functionally, enhancing MEF2 significantly increased the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), activated collagen I promoter activity, and stimulated HSC proliferation. MEF2 interference RNA significantly inhibited expression of alpha-SMA, collagen alpha1(I), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen. The studies provide the first evidence for the presence of MEF2 in the liver and show that MEF2 regulates multiple aspects of HSC activation. These studies show a novel role of MEF2 as a key nuclear mediator that may participate in the pathologic process of liver fibrogenesis in vivo.


Estimation of soil moisture content from the spectral reflectance of bare soils in the 0.4-2.5 µm domain.
This work aims to compare the performance of new methods to estimate the Soil Moisture Content (SMC) of bare soils from their spectral signatures in the reflective domain (0.4-2.5 µm) in comparison with widely used spectral indices like Normalized Soil Moisture Index (NSMI) and Water Index SOIL (WISOIL). Indeed, these reference spectral indices use wavelengths located in the water vapour absorption bands and their performance are thus very sensitive to the quality of the atmospheric compensation. To reduce these limitations, two new spectral indices are proposed which wavelengths are defined using the determination matrix tool by taking into account the atmospheric transmission: Normalized Index of Nswir domain for Smc estimatiOn from Linear correlation (NINSOL) and Normalized Index of Nswir domain for Smc estimatiOn from Non linear correlation (NINSON). These spectral indices are completed by two new methods based on the global shape of the soil spectral signatures. These methods are the Inverse Soil semi-Empirical Reflectance model (ISER), using the inversion of an existing empirical soil model simulating the soil spectral reflectance according to soil moisture content for a given soil class, and the convex envelope model, linking the area between the envelope and the spectral signature to the SMC. All these methods are compared using a reference database built with 32 soil samples and composed of 190 spectral signatures with five or six soil moisture contents. Half of the database is used for the calibration stage and the remaining to evaluate the performance of the SMC estimation methods. The results show that the four new methods lead to similar or better performance than the one obtained by the reference indices. The RMSE is ranging from 3.8% to 6.2% and the coefficient of determination R2 varies between 0.74 and 0.91 with the best performance obtained with the ISER model. In a second step, simulated spectral radiances at the sensor level are used to analyse the sensitivity of these methods to the sensor spectral resolution and the water vapour content knowledge. The spectral signatures of the database are then used to simulate the signal at the top of atmosphere with a radiative transfer model and to compute the integrated incident signal representing the spectral radiance measurements of the HYMAP airborne hyperspectral instrument. The sensor radiances are then corrected from the atmosphere by an atmospheric compensation tool to retrieve the surface reflectances. The SMC estimation methods are then applied on the retrieve spectral reflectances. The adaptation of the spectral index wavelengths to the HyMap sensor spectral bands and the application of the convex envelope and ISER models to boarder spectral bands lead to an error on the SMC estimation. The best performance is then obtained with the ISER model (RMSE of 2.9% and R2 of 0.96) while the four other methods lead to quite similar RMSE (from 6.4% to 7.8%) and R² (between 0.79 and 0.83) values. In the atmosphere compensation processing, an error on the water vapour content is introduced. The most robust methods to water vapour content variations are WISOIL, NINSON, NINSOL and ISER model. The convex envelope model and NSMI index require an accurate estimation of the water vapour content in the atmosphere.


Self-silencing and anger regulation as predictors of disordered eating among adolescent females.
The main purpose of this study was to examine how self-silencing, emotional regulation, and body-esteem differentiated healthy eating from different patterns of disordered eating. A community sample of adolescent females was classified as either: 1) Restrained Eaters (n=104, M(age)=14.48); 2) Emotional Eaters (n=125, M(age)=14.52); or, 3) Healthy Eaters (n=396, M(age)=13.71). A discriminant function analysis revealed two significant functions. The first function differentiated the two disordered eating groups (i.e., the restrained and emotional eaters) from the healthy group, with the disordered eating groups scoring significantly higher on levels of self-silencing and anger regulation, and lower on body-esteem. The second function differentiated between the restrained and emotional eaters, with the emotional eaters reporting higher levels of externalized self-perception and anger, and lower levels of body-esteem. The results suggest that body-esteem and anger suppression were the most influential variables in differentiating between groups. The findings are discussed in terms of the implications for disordered eating prevention and treatment programs.


Gene expression biomarkers of heat stress in scleractinian corals: Promises and limitations.
Gene expression biomarkers (GEBs) are emerging as powerful diagnostic tools for identifying and characterizing coral stress. Their capacity to detect sublethal stress prior to the onset of signs at the organismal level that might already indicate significant damage makes them more precise and proactive compared to traditional monitoring techniques. A high number of candidate GEBs, including certain heat shock protein genes, metabolic genes, oxidative stress genes, immune response genes, ion transport genes, and structural genes have been investigated, and some genes, including hsp16, Cacna1, MnSOD, SLC26, and Nf-kB, are already showing excellent potential as reliable indicators of thermal stress in corals. In this mini-review, we synthesize the current state of knowledge of scleractinian coral GEBs and highlight gaps in our understanding that identify directions for future work. We also address the underlying sources of variation that have sometimes led to contrasting results between studies, such as differences in experimental set-up and approach, intrinsic variation in the expression profiles of different experimental organisms (such as between different colonies or their algal symbionts), diel cycles, varying thermal history, and different expression thresholds. Despite advances in our understanding there is still no universally accepted biomarker of thermal stress, the molecular response of corals to heat stress is still unclear, and biomarker research in Symbiodinium still lags behind that of the host. These gaps should be addressed in future work.


Urinary neopterin quantification indicates altered cell-mediated immunity in healthy subjects under psychological stress.
In an effort to quantify changes in cell-mediated immunity (CMI) in healthy subjects under stress, we measured levels of neopterin, a well-validated marker of CMI activation, in the urine of medical students undergoing academic examinations. Neopterin/creatinine ratios measured on the first day of examinations (mean 46 mumol/mol) were significantly lower than those measured two weeks before (mean 78 mumol/mol, p = .004). Minimum neopterin production coincided with maximum subjective stress, as measured by a visual analogue scale. After examinations, neopterin/creatinine ratios rose (means 62 mumol/mol immediately after, and 65 mumol/mol two weeks after examinations), and these levels were not statistically different from those two weeks before examinations. Over this post-examination period, subjective distress was significantly lower than at either time point before examinations. We conclude that urinary neopterin/creatinine ratios may change significantly during periods of psychological stress, indicating concomitant alterations in CMI activation.


Glucose tolerance and beta-cell function in islet autoantibody-positive children recruited to a secondary prevention study.
Children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) risk and islet autoantibodies are recruited to a secondary prevention study. The aims were to determine metabolic control in relation to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genetic risk and islet autoantibodies in prepubertal children. In 47 healthy children with GADA and at least one additional islet autoantibody, intravenous glucose tolerance test (IvGTT) and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) were performed 8-65 d apart. Hemoglobin A1c, plasma glucose as well as serum insulin and C-peptide were determined at fasting and during IvGTT and OGTT. All children aged median 5.1 (4.0-9.2) yr had autoantibodies to two to six of the beta-cell antigens GAD65, insulin, IA-2, and the three amino acid position 325 variants of the ZnT8 transporter. In total, 20/47 children showed impaired glucose metabolism. Decreased (≤ 30 μU/mL insulin) first-phase insulin response (FPIR) was found in 14/20 children while 11/20 had impaired glucose tolerance in the OGTT. Five children had both impaired glucose tolerance and FPIR ≤ 30 μU/mL insulin. Number and levels of autoantibodies were not associated with glucose metabolism, except for an increased frequency (p = 0.03) and level (p = 0.01) of ZnT8QA in children with impaired glucose metabolism. Among the children with impaired glucose metabolism, 13/20 had HLA-DQ2/8, compared to 9/27 of the children with normal glucose metabolism (p = 0.03). Secondary prevention studies in children with islet autoantibodies are complicated by variability in baseline glucose metabolism. Evaluation of metabolic control with both IvGTT and OGTT is critical and should be taken into account before randomization. All currently available autoantibody tests should be analyzed, including ZnT8QA.


Infectious mononucleosis in the community hospital.
The clinical records from three community hospitals of 161 patients with a diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis were reviewed. Epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory findings were compared with previous studies of selected populations and age groups as well as with those from referral centers. The purpose of this study was to obtain information on infectious mononucleosis as it presents to primary care physicians in the community setting. Infectious mononucleosis can pose diagnostic difficulties, demonstrated by the variety of admission diagnoses made by physicians prior to the laboratory confirmation of the illness. Although often a benign and self-limited illness, hospitalization was often required for minor and rare major complications. Ampicillin-related rash did not occur so frequently as previously reported. The use of steroids in treatment of complications was felt to be appropriate. With few exceptions, epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory findings generally agreed with previous studies.


Within the mind's eye: Negative mental imagery activates different emotion regulation strategies in high versus low socially anxious individuals.
The link between social anxiety (SA) and maladaptive emotion regulation has been clearly established, but little is known about the spontaneous regulation strategies that may be activated during social stress by negative involuntary mental images and whether the nature of such strategies might distinguish individuals with high vs. low trait SA. Participants with high (n = 33) or low (n = 33) trait SA performed an evaluative speech and reported whether they experienced an involuntary negative mental image during the task. They also rated their negative affect (NA) and positive affect (PA) and the extent to which they viewed their image as being controllable and malleable. Finally, they described the types of strategies they spontaneously used to try to control or change their image intrusions. Reported strategies were then subjected to a content analysis and categorized by blinded coders. Among high SA participants, image controllability was both diminished overall and positively correlated with PA. Whereas 90% of low SA individuals reported that they spontaneously self-regulated by altering the content or perceptual features of their images, only about half of the high SA participants used this strategy, with the other 50% reporting that they either suppressed their images or succumbed passively to them in whatever form they took. Although these initial findings require replication in future experimental studies on clinical samples, they also help to enrich our understanding of the strategies that are commonly used by high and low SA individuals to manage their image intrusions during in-vivo stress and suggest potential avenues for future research on the role of imagery in adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation.


Cancer stem cell markers in common cancers - therapeutic implications.
Rapid advances in the cancer stem cell (CSC) field have provided cause for optimism for the development of more reliable cancer therapies in the future. Strategies aimed at efficient targeting of CSCs are becoming important for monitoring the progress of cancer therapy and for evaluating new therapeutic approaches. Here, we characterize and compare the specific markers that have been found to be present on stem cells, cancer cells and CSCs in selected tissues (colon, breast, liver, pancreas and prostate). We then discuss future directions of this intriguing new research field in the context of new diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities.


Age-dependent changes in the gut microbiota and serum metabolome correlate with renal function and human aging.
Human aging is invariably accompanied by a decline in renal function, a process potentially exacerbated by uremic toxins originating from gut microbes. Based on a registered household Chinese Guangxi longevity cohort (n = 151), we conducted comprehensive profiling of the gut microbiota and serum metabolome of individuals from 22 to 111 years of age and validated the findings in two independent East Asian aging cohorts (Japan aging cohort n = 330, Yunnan aging cohort n = 80), identifying unique age-dependent differences in the microbiota and serum metabolome. We discovered that the influence of the gut microbiota on serum metabolites intensifies with advancing age. Furthermore, mediation analyses unveiled putative causal relationships between the gut microbiota (Escherichia coli, Odoribacter splanchnicus, and Desulfovibrio piger) and serum metabolite markers related to impaired renal function (p-cresol, N-phenylacetylglutamine, 2-oxindole, and 4-aminohippuric acid) and aging. The fecal microbiota transplantation experiment demonstrated that the feces of elderly individuals could influence markers related to impaired renal function in the serum. Our findings reveal novel links between age-dependent alterations in the gut microbiota and serum metabolite markers of impaired renal function, providing novel insights into the effects of microbiota-metabolite interplay on renal function and healthy aging.


Microprobe measurements of calcium binding in the contractile spasmoneme of a vorticellid.
By means of an electron microprobe, the calcium content of isolated contractile organelles (spasmonemes) from the ciliate Zoothamnium was compared in extension and contraction. By using calcium buffers of different total concentrations, it was shown that the calcium in extended organelles was almost entirely due to concentration of solute during the drying of the specimen. Contracted organelles contained 1-7 g more calcium per kg of dry mass than extended ones, and this extra calcium was bound strongly. The quantity of calcium bound in this way is consistent with the theory that the energy for contraction is derived from the chemical potential of calcium ions. Stoichiometry suggests that between 1-4 and 2-1 calcium ions become bound to each molecule of a spasmonemal calcium-binding protein.


Pilot study of manual sugarcane harvesting using biomechanical analysis.
In many countries, sugar cane harvesting is a very labor-intensive activity in which workers usually become fatigued after manually cutting the cane for a few hours. They need frequent pauses for rest, and they experience sustained injuries from excessive stress on the joints and muscles of the body. The cutting tool and motion involved directly influence the stresses created. A cutting tool that has not been designed by taking into consideration occupational biomechanics can lead to unnecessary strains in the body's muscle system, resulting in injuries. The purpose of this research was to carry out a pilot study of the impact of two common manual sugarcane cutting tools and the cutting posture they induce on the body with the aid of biomechanics. The machete and the cutlass from South Africa and Guyana, respectively, were examined to determine the cutting forces. Using static strength prediction modeling, the body stress levels at the point of cut in the cutting motion were determined. The cutting postures of three subjects were contrasted, their extreme postures were identified, and suggestions were made to improve the ergonomics of the cutting activity. The results of this pilot study showed that the cutlass required less cutting force than the machete because of the slicing cut provided by the curved blade edge of the cutlass. However, the biomechanical analysis indicated that the bent blade of the machete required less flexion of the back and therefore was likely to cause less back fatigue and injury. An improved design of the sugarcane manual harvesting tool should incorporate the bend of the machete to reduce flexion and a curved cutting edge that provides a slicing cut.


Acupuncture as a therapeutic treatment option for threatened miscarriage.
Threatened miscarriage involves vaginal bleeding in a pregnancy that remains viable. This is a common early pregnancy complication with increased risk factors for early pregnancy loss, preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), preterm delivery, low birth weight babies and maternal antepartum haemorrhage. Currently there are no recommended medical treatment options, rather women receive advice that centres on a 'wait and see' approach. For women with a history of unexplained recurrent miscarriage providing supportive care in a subsequent pregnancy improves live birthing outcomes, but the provision of supportive care to women experiencing threatened miscarriage has to date not been examined. While it is known that 50-70% of miscarriages occur due to chromosomal abnormalities, the potential for therapeutic intervention amongst the remaining percentage of women remains unknown. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies have the potential to provide supportive care for women presenting with threatened miscarriage. Within fertility research, acupuncture demonstrates beneficial hormonal responses with decreased miscarriage rates, raising the possibility acupuncture may promote specific beneficial effects in early pregnancy. With the lack of current medical options for women presenting with threatened miscarriage it is timely to examine the possible treatment benefits of providing CAM therapies such as acupuncture. Despite vaginal bleeding being a common complication of early pregnancy there is often reluctance from practitioners to discuss with women and medical personal how and why CAM may be beneficial. In this debate article, the physiological processes of early pregnancy together with the concept of providing supportive care and acupuncture are examined. The aim is to raise awareness and promote discussion as to the beneficial role CAM may have for women presenting with threatened miscarriage.


A Handheld Real-Time Photoacoustic Imaging System for Animal Neurological Disease Models: From Simulation to Realization.
This article provides a guide to design and build a handheld, real-time photoacoustic (PA) imaging system from simulation to realization for animal neurological disease models. A pulsed laser and array-based ultrasound (US) platform were utilized to develop the system for evaluating vascular functions in rats with focal ischemia or subcutaneous tumors. To optimize the laser light delivery, finite element (FE)-based simulation models were developed to provide information regarding light propagation and PA wave generation in soft tissues. Besides, simulations were also conducted to evaluate the ideal imaging resolution of the US system. As a result, a PA C-scan image of a designed phantom in 1% Lipofundin was reconstructed with depth information. Performance of the handheld PA system was tested in an animal ischemia model, which revealed that cerebral blood volume (CBV) changes at the cortical surface could be monitored immediately after ischemia induction. Another experiment on subcutaneous tumors showed the anomalous distribution of the total hemoglobin concentration (HbT) and oxygen saturation (SO₂), while 3D and maximum intensity projection (MIP) PA images of the subcutaneous tumors are also presented in this article. Overall, this system shows promise for monitoring disease progression in vascular functional impairments.


The Evolution of Endophagy in Herbivorous Insects.
Herbivorous feeding inside plant tissues, or endophagy, is a common lifestyle across Insecta, and occurs in insect taxa that bore, roll, tie, mine, gall, or otherwise modify plant tissues so that the tissues surround the insects while they are feeding. Some researchers have developed hypotheses to explain the adaptive significance of certain endophytic lifestyles (e.g., miners or gallers), but we are unaware of previous efforts to broadly characterize the adaptive significance of endophagy more generally. To fill this knowledge gap, we characterized the limited set of evolutionary selection pressures that could have encouraged phytophagous insects to feed inside plants, and then consider how these factors align with evidence for endophagy in the evolutionary history of orders of herbivorous insects. Reviewing the occurrence of endophytic taxa of various feeding guilds reveals that the pattern of evolution of endophagy varies strongly among insect orders, in some cases being an ancestral trait (e.g., Coleoptera and Lepidoptera) while being more derived in others (e.g., Diptera). Despite the large diversity of endophagous lifestyles and evolutionary trajectories that have led to endophagy in insects, our consideration of selection pressures leads us to hypothesize that nutritionally based factors may have had a stronger influence on evolution of endophagy than other factors, but that competition, water conservation, and natural enemies may have played significant roles in the development of endophagy.


Repeat retail clinic visits: impact of insurance coverage and age of patient.
As retail clinics provide a less costly alternative for health care, it would be reasonable to expect an increase in multiple (repeat) retail visits by those patients who may have expenses for receiving primary care. If costs were not a significant factor, then repeat visits should not be significantly different between these patients and those with coverage for primary care visits. The hypothesis for this study was that patients with the potential for out-of-pocket expenses would have a higher frequency of repeat retail clinic visits within 180 days compared to those with primary care coverage. A retrospective chart review was conducted of 5703 patients utilizing a retail clinic in Rochester, Minnesota from January 1, 2009 through June 30, 2009. The first visit to the retail clinic was considered the index visit and the chart was reviewed for repeat retail clinic visits within the next 180 days. Using a multiple logistic regression model, the odds of a pediatric patient (N=2344) having a repeat retail visit within 180 days of the index visit were not significantly impacted by insurance coverage (P=0.4209). Of the 3359 adult patients, those with unknown coverage had a 25.6% higher odds ratio of repeat retail clinic visits than those with insurance coverage (odds ratio 1.2557, confidence interval 1.0421-1.5131). This study suggested that when cost is an issue, the adult patient may favor retail clinics for episodic, low-acuity health care. In contrast, the pediatric population did not, suggesting that other factors, such as convenience, may play more of a role in the choice of episodic health care for this age group.


Stress-induced expression pattern of glutamate signaling genes associated with anhedonia.
Chronic stress can predispose vulnerable individuals to mood disorders, including depression. Glutamate, one of the key participants in this process, may exert both pathological and therapeutic psycho-emotional effects. However, the role of expression of genes encoding proteins that provide glutamatergic signal is still unclear. In this study, we attempted to distinguish changes in expression of glutamatergic genes associated with stress-induced anhedonia, a core symptom of depression, from those related to other stress-related effects. For this, expression of genes was compared between rats after a short-term stress, which did not yet cause depressive-like symptoms, and animals exposed chronically to different stressors that produce anhedonia-like responses. The changes in gene expression induced by chronic restraint or forced swimming concomitantly with anhedonia development demonstrated similar for both stressors patterns. Main features of the expression patterns include the decrease in mRNA levels for AMPA and NMDA subunits in the midbrain and hippocampus that is consistent with the hypothesis that "monoamine (serotonin)-Glutamate/GABA long neural circuit" involved in mood regulation. The decrease in expression of these subunits in the midbrain may attenuate glutamatergic drive on the serotonergic neurons promoting a shift of excitation/inhibition balance between glutamate and GABA in the forebrain regions resulting in anhedonia. In general, changes in expression of multiple genes involved in glutamatergic neurotransmission in the forebrain and brainstem regions suggest that stress-induced anhedonia may result from the network dysfunction of this neurotransmitter system.


Regulation of small GTPase activity by G1 cyclins.
Together with a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) partner G1 cyclins control cell cycle entry by phosphorylating a number of nuclear targets and releasing a transcriptional program at the end of G1 phase. Yeast G1 cyclins also operate on cytoplasmic targets involved in the polarization of the cytoskeleton and vesicle trafficking. These processes are mainly controlled by the small GTPase Cdc42, and G1 cyclins regulate the activity of this and other small GTPases through the modulation of their regulators and effectors. This regulation is key for different developmental outcomes in unicellular organisms. In mammalian cells cytoplasmic G1 cyclin D1 has been shown to promote the activity of Rac1 and Ral GTPases and to block RhoA. Regulation of these small GTPases by G1 cyclins may constitute a mechanism to coordinate proliferation with cell migration and morphogenesis, important processes not only during normal development and organogenesis but also for tumor formation and metastasis. Here we briefly review the evidence supporting a role of G1 cyclins and CDKs as regulators of the activity of small GTPases, emphasizing their functional relevance both in budding yeast and in mammalian cells.


Three-dimensional reconstruction of biological objects' internal structure heterogeneity from the set of ultrasonic tomograms.
The paper presents the method of the three-dimensional reconstruction of biological objects' internal structure heterogeneity based on the ultrasonic examination of a woman's breast biopsy phantom. The phantom is made of quasi-homogeneous dense gel in which drops of lesions, characterized by fixed sizes and two different acoustic impedances, were dipped at random. For the purpose of this research a special measurement setup was elaborated, enabling a non-invasive in vitro imaging of biological objects' internal structure in cross-sections for fixed levels, by means of ultrasound transmission tomography (UTT) using the parallel-ray projection geometry of scanning. The two-dimensional images of the local values of ultrasonic wave's propagation velocity in the phantom's internal structure (ultrasonic tomograms) were reconstructed for fixed levels (by using the convolution and back-projection algorithm) from the measurements of average values of ultrasonic signals' runtime propagated from many directions around the object dipped in water. Analyzing the values of particular pixels and using an appropriate image processing technique, in effect the three-dimensional image of heterogeneity boundaries in the examined phantom's internal structure was computer-reconstructed. The obtained results are compatible with the specification provided by the phantom's producer in terms of sizes and acoustic parameters of lesions, which can simulate pathological changes and of the gel imitating the healthy tissue. It means that the method presented, after an appropriate modification and development of the measurement setup with an aim to accelerate the object scanning process and thus provide an opportunity for non-invasive in vivo examinations, could be applied for detecting and diagnosing tumors in women's breasts.


Evolving Concepts of the Schizophrenia Spectrum: A Research Domain Criteria Perspective.
Several trends intersecting over the past two decades have generated increasing debate as to how the concepts of schizophrenia, the schizophrenia spectrum, and the psychotic disorders spectrum should be regarded. These trends are reflected in various areas of research such as genomics, neuroimaging, and data-driven computational studies of multiple response systems. Growing evidence suggests that schizophrenia represents a broad and heterogenous syndrome, rather than a specific disease entity, that is part of a multi-faceted psychosis spectrum. Progress in explicating these various developments has been hampered by the dependence upon sets of symptoms and signs for determining a diagnosis, and by the reliance on traditional diagnostic categories in reviewing clinical research grants. To address these concerns, the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health initiated the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) project, a translational research program that calls for studies designed in terms of empirically-based functions (such as cognitive control or reward learning) rather than diagnostic groups. RDoC is a research framework rather than an alternative diagnostic system, intended to provide data that can inform future nosological manuals. This commentary includes a brief summary of RDoC as it pertains to schizophrenia and psychotic spectra, examples of recent data that highlight the utility of the approach, and conclusions regarding the implications for evolving conceptualizations of serious mental illness.


Covariate association eliminating weights: a unified weighting framework for causal effect estimation.
Weighting methods offer an approach to estimating causal treatment effects in observational studies. However, if weights are estimated by maximum likelihood, misspecification of the treatment assignment model can lead to weighted estimators with substantial bias and variance. In this paper, we propose a unified framework for constructing weights such that a set of measured pretreatment covariates is unassociated with treatment assignment after weighting. We derive conditions for weight estimation by eliminating the associations between these covariates and treatment assignment characterized in a chosen treatment assignment model after weighting. The moment conditions in covariate balancing weight methods for binary, categorical and continuous treatments in cross-sectional settings are special cases of the conditions in our framework, which extends to longitudinal settings. Simulation shows that our method gives treatment effect estimates with smaller biases and variances than the maximum likelihood approach under treatment assignment model misspecification. We illustrate our method with an application to systemic lupus erythematosus data.


[Skin test with aeroallergens untested in Mexico].
This study was carried out to prove that some molds even not studied in Mexico can be able to incit a positive skin test. We tested 43 adults (15-45 years old), 34 of them suffering respiratory allergy verified by roentgenography and laboratory tests including traditional intradermic allergic test. 9 subjects served as control group. We used manual scarification to Ustilago maydis, Rhodotorula rubra, Puccinia graminis, Cunhigamella sp and Zyncephalastrum sp. Our patients showed a positive skin test in 26, 12, 12, 9 and 6% respectively. This Fisher exact test do not detects significative differences. We conclude this molds can be able to incit an immune reaction IgE mediated and the must be tested in allergic patients from farmer communities.


A biometric study of C-shaped root canal systems in mandibular second molars using cone-beam computed tomography.
To investigate the configuration of C-shaped canals in mandibular second molars, canal wall thickness and the orientation of the thinnest area at 1-mm intervals from the canal orifice to the apex by using cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) images. Three-dimensional CBCT images of 92 Korean mandibular second molars having C-shaped root canals were analysed to determine their configuration using a modification of Melton's classification, as well as the thinnest walls and their location. Associations between configuration type and distance from the canal orifice to the apex, as well as associations between the directional orientation of the thinnest root wall and distance from the canal orifice to the apex, were assessed by Fisher's exact test. Because serial measurements of minimum wall thicknesses were correlated with individual teeth, a mixed-effects analysis was applied. The most common configuration types were Melton's type I in the coronal region and Melton's type III in the apical region. Mean thicknesses of the thinnest root canal walls were 1.39 ± 0.38, 0.85 ± 0.25 and 0.77 ± 0.20 mm in the coronal, middle and apical regions, respectively. The thicker the root canal walls at the orifice region, the greater the decrease in thickness towards the apical region (P < 0.05), with the linguo-central root area being the thinnest. The pattern of decreasing thickness from the orifice to the apex formed a nonlinear cubic curve. The most prevalent configuration types were Melton's type I (coronal region) and type III (apical region). The linguo-central root area was the thinnest in C-shaped root canals of Korean mandibular second molars. These anatomical variations should be considered during surgical or nonsurgical endodontic procedures.


Assessing Sleep Concerns in Individuals With Acquired Brain Injury: The Feasibility of a Smartpad Sleep Tool.
The investigators examined the presence of disrupted sleep in acquired brain injury (ABI) and the utility of a mobile health program, MySleepScript, as an effective clinical tool to detect sleep disturbances. A cross-sectional pilot study of MySleepScript, a customizable electronic battery of validated sleep questionnaires, was conducted. Participants were recruited at the Acquired Brain Injury Clinic at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. Sixty-eight adults with ABI (mean age, 46.3 years [SD=14.8]) participated in the study, with a mean completion time of 16.6 minutes (SD=5.4). Time to completion did not differ on individual completion or staff assistance. The mean score on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was 9.2 (SD=4.7); 83.9% of individuals had poor sleep quality (defined as a score >5). Insomnia Severity Index scores indicated moderate to severe insomnia in 45% of participants; 36.5% of participants screened positive for symptoms concerning sleep apnea, while 39.3% of individuals screened positive for restless legs syndrome. Poor sleep quality was highly prevalent in this ABI cohort. MySleepScript may be an effective method of assessing for sleep disturbance in ABI. Further efforts to identify sleep disorders in this patient population should be pursued to optimize ABI management.


Effect of caffeine supplementation on exercise performance, power, markers of muscle damage, and perceived exertion in trained CrossFit men: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial.
Caffeine is a popular nutritional supplement among athletes. It is frequently used as an ergogenic aid to improve physical performance, delay fatigue, and increase muscle power. However, these effects have not been tested in CrossFit athletes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of acute caffeine supplementation on workout performance, power, markers of muscle damage, and soreness in trained CrossFit men. Nine men (28±2 years) with experience in CrossFit (2±0.3 years) were investigated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial, with a 7-day washout between treatment periods. The athletes received anhydrous caffeine (CAF: 6 mg/kg body mass) or placebo (PLA) 60 minutes before a CrossFit workout with tasks that involved muscle strength, power, gymnastic movements, and metabolic conditioning. Blood samples were collected for creatine kinase (CK), C-reactive protein, and glucose determination. Workout performance, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), muscle strength (handgrip strength) and power (bench throw, jump squat and countermovement jump) were also evaluated. CAF resulted in higher glucose concentration after workout compared to PLA (+3.2 mmol/L, 95% CI: 2.1 to 4.3 vs. +1.5, 95% CI: -0.1 to 3.0 mmol/L, P=0.01). No differences were found between treatments in workout performance, CK, DOMS, RPE, muscle power and strength. Acute CAF supplementation did not alter performance, markers of muscle damage, power, and RPE in trained CrossFit men.


Expanding Access to Injectable Contraception: Results From Pilot Introduction of Subcutaneous Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (DMPA-SC) in 4 African Countries.
PATH partnered with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and country ministries of health (MOHs) to coordinate pilot introductions of subcutaneous depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (subcutaneous DMPA or DMPA-SC, brand name Sayana Press) in Burkina Faso, Niger, Senegal, and Uganda from July 2014 through June 2016 in order to expand the range of methods available to women, particularly in remote locations. The pilot introductions aimed to answer key questions that would inform decisions about future investments in DMPA-SC and scaling up product availability and service-delivery innovations nationally. These questions included the extent to which DMPA-SC would appeal to first-time users of modern contraception, as well as adolescent girls and young women; whether DMPA-SC would add value to family planning programs or simply replace DMPA-IM or other modern methods; and the trends in injectables use when introducing DMPA-SC (or any injectable) at the community level for the first time. We implemented a multicountry monitoring system to track key indicators, including the number of doses administered by category of user (e.g., new users, by client age group) or delivery channel. Providers generally collected these data using their national programs' standard family planning registers. Data were analyzed for cumulative information and to examine trends over time using Microsoft Power Query for Excel and Tableau. Across the 4 countries, nearly half a million DMPA-SC doses were administered and approximately 135,000 first-time users of modern contraception were reached. Furthermore, 44% of the doses administered in 3 of the countries with data were to adolescent girls and young women under age 25. Switching from DMPA-IM to DMPA-SC was not widespread, ranging from 7% in Burkina Faso to 16% in Uganda. Results from these pilot introductions demonstrate that DMPA-SC has the potential to expand community-level access to injectables, maximize task-sharing strategies, and reach young women and new acceptors of family planning. Considered within the context of each country's setting, training approach, and introduction strategy, these results can help stakeholders in other countries make informed decisions about whether and how to include this contraceptive option in their family planning programs.


Public health emergencies of international concern: a historic overview.
The International Health Regulations (IHR) have been the governing framework for global health security since 2007. Declaring public health emergencies of international concern (PHEIC) is a cornerstone of the IHR. Here we review how PHEIC are formally declared, the diseases for which such declarations have been made from 2007 to 2020 and justifications for such declarations. Six events were declared PHEIC between 2007 and 2020: the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, Ebola (West African outbreak 2013-2015, outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo 2018-2020), poliomyelitis (2014 to present), Zika (2016) and COVID-19 (2020 to present). Poliomyelitis is the longest PHEIC. Zika was the first PHEIC for an arboviral disease. For several other emerging diseases a PHEIC was not declared despite the fact that the public health impact of the event was considered serious and associated with potential for international spread. The binary nature of a PHEIC declaration is often not helpful for events where a tiered or graded approach is needed. The strength of PHEIC declarations is the ability to rapidly mobilize international coordination, streamline funding and accelerate the advancement of the development of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics under emergency use authorization. The ultimate purpose of such declaration is to catalyse timely evidence-based action, to limit the public health and societal impacts of emerging and re-emerging disease risks while preventing unwarranted travel and trade restrictions.


Comparative analysis of cystatin superfamily in platyhelminths.
The cystatin superfamily is comprised of cysteine proteinase inhibitors and encompasses at least 3 subfamilies: stefins, cystatins and kininogens. In this study, the platyhelminth cystatin superfamily was identified and grouped into stefin and cystatin subfamilies. The conserved domain of stefins (G, QxVxG) was observed in all members of platyhelminth stefins. The three characteristics of cystatins, the cystatin-like domain (G, QxVxG, PW), a signal peptide, and one or two conserved disulfide bonds, were observed in platyhelminths, with the exception of cestodes, which lacked the conserved disulfide bond. However, it is noteworthy that cestode cystatins had two tandem repeated domains, although the second tandem repeated domain did not contain a cystatin-like domain, which has not been previously reported. Tertiary structure analysis of Taenia solium cystatin, one of the cestode cystatins, demonstrated that the N-terminus of T. solium cystatin formed a five turn α-helix, a five stranded β-pleated sheet and a hydrophobic edge, similar to the structure of chicken cystatin. Although no conserved disulfide bond was found in T. solium cystatin, the models of T. solium cystatin and chicken cystatin corresponded at the site of the first disulfide bridge of the chicken cystatin. However, the two models were not similar regarding the location of the second disulfide bridge of chicken cystatin. These results showed that T. solium cystatin and chicken cystatin had similarities and differences, suggesting that the biochemistry of T. solium cystatin could be similar to chicken cystatin in its inhibitory function and that it may have further functional roles. The same results were obtained for other cestode cystatins. Phylogenetic analysis showed that cestode cystatins constituted an independent clade and implied that cestode cystatins should be considered to have formed a new clade during evolution.


A structured kinetic modeling framework for the dynamics of hybridoma growth and monoclonal antibody production in continuous suspension cultures.
A structured kinetic model is developed to describe the dynamics of hybridoma growth and the production of monoclonal antibodies and metabolic waste products in suspension culture. The crucial details of known metabolic processes in hybridoma cells are incorporated by dividing the cell mass into four intracellular metabolic pools. The model framework and structure allow the dynamic calculation of the instantaneous specific growth rate of a hybridoma culture. The steady state and dynamic simulations of the model equations exhibit excellent agreement with experimentally observed trends in substrate utilization and product formation. The model represents the first to include any degree of metabolic detail and structure in describing a hybridoma culture. In so doing, it provides the basic modeling framework for incorporating further details of metabolism and can be a useful tool to study various strategies for enhancing hybridoma growth as well as viability and the production of monoclonal antibodies in suspension cultures.


Proton pump inhibitors attenuate myofibroblast formation associated with thyroid eye disease through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor.
Thyroid eye disease (TED) can lead to scar formation and tissue remodeling in the orbital space. In severe cases, the scarring process leads to sight-threatening pathophysiology. There is no known effective way to prevent scar formation in TED patients, or to reverse scarring once it occurs. In this study, we show that the proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), esomeprazole and lansoprazole, can prevent transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ)-mediated differentiation of TED orbital fibroblasts to myofibroblasts, a critical step in scar formation. Both PPIs prevent TGFβ-induced increases in alpha-smooth muscle actin (αSMA), calponin, and collagen production and reduce TED orbital fibroblast cell proliferation and migration. Esomeprazole and lansoprazole exert these effects through an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR)-dependent pathway that includes reducing β-catenin/Wnt signaling. We conclude that PPIs are potentially useful therapies for preventing or treating TED by reducing the myofibroblast accumulation that occurs in the disease.


[The repair process in tooth extraction wounds after implantation of microcrystalline collagen fragments. Histological study in rats].
The author studied histologically, the healing process after dental extraction in rats which sockets were filled with fragments of microcrystalline collagen. Thirty six rats (Rattus Novergicus, albinus, Wistar), young, male, weighting from 90 to 110 g and separated into two groups, control and experimental, of eighteen animal each. All animals were anaesthetized with 10% cloral hidrate, 3 ml/Kg body weight and the right maxillary incisors were extracted. In control animal the sockets were sutured after clot filling, and the experimental sockets were sutured after filling with microcrystalline collagen. Three animals of each group were killed after periods of 1, 3, 6, 14, 21 and 24 days after surgery. The following conclusions were drawn: 1. Microcrystalline collagen caused an evident inflammatory reaction in the inicial phases of the healing process of the sockets. 2. Microcrystalline collagen was biodegraded 6 to 14 days after surgery. 3. Microcrystalline collagen delayed the repair process of the sockets.


Stress hyperglycaemia is a predictor of abnormal glucose tolerance in Indian patients with acute myocardial infarction.
66 non-diabetic Indian patients with acute myocardial infarction were assessed prospectively for the presence of hyperglycaemia and the value of this admission hyperglycaemia and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1) levels in reflecting the glucose tolerance status of the patients was studied. Hyperglycaemia, defined as admission plasma glucose greater than or equal to 8 mmol/l was detected in 49% of the patients, whilst raised HbA1 values were seen in 11%. The admission plasma glucose (APG) correlated significantly with both the HbA1 levels and with the 2 hour glucose value in the oral glucose tolerance test (p less than 0.001). An oral glucose tolerance test performed 3 months after the acute episode revealed that 35 patients (53%) had abnormal glucose tolerance according to WHO criteria. Of the patients with initial hyperglycaemia, 75% had abnormal glucose tolerance tests, whilst 32% of patients with normal APG had abnormal glucose tolerance. Abnormal glucose tolerance was also detected in all patients with raised HbA1 values (greater than 8.9%) and in 48% of patients with normal levels. The sensitivity and specificity of APG greater than or equal to 8 mmol/l for abnormal glucose tolerance was 68.6% and 74.2% respectively and that of raised HbA1 values were 20% and 100%. Hence an APG greater than or equal to 8 mmol/l in patients with myocardial infarction is more likely to indicate the presence of unrecognized abnormal glucose tolerance rather than stress. HbA1 measurements do not appear to offer any further advantage in the assessment of hyperglycaemia following myocardial infarction.


Phenological stage of tundra vegetation controls bidirectional exchange of BVOCs in a climate change experiment on a subarctic heath.
Traditionally, biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions are often considered a unidirectional flux, from the ecosystem to the atmosphere, but recent studies clearly show the potential for bidirectional exchange. Here we aimed to investigate how warming and leaf litter addition affect the bidirectional exchange (flux) of BVOCs in a long-term field experiment in the Subarctic. We also assessed changes in net BVOC fluxes in relation to the time of day and the influence of different plant phenological stages. The study was conducted in a full factorial experiment with open top chamber warming and annual litter addition treatments in a tundra heath in Abisko, Northern Sweden. After 18 years of treatments, ecosystem-level net BVOC fluxes were measured in the experimental plots using proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS). The warming treatment increased monoterpene and isoprene emissions by ≈50%. Increasing temperature, due to diurnal variations, can both increase BVOC emission and simultaneously, increase ecosystem uptake. For any given treatment, monoterpene, isoprene, and acetone emissions also increased with increasing ambient air temperatures caused by diurnal variability. Acetaldehyde, methanol, and sesquiterpenes decreased likely due to a deposition flux. For litter addition, only a significant indirect effect on isoprene and monoterpene fluxes (decrease by ~50%-75%) was observed. Litter addition may change soil moisture conditions, leading to changes in plant species composition and biomass, which could subsequently result in changes to BVOC emission compositions. Phenological stages significantly affected fluxes of methanol, isoprene and monoterpenes. We suggest that plant phenological stages differ in impacts on BVOC net emissions, but ambient air temperature and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) also interact and influence BVOC net emissions differently. Our results may also suggest that BVOC fluxes are not only a response to changes in temperature and light intensity, as the circadian clock also affects emission rates.


Resistance Mechanisms of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Commercial Formulations of Glyphosate Involve DNA Damage Repair, the Cell Cycle, and the Cell Wall Structure.
The use of glyphosate-based herbicides is widespread and despite their extensive use, their effects are yet to be deciphered completely. The additives in commercial formulations of glyphosate, though labeled inert when used individually, have adverse effects when used in combination with other additives along with the active ingredient. As a species, Saccharomyces cerevisiae has a wide range of resistance to glyphosate-based herbicides. To investigate the underlying genetic differences between sensitive and resistant strains, global changes in gene expression were measured, when yeast were exposed to a glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH). Expression of genes involved in numerous pathways crucial to the cell's functioning, such as DNA replication, MAPK signaling, meiosis, and cell wall synthesis changed. Because so many diverse pathways were affected, these strains were then subjected to in-lab-evolutions (ILE) to select mutations that confer increased resistance. Common fragile sites were found to play a role in adaptation to resistance to long-term exposure of GBHs. Copy number increased in approximately 100 genes associated with cell wall proteins, mitochondria, and sterol transport. Taking ILE and transcriptomic data into account it is evident that GBHs affect multiple biological processes in the cell. One such component is the cell wall structure which acts as a protective barrier in alleviating the stress caused by exposure to inert additives in GBHs. Sed1, a GPI-cell wall protein, plays an important role in tolerance of a GBH. Hence, a detailed study of the changes occurring at the genome and transcriptome levels is essential to better understand the effects of an environmental stressor such as a GBH, on the cell as a whole.


Surface Control of Doping in Self-Doped Nanocrystals.
Self-doped nanocrystals raise great interest for infrared (IR) optoelectronics because their optical properties span from near to far IR. However, their integration for photodetection requires a fine understanding of the origin of their doping and also a way to control the magnitude of the doping. In this paper, we demonstrate that a fine control of the doping level between 0.1 and 2 electrons per dot is obtained through ligand exchange. The latter affects not only the interparticle coupling but also their optical properties because of the band-shift resulting from the presence of surface dipoles. We demonstrate that self-doping is a bulk process and that surface dipoles can control its magnitude. We additionally propose a model to quantify the dipole involved with each ligand. We eventually use the ligand design rule previously evidenced to build a near-infrared photodetector on a soft and transparent substrate. The latter significantly improves the performance compared to previously reported colloidal quantum dot-based photodetectors on plastic substrates operated in the telecom wavelength range.


The uncemented Gerard bipolar double-cup arthroplasty of the hip. A five- to 11-year follow-up study.
Between 1978 and 1984, 183 hips in 154 patients with the uncemented Gerard double-cup arthroplasty were resurfaced. The clinical and radiographic results of the 106 original arthroplasties were reviewed after a median follow-up period of 98 months. Although many of these patients had clinically improved immediately, the Harris Hip score decreased significantly in most hips in subsequent years. No correlation was found between the clinical score and radiographic complications. Major revision surgery with removal of the double cup was performed in 54 of 183 patients, making the cumulative success rate after 132 months only 48%. Survival was significantly greater in patients younger than 50 years of age and in patients with a low body weight (Quetelet index less than 25). This high failure rate eliminates the Gerard double-cup arthroplasty, except possibly for the patient with a destructive inflammatory arthropathy for whom there are no other surgical alternatives.


Basic introduction to research: how not to do research.
In this didactic article, I review some prevalent "myths" about clinical research: anyone can do research; you can learn how to do research from a book or journal articles; all you need to do statistics is the right software (although Excel will also do); you can do good-quality research at your kitchen sink; and what is important is that you did your best. These myths appear to be particularly prevalent in the complementary and alternative medicine communities. They are based on a clear double standard: most clinicians would express shock and horror at the very thought that someone without appropriate clinical training and qualifications might treat a patient; meanwhile, many clinicians do research with no research qualifications whatsoever. But clinical research can guide clinical decisions that affect the health and well-being of millions of people: it is therefore arguable that poorly conducted research is potentially far more harmful than poor medical practice. As such, it is doubly important that clinical research is conducted by those with appropriate training, statistical help, and institutional support.


Origin and evolution of eukaryotic large nucleo-cytoplasmic DNA viruses.
The nucleo-cytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDV) constitute an apparently monophyletic group that consists of 6 families of viruses infecting a broad variety of eukaryotes. A comprehensive genome comparison and maximum-likelihood reconstruction of NCLDV evolution reveal a set of approximately 50 conserved genes that can be tentatively mapped to the genome of the common ancestor of this class of eukaryotic viruses. We address the origins and evolution of NCLDV. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that some of the major clades of NCLDV infect diverse animals and protists, suggestive of early radiation of the NCLDV, possibly concomitant with eukaryogenesis. The core NCLDV genes seem to have originated from different sources including homologous genes of bacteriophages, bacteria and eukaryotes. These observations are compatible with a scenario of the origin of the NCLDV at an early stage of the evolution of eukaryotes through extensive mixing of genes from widely different genomes. The common ancestor of the NCLDV probably evolved from a bacteriophage as a result of recruitment of numerous eukaryotic and some bacterial genes, and concomitant loss of the majority of phage genes except for a small core of genes coding for proteins essential for virus genome replication and virion formation.


Properties and gene structure of a bifunctional cellulolytic enzyme (CelA) from the extreme thermophile 'Anaerocellum thermophilum' with separate glycosyl hydrolase family 9 and 48 catalytic domains.
A large cellulolytic enzyme (CelA) with the ability to hydrolyse microcrystalline cellulose was isolated from the extremely thermophilic, cellulolytic bacterium 'Anaerocellum thermophilum'. Full-length CelA and a truncated enzyme species designated CelA' were purified to homogeneity from culture supernatants. CelA has an apparent molecular mass of 230 kDa. The enzyme exhibited significant activity towards Avicel and was most active towards soluble substrates such as CM-cellulose (CMC) and beta-glucan. Maximal activity was observed between pH values of 5 and 6 and temperatures of 95 degrees C (CM-cellulase) and 85 degrees C (Avicelase). Cellobiose, glucose and minor amounts of cellotriose were observed as end-products of Avicel degradation. The CelA-encoding gene was isolated from genomic DNA of 'A. thermophilum' by PCR and the nucleotide sequence was determined. The celA gene encodes a protein of 1711 amino acids (190 kDa) starting with the sequence found at the N-terminus of CelA purified from 'A. thermophilum'. Sequence analysis revealed a multidomain structure consisting of two distinct catalytic domains homologous to glycosyl hydrolase families 9 and 48 and three domains homologous to family III cellulose-binding domain linked by Pro-Thr-Ser-rich regions. The enzyme is most closely related to CelA of Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus (sequence identities of 96 and 97% were found for the N- and C-terminal catalytic domains, respectively). Endoglucanase CelZ of Clostridium stercorarium shows 70.4% sequence identity to the N-terminal family 9 domain and exoglucanase CelY from the same organism has 69.2% amino acid identity with the C-terminal family 48 domain. Consistent with this similarity on the primary structure level, the 90 kDa truncated derivative CelA' containing the N-terminal half of CelA exhibited endoglucanase activity and bound to microcrystalline cellulose. Due to the significantly enhanced Avicelase activity of full-length CelA, exoglucanase activity may be ascribed to the C-terminal family 48 catalytic domain.


Get them before they get you: trust, trustworthiness, and social cognition in boys with and without externalizing behavior problems.
Economic exchange games have rarely been applied to examine psychopathology in youth. In the current study we adapted a trust game to investigate the relations between externalizing behavior problems, trust, and trustworthiness. We were particularly interested in the differential modulating impact of "known identity" (vs. anonymous) condition of the task. Second, we examined whether anomalies in trust behavior would correspond to social cognition manifested in children with externalizing problems. A total of 171 (79 age-matched pairs) boys (mean age = 12.84; SD = 1.80) were recruited from community groups where social networks and relationships amongst peers have been established. A trust game was played under two conditions: an anonymous version where the identity of the trust game partner was not known and a "known identity" version where identities were revealed. Results supported the conclusion that boys with externalizing behavior problems are generally less trustworthy, but not less trusting and that this was true especially for the known identity version of the game. Moreover, anomalies in trust behavior were associated with hostile intentions, but not reflective of a general theory of mind deficit. This study contributes to an emerging literature using economic exchange games to investigate real-time, real-life exchanges in relation to psychopathology.


[Evaluation of the quality of blood glucose meters using the HemoCue B glucose system].
Analytical evaluation three models of blood glucose meters (Glucometer IV (Bayer), Glucotrend (Roche Diagnostics) and One touch (Life Scan, Johnson & Johnson)) were compared within a central laboratory to an analyzer (Hitachi 747, Boehringer-Mannheim, Grenoble, France) and to a photometric device (HemoCue B-glucose). Each glucose meters met the criteria of within-run precision defined by the Association Française d'Etudes du Diabète et des Maladies Métaboliques (ALFEDIAM). Furthermore, HemoCue B-glucose met criteria defined by the French Society of Biological Chemistry (SFBC). In the study realized within laboratory, 28 to 66% of glucose tests realized with meters differed by more than 10% from plasma values and 43% of glucose assays realized with different meters differed by more than 10% from HemoCue B-glucose value. Within clinical departments, 46 glucose meters from 5 different models were evaluated. Answers to a questionnaire stored in HemoCue B-glucose underlined the weak development of glucose meters quality assurance. Within clinical departments, 65% of glucose values realized with meters differed by more than 10% from reference values. Development in clinical departments of glucose meters quality assurance programs can be monitored by HemoCue B-glucose, and must allowed improvement of glucose meter quality.


Visual Functional-Structural Plant Modeling Innovatively as a Compound Eye: Opening a New Way for Advancing the Scientific Cognition of Plant Vision.
Plant vision is an interesting interdisciplinary branch of botany and vision science, and its emerging studies have composed an epic journey of discovery. However, there are few endeavors on modeling how a plant as an integrity sees. Inspired by the similarity between those discovered laws of plant vision and the visual performance of some insect species with compound eyes, the visual functional-structural plant modeling as a compound eye is innovatively proposed. Using this adapted basic-pattern-oriented modeling, we tried to validate its feasibility in terms of the structural support, visual pathway, and functional performance. First, for a diversity of woody plants, their crowns proved to show self-similar profiles, which render the omnidirectional surfaces for structurally supporting the proposed model. Second, for many plant species, their branching proved to abide by the Pareto front, which ensures the optimality of assuming the visual pathway along the branching network. Third, in canopies the varying, but existing horizontal and vertical modes of crown shyness are detected, which in functional performance accords with the panoramic visibility of the proposed model. Overall, the feasibility of compound eye modeling is validated preliminarily, with the implication of opening a way for advancing the scientific cognition of plant vision.