Detection of Neospora sp. from infected bovine tissues by PCR and probe hybridization.
Neospora sp. can cause fetal abortion or neurological disease in congenitally infected calves. Latent tissue stages in infected cows may contribute to vertical transmission of Neospora sp. from dam to offspring in multiple pregnancies. In this investigation, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Neospora-specific assay were employed to detect Neospora sp. by amplification of nuclear small-subunit rRNA gene sequences in infected cattle tissues. Tissues from 11 cattle, including 6 experimentally and 2 naturally infected cows, 1 naturally infected newborn calf, and 2 uninfected control cows, were evaluated in this study. Neospora-specific PCR products were amplified from DNAs of different bovine tissues, including brain, spinal cord, heart, lung, kidney, diaphragm, skeletal muscle, and placenta, as well as amniotic fluid samples of infected cattle. The PCR-based amplification and probe hybridization system proved useful in assessing the location of tissue-stage parasites in naturally and experimentally infected cattle, even when Neospora sp. antibody titers fall below normal cut-off values by an indirect immunofluorescent antibody test.


Estrogen receptor-alpha gene polymorphisms in patients with periodontitis.
Recent studies have shown that estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-alpha) gene polymorphisms are associated with alterations in bone mineral density and osteoporosis. It is unclear whether ER-alpha gene polymorphisms are associated with alveolar bone loss in patients with periodontitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between ER-alpha gene polymorphisms and periodontitis. Ninety patients with aggressive periodontitis, 34 patients with chronic periodontitis and 91 healthy controls were recruited in this study. All these subjects belonged to the Han Chinese race. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood of each subject. The ER-alpha gene was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) with PvuII and XbaI restriction endonucleases. The detection frequency of XX genotype was significantly higher in the chronic periodontitis patients than in the healthy controls (11.8% vs. 4.4%, p < 0.05). The difference between the female chronic periodontitis patients and healthy controls (26.7% vs. 2.1%, p < 0.01) was statistically significant, but no difference was found between the male patients and controls (p > 0.05). The detection frequency of PvuII ER genotypes was not statistically different among the three groups (p > 0.05). In female Han Chinese population, the XX genotype may be a risk indicator for chronic periodontitis.


[Mammals of Zoque Forest, Mexico: richness, use and conservation].
Zoque Forest is one of the richest and threatened regions in Southeastern Mexico, and for which few studies on mammal biology and use are available. Here we analyzed the conservation status of mammalian species according to Mexican and international laws, with an updated checklist of mammals in this forest, and some information on their use by some rural communities. Basic information was obtained from national and international collections and publications. A total of 42 fieldtrips, that followed conventional techniques, were conducted from 2003 through 2010, and some questionnaires to local hunters were applied. The mammalian fauna found in the area was composed of 149 species belonging to 99 genera and 30 families; these results support that the Zoque Forest is the richest in the number of mammalian species in Mexico. A total of 35 species were considered at risk by the Mexican National Law NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010, and 21 species were found to be registered in the IUCN Red List or in CITES. Of the 40 species included in any of the lists, only the Baird's tapir, jaguar and white-lipped peccary were included in all three lists and 14 species were shared by the two of them. The main uses of mammals in order of importance are: 1) bushmeat, 2) pets, 3) skins, and 4) traditional medicine. Subsistence hunting and trade are unofficially allowed for farmers in this area. As for now, the region has healthy populations of a large number of mammals even though they have been used by local residents. However, since a considerable number of these species are listed under some criterion of threat, local authorities are called for more control.


MSH2/MSH6 complex promotes error-free repair of AID-induced dU:G mispairs as well as error-prone hypermutation of A:T sites.
Mismatch repair of AID-generated dU:G mispairs is critical for class switch recombination (CSR) and somatic hypermutation (SHM) in B cells. The generation of a previously unavailable Msh2(-/-)Msh6(-/-) mouse has for the first time allowed us to examine the impact of the complete loss of MutSalpha on lymphomagenesis, CSR and SHM. The onset of T cell lymphomas and the survival of Msh2(-/-)Msh6(-/-) and Msh2(-/-)Msh6(-/-)Msh3(-/-) mice are indistinguishable from Msh2(-/-) mice, suggesting that MSH2 plays the critical role in protecting T cells from malignant transformation, presumably because it is essential for the formation of stable MutSalpha heterodimers that maintain genomic stability. The similar defects on switching in Msh2(-/-), Msh2(-/-)Msh6(-/-) and Msh2(-/-)Msh6(-/-)Msh3(-/-) mice confirm that MutSalpha but not MutSbeta plays an important role in CSR. Analysis of SHM in Msh2(-/-)Msh6(-/-) mice not only confirmed the error-prone role of MutSalpha in the generation of strand biased mutations at A:T bases, but also revealed an error-free role of MutSalpha when repairing some of the dU:G mispairs generated by AID on both DNA strands. We propose a model for the role of MutSalpha at the immunoglobulin locus where the local balance of error-free and error-prone repair has an impact in the spectrum of mutations introduced during Phase 2 of SHM.


Rapid sub-attomole microRNA detection on a portable microfluidic chip.
Microfluidic devices are an attractive choice for meeting the requirements of point-of-care microRNA detection. A method using a microfluidic device can drastically shorten the incubation time because the device conveys sample molecules right straight to the surface-immobilized probe DNAs by hydrodynamic force. In this review, we present an overview of a new method for rapid and sensitive microRNA detection from a small sample volume using a power-free microfluidic device driven by degassed poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Two key technologies for this detection method are summarized. One of the methods relies on the coaxial stacking effect of nucleic acids during sandwich hybridization. This effect is also efficient for stabilizing sandwich hybridization consisting of small DNA and microRNA. The other is the laminar flow-assisted dendritic amplification, which increases the fluorescent signal by supplying two amplification reagents from laminar streams to surface-bound molecules. Utilizing both technologies, microRNA detection is possible with a 0.5 pM detection limit from a 0.5 μL sample corresponding to 0.25 attomoles, with a detection time of 20 min. Since microRNAs are associated with various human diseases, future studies of these technologies might contribute to improved healthcare and may have both industrial and societal impacts.


Histamine food poisoning: a sudden, large outbreak linked to fresh yellowfin tuna from Reunion Island, France, April 2017.
On 20 April 2017, an outbreak of histamine food poisoning occurred in a French military unit located near Paris. A total of 40 cases were identified (attack rate: 16.6%). We conducted a case-control study on 31 cases and 63 controls. Multivariate analysis pointed to cooked yellowfin tuna fillet as the very likely source of food poisoning (odds ratio = 156.8; 95% confidence interval: 18.4-1,338.4). The fresh yellowfin tuna was from Reunion Island and was supplied vacuum-sealed and packed with ice at the principal food market of Paris. No cold chain issues could be established in the upstream and downstream supply chains. Histamine concentration was found to be 1,720 mg/kg in leftover raw tuna, and 3,720 mg/kg in control cooked tuna, well above the threshold limit values defined by European regulations (200 mg/kg). The presence of Klebsiella variicola and Pantoea agglomerans, microorganisms of the Enterobacterales order that have been reported to produce histamine, was confirmed in the leftover raw tuna. This type of food poisoning is rarely recognised and confirmed. We describe the outbreak to highlight the specific key points of this type of investigation.


Biomechanics of the chick embryonic heart outflow tract at HH18 using 4D optical coherence tomography imaging and computational modeling.
During developmental stages, biomechanical stimuli on cardiac cells modulate genetic programs, and deviations from normal stimuli can lead to cardiac defects. Therefore, it is important to characterize normal cardiac biomechanical stimuli during early developmental stages. Using the chicken embryo model of cardiac development, we focused on characterizing biomechanical stimuli on the Hamburger-Hamilton (HH) 18 chick cardiac outflow tract (OFT), the distal portion of the heart from which a large portion of defects observed in humans originate. To characterize biomechanical stimuli in the OFT, we used a combination of in vivo optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging, physiological measurements and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling. We found that, at HH18, the proximal portion of the OFT wall undergoes larger circumferential strains than its distal portion, while the distal portion of the OFT wall undergoes larger wall stresses. Maximal wall shear stresses were generally found on the surface of endocardial cushions, which are protrusions of extracellular matrix onto the OFT lumen that later during development give rise to cardiac septa and valves. The non-uniform spatial and temporal distributions of stresses and strains in the OFT walls provide biomechanical cues to cardiac cells that likely aid in the extensive differential growth and remodeling patterns observed during normal development.


Model calculations of time dependent responses to binaural stimuli in the dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus.
In a previous paper (Reed and Blum, 1999), we examined the connectional hypotheses put forward by Markovitz and Pollak (1994) to explain the steady-state behavior of cells in the dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus (DNLL). We found that the steady-state outputs of the four major binaural types of cells found in the DNLL (EI, EI/F, EE/I, and EE/FI) could be accounted for by known connectional patterns using only one or two cells per nucleus and quite simple hypotheses on cell behavior. In this study, we examine the time course of DNLL outputs in response to constant, ongoing, monaural or binaural sounds of various intensities. The model auditory nerve fibers ramp up linearly (usually in 2 ms) to full firing and the anteroventral cochlear nucleus cells have primary-like discharge patterns. Fixed time delays of 1 ms at each synapse are included; other time delays are employed when necessary to understand and reproduce specific features of the experimental data. We find that the connectional patterns utilized in our previous study can account for the rich variety of temporal response patterns found experimentally in the DNLL. Our main findings are: (1) all of the four major binaural types of cells can arise from modifications of the basic connectional pattern that produces EI cells; (2) both excitation and inhibition from the ipsilateral lateral superior olive (LSO) are required to understand DNLL responses; (3) pauser behavior can arise either from time delayed inhibition from a DNLL interneuron or by projection from the LSO; (4) two different mechanisms can account for the ipsilaterally evoked onset response; (5) to explain completely the temporal discharge pattern and binaural interactions of EE/FI cells, a projection from the contralateral DNLL via the commissure of Probst is necessary.


Pten facilitates epiblast epithelial polarization and proamniotic lumen formation in early mouse embryos.
Phosphatase and tensin homologue on chromosome 10 (Pten), a lipid phosphatase originally identified as a tumor-suppressor gene, regulates the phosphoinositol 3 kinase signaling pathway and impacts cell death and proliferation. Pten mutant embryos die at early stages of development, although the particular developmental deficiency and the mechanisms are not yet fully understood. We analyzed Pten mutant embryos in detail and found that the formation of the proamniotic cavity is impaired. Embryoid bodies derived from Pten-null embryonic stem cells failed to undergo cavitation, reproducing the embryonic phenotype in vitro. Analysis of embryoid bodies and embryos revealed a role of Pten in the initiation of the focal point of the epithelial rosette that develops into the proamniotic lumen, and in establishment of epithelial polarity to transform the amorphous epiblast cells into a polarized epithelium. We conclude that Pten is required for proamniotic cavity formation by establishing polarity for epiblast cells to form a rosette that expands into the proamniotic lumen, rather than facilitating apoptosis to create the cavity. Developmental Dynamics 246:517-530, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Perforated jejunal diverticulitis.
The 25th case of perforated jejunal diverticulitis is reported and all previous cases are reviewed. The mortality in this group of patients is 32%. Resection of the perforated segment with end-to-end anastomosis seems to offer the best chance of cure.


[Structure, localization and physiologic role of pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP)].
PACAP was isolated on the basis of its ability to stimulate adenylate cyclase in primary anterior pituitary cell culture from ovine hypothalami by Miyata et al. in 1989. This peptide is structurally related to the secretin family and shows a 67% sequence homology with vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). The amino acid sequence of PACAP has been highly preserved during the evolution that may be connected with its important physiological role. Similar to other "brain-gut peptides" PACAP is localized not only in the central but in the peripheral nervous system and in non-neural tissues as well. In addition to its hypophysiotropic effects in the hypothalamo-hypophysial system PACAP exerts its effects on water-salt balance, cardiovascular functions, gastrointestinal motility and secretion and also on the regulation of reproductive functions. PACAP has a role in certain neuro-immuno-endocrine processes, in the differentiation of the nervous system, and it has neuroprotective effects in the case of ischaemia and various toxic agents. Locally PACAP takes its effects as an auto- and paracrine hormone, a neurotransmitter or a neuromodulator in different organs. Besides VIP, PACAP plays an important role in the function of the photo-neuro-endocrine system.


Hexagonal Molecular Tiling by Hexagonal Macrocycles at the Liquid/Solid Interface: Structural Effects on Packing Geometry.
We present here hexagonal tiling using hexagonal phenylene-ethynylene and phenylene-butadiynylene macrocycles attached by alkyl ester groups, PEM-C6 and PBM-C8, respectively, or triethylene glycol ester groups, PEM-TEG and PBM-TEG, respectively, at each vertex of the macrocyclic periphery at the liquid/solid interface. In this study, we focused on the effects of macrocyclic core size and the chemical properties of side chains attached to macrocyclic cores as well as solute concentrations on the hexagonal geometry of self-assembled monolayers. STM observations at the 1,2,4-trichrolobenzene/graphite interface revealed that PEM-C6 formed a honeycomb structure by van der Waals interactions between the interdigitated alkyl chains. However, upon increasing solute concentration, it changed to more dense hexagonal structure (tentatively called loose hexagonal structure I). In contrast, PBM-C8 formed loose hexagonal structure II of a slightly different packing mode at low concentration, while at high concentration it formed a high-density hexagonal structure in which alkyl chains are not adsorbed on the surface (dense hexagonal structure). In the dense hexagonal structure, macrocyclic cores are linked by hydrogen bonds between the ester carbonyl oxygen and the aromatic hydrogen atoms of the neighboring macrocycles. The packing geometries of loose hexagonal structures of PEM-C6 and PBM-C8 are different due to the different distance between the attachment of the alkyl ester groups which are located in confined space. On the other hand, PEM-TEG and PBM-TEG formed dense hexagonal structures, similar to PBM-C8 at high concentration, with their TEG units not adsorbed on the surface.


Cerebellar stimulation in the management of medically intractable epilepsy: a systematic and critical review.
The wide application of deep brain stimulation in the management of movement as well as other degenerative neurological and psychiatric disorders has renewed the interest in using deep brain stimulation in the management of medically intractable epilepsy. Various stimulation targets have been used with significantly varying results in aborting seizure activity. Electrical cerebellar stimulation (CS) has been used for more than 50 years in the management of epilepsy, with conflicting results. In the current study, the authors review the pertinent literature to outline the role of CS in the management of medically refractory epilepsy. The PubMed medical database was systematically searched for the following terms: "cerebellar," "epilepsy," "stimulation," and "treatment," and all their combinations. Case reports were excluded from this study. The pertinent articles were categorized into 2 large groups: animal experimental and human clinical studies. Particular emphasis on the following aspects was given when reviewing the human clinical studies: their methodological characteristics, the number of participants, their seizure types, the implantation technique and its associated complications, the exact stimulation target, the stimulation technique, the seizure outcome, and the patients' psychological and social poststimulation status. Three clinical double-blind studies were found, with similar implantation surgical technique, stimulation target, and stimulation parameters, but quite contradictory results. Two of these studies failed to demonstrate any significant seizure reduction, whereas the third one showed a significant poststimulation decrease in seizure frequency. All possible factors responsible for these differences in the findings are analyzed in the present study. Cerebellar stimulation seems to remain a stimulation target worth exploring for defining its potential in the treatment of medically intractable epilepsy, although the data from the double-blind clinical studies that were performed failed to establish a clear benefit in regard to seizure frequency. A large-scale, double-blind clinical study is required for accurately defining the efficacy of CS in epilepsy treatment.


Genital human papillomavirus infections in patients attending an inner-city STD clinic.
One hundred and sixteen consecutive women attending a Baltimore City STD clinic were studied for the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection of the genital tract using three criteria: presence of clinically recognized (visible) genital warts, cytopathologic evidence suggestive of HPV infection in a Papanicolaou smear, and analysis of cervical scrapes for genital tract HPV genomic sequences by Southern hybridization. The women were young (median age: 22 years) and more than 80% had a history of one or more STDs. The prevalences were 17% for visible warts, 41% for cytologic findings suggestive of HPV infection, and 12% for HPV DNA in cervical scrapes. Comparing the results of the three techniques, HPV DNA was found significantly more often in cytopathology-positive women than in cytopathology-negative women (18% vs. 5%, P = 0.05) and in women with visible warts than in women without visible warts (29% vs. 6%, P = 0.01). Visible warts were more common in women with HPV-DNA-positive cervical scrapes than in HPV-negative women (50% vs. 14%, P = .01). Although 52% of women were judged as infected by at least one of the three criteria, only 4% were infected by using all three criteria. The prevalence of infection was 23% if cytopathology alone was excluded as evidence of HPV infection. These results indicate the difficulty in an accurate estimation of the prevalence of HPV infections, even in a high-risk population.


Socioeconomic Growth, Culture Scale, and Household Well-Being. A Test of the Power-Elite Hypothesis.
Socioeconomic growth is an elite-directed process that concentrates social power in direct proportion to increases in culture scale. Power elites have controlled social power to their own advantage in at least three different ways: domestically, by means of kinship, politically, by means of rulers, and commercially, by means of the market. Each method produces its own growth trajectory and scale of culture and a distinctive distribution of elite power and household living standards. Ethnographic data on urban property ownership in 27 municipalities in the Palouse region of eastern Washington suggest that when power is commercially organized and villages become towns and cities, there is a dramatic increase not only in the number of prosperous households but even more in the number of poor and maintenance-level households. Elite property owners, who most benefit from growth, assume a larger role in municipal government, where they can encourage further growth through municipal annexations and zoning changes. Thus, as elite power becomes increasingly concentrated, the growth process itself tends to become self-perpetuating. In the Palouse example, small, no-growth municipalities appear to be politically more democratic than larger-scale, growing municipalities and household well-being in them more equitably distributed.


Coinfection and Mortality in Pneumonia-Related Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Patients with Bronchoalveolar Lavage: A Prospective Observational Study.
Pneumonia is the leading risk factor of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). It is increasing studies in patients with pneumonia to reveal that coinfection with viral and bacterial infection can lead to poorer outcomes than no coinfection. This study evaluated the role of coinfection identified through bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) examination on the outcomes of pneumonia-related ARDS. We performed a prospective observational study at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital from October 2012 to May 2015. Adult patients were included if they met the Berlin definition of ARDS. The indications for BAL were clinically suspected pneumonia-related ARDS and no definite microbial sample identified from tracheal aspirate or sputum. The presence of microbial pathogens and clinical outcomes were analyzed. Of the 19,936 patients screened, 902 (4.5%) fulfilled the Berlin definition of ARDS. Of these patients, 255 (22.7%) had pneumonia-related ARDS and were included for analysis. A total of 142 (55.7%) patients were identified to have a microbial pathogen through BAL and were classified into three groups: a virus-only group (n = 41 [28.9%]), no virus group (n = 60 [42.2%]), and coinfection group (n = 41 [28.9%]). ARDS severity did not differ significantly between the groups (P = 0.43). The hospital mortality rates were 53.7% in virus-only identified group, 63.3% in no virus identified group, and 80.5% in coinfection identified group. The coinfection group had significantly higher mortality than virus-only group (80.5% vs. 53.7%; P = 0.01). In patients with pneumonia-related ARDS, the BAL pathogen-positive patients had a trend of higher mortality rate than pathogen-negative patients. Coinfection with a virus and another pathogen was associated with increased hospital mortality in pneumonia-related ARDS patients.


Effects of the route of infection on immunoglobulin G subclasses and specificity of the reovirus-specific humoral immune response.
Reovirus serotype 1, strain Lang (T1/L), a well characterized enteric virus, elicits humoral and cellular immune responses in mice. Although orally and intradermally induced infections generate comparable reovirus-specific serum antibody titers, little is known about the effects of the route of infection on the systemic immunoglobulin G (IgG) response. To assess whether the route of exposure affects virus-specific humoral immunity, we infected various strains of mice with reovirus T1/L by the oral or intradermal routes. At day 10 following infection, virus-specific serum antibody titers and IgG subclasses were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum IgG2a and IgG2b antibodies were detected in all mouse strains independent of the route of infection. Mice of the H-2d haplotype that received an intradermal infection also had high levels of reovirus-specific serum IgG1. This dichotomy of responses was not associated with differences in the types of cytokine produced by draining peripheral lymph nodes. However, peripheral lymph node lymphocytes from C3H mice produced significantly higher levels of gamma interferon than did BALB/c, C57BL/6, and B10.D2 mice. Additionally, peripheral lymph node lymphocytes from all strains of mice produced only low levels of interleukin-5, with no detectable level of interleukin-4 or interleukin-6. Analysis of specific antibody at inductive sites of the immune response showed that orally infected Peyer's patches produced predominantly IgA and intradermally infected peripheral lymph nodes produced predominantly IgG2a. Western blot (immunoblot) analysis showed that virus-specific IgA, IgG1, and IgG2a reacted with reovirus structural proteins. These data suggest that the route of infection affects the isotype and IgG subclasses, but not the antigen specificity, of the local antibody response. In addition, virus-specific IgG1 generated following an intradermally induced infection is linked to the H-2d major histocompatibility complex haplotype.


Linkage analysis demonstrates that the prothrombin G20210A mutation jointly influences plasma prothrombin levels and risk of thrombosis.
Association studies suggest that the G20210A mutation (G to A substitution at nucleotide position 20210) in the prothrombin gene (PT) is associated with increased plasma prothrombin activity and with increased risk for venous thromboembolism. To test directly for linkage between this PT variant and plasma prothrombin activity we performed a family-based study. The G20210A genotypes and plasma prothrombin activity levels were determined in 435 individuals belonging to 22 extended Spanish families. The sample was composed of 388 homozygous (G/G) normal individuals and 43 heterozygote (G/A) and 4 homozygote (A/A) carriers for the G20210A mutation. The results of variance-component linkage analysis yielded a highly significant lod score of 3.6 (P = 2.4 x 10(-5)) between this mutation and a quantitative trait locus (QTL) that influences prothrombin activity. Importantly, a conditional linkage analysis that simultaneously accounted for association with the G20210A variant completely eliminated the linkage signal, which indicates that this mutation affects the function of the prothrombin gene. Additionally, a bivariate linkage analysis of plasma prothrombin activity and thrombosis significantly improved the linkage signal for prothrombin activity (lod score = 4.7; P = 1.5 x 10(-6)) and provided strong evidence that this QTL has a pleiotropic effect on the risk of thrombosis (lod score = 2.43; P =.0004). These results represent the first direct genetic evidence that a QTL in the PT gene influences prothrombin activity levels and susceptibility to thrombosis and strongly support the conclusion that G20210A is a functional polymorphism. (Blood. 2000;95:2780-2785)


The circadian system modulates the rate of recovery of systolic blood pressure after exercise in humans.
Recovery rates of systolic blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) after exercise have been used to assess cardiovascular fitness, and slower recovery rates are predictors of coronary heart disease and cardiac mortality. The endogenous circadian system is known to modulate BP and HR at rest and during exercise. Here, we examined whether the post-exercise recovery rates of BP and HR are also under circadian control. Twelve healthy adults (mean age = 26 ± 6 (SD) years; 6 female) participated in a 240 h forced desynchrony protocol in dim light where all behaviors, including 15 min cycle exercise tests at 60% maximal HR, were uniformly distributed across the circadian cycle. Circadian phases were assigned based on the rhythm of core body temperature. For each session, HR was measured continuously, and BP every 3-5 min throughout baseline, exercise, and recovery. Recovery was quantified as the proportional return to pre-exercise baseline levels following exercise ([peak exercise-recovery]/[peak exercise-baseline) × 100%], whereby 100% represents full recovery to baseline). There was a significant circadian rhythm in systolic BP recovery, with fastest recovery at the circadian phase corresponding to late afternoon (equivalent to ~5 pm) and slower recovery across the early morning (~8:30 am; p = 0.029, peak-to-trough: 9.2%). There were no significant circadian variations in post-exercise recovery rates of diastolic BP or HR. The circadian system modulates the rate of recovery of systolic BP after exercise with fastest recovery in the biological afternoon. These data could have implications for exercise prescription and interpretation of clinical tests of stress recovery.


Association Between Tetralogy of Fallot and Psychiatric Disorders: A Nationwide Cohort Study.
The tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) has been reported to be associated with some neurodevelopmental impairment and psychiatric disorders. Nevertheless, a nationwide study to clarify the risk between TOF and comorbid psychiatric disorders is lacking. Using a nationwide database in Taiwan, this study aimed to explore the role of TOF in various psychiatric disorders and analyze whether there are patient-related risk factors. A total of 16,824 enrolled patients, including 4,206 study subjects who were diagnosed with TOF and 12,618 controls with TOF matched (1:3) for sex, age, hospital visits, and index year, were randomly selected from the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) between 2000 and 2015. Patients' diagnoses in the NHIRD were encoded using International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Of patients with TOF, 256 (6.09%) developed psychiatric disorders compared to 394 (3.12%) in the control group. After adjusting for covariates, the adjusted hazard ratio of psychiatric disorders for patients with TOF was 3.192 (95% CI, 2.683-3.798; P < .001). After exclusion of psychiatric diagnoses within the first 5 years, TOF was associated with an increased risk of anxiety (P < .001), depression (P < .001), bipolar disorder (P < .001), and sleep disorders (P = .005). This study revealed that TOF patients have a nearly 3-fold higher risk of psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, depressive, bipolar, and sleep disorders, than the general population. Therefore, continued mental health screening and surveillance are warranted in TOF patients.


A database for MR-based electrical properties tomography with in silico brain data-ADEPT.
Several reconstruction methods for MR-based electrical properties tomography (EPT) have been developed. However, the lack of common data makes it difficult to objectively compare their performances. This is, however, a necessary precursor for standardizing and introducing this technique in the clinical setting. To enable objective comparison of the performances of reconstruction methods and provide common data for their training and testing, we created ADEPT, a database of simulated data for brain MR-EPT reconstructions. ADEPT is a database containing in silico data for brain EPT reconstructions. This database was created from 25 different brain models, with and without tumors. Rigid geometric augmentations were applied, and different electrical properties were assigned to white matter, gray matter, CSF, and tumors to generate 120 different brain models. These models were used as input for finite-difference time-domain simulations in Sim4Life, used to compute the electromagnetic fields needed for MR-EPT reconstructions. Electromagnetic fields from 84 healthy and 36 tumor brain models were simulated. The simulated fields relevant for MR-EPT reconstructions (transmit and receive RF fields and transceive phase) and their ground-truth electrical properties are made publicly available through ADEPT. Additionally, nonattainable fields such as the total magnetic field and the electric field are available upon request. ADEPT will serve as reference database for objective comparisons of reconstruction methods and will be a first step toward standardization of MR-EPT reconstructions. Furthermore, it provides a large amount of data that can be exploited to train data-driven methods. It can be accessed from https://doi.org/10.34894/V0HBJ8.


Lipogranulomas as complications of septorhinoplasty.
Nasal tumors caused by lipogranulomas are a rare complication of a rhinoplasty; only 1 report of this occurrence was found in the literature. To present a series of 4 patients with subcutaneous nasal tumors after each had undergone a rhinoplasty, together with a review of the literature and the clinical consequences. Case series. Hospitalized care at a university ear, nose, and throat department. Four patients were referred within 6 months from a single department for consultation because of broad nasal pyramids after each patient had undergone a rhinoplasty. The origin of the deformities was not known. Ear, nose, and throat and ultrasound examinations and computed tomography (ie, bone and soft tissue examinations). Two patients had undergone revision surgery and histological examinations of subcutaneous fibrous tissue. Search for the origin of the nasal deformity. All 4 patients had wide nasal pyramids. One of the 4 patients also had subcutaneous tumors of the nasal dorsum, glabella, and medial canthus area; this patient had subcutaneous cystic lesions on computed tomography and ultrasound examination and a foreign body reaction around "empty spaces" on histological examination. The tumorlike lesions were the result of displaced ointment from the endonasal packings. Two of the 4 patients with minor deformities did not undergo any surgical revision, and they still had some moderate reduction of the cystic lesions within 1 year after the rhinoplasty. Lipogranulomas caused by ointments that are used together with nasal packings are most often reported in the orbit after endonasal sinus surgery. The incidence should be more frequent in patients who undergo a rhinoplasty because connections between the endonasal cavity and the extranasal subcutaneous layer are created routinely by osteotomies or removal of a hump. Thus, postoperative deformities (eg, inadequate narrowing of the bony pyramid or supratip thickening [permanent swelling of the nasal tip]) should be examined by use of computed tomography, if lipid ointments were used endonasally. For prevention, no lipid substances should be applied together with pressure from packings. In the case of a lipogranuloma, surgical removal via an open approach is the treatment of choice.


Home produced eggs: An important pathway of human exposure to perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) around a fluorochemical industrial park in China.
Dietary intake is considered to be a major pathway of human exposure to perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs). Chicken egg is an important contributor to the Chinese diet. In the present study, PFAAs in home produced eggs (HPEs) and commercially produced eggs (CPEs) surrounding a fluorochemical industrial park (FIP) in China were investigated. PFAAs in HPEs decreased with increasing distance from the FIP. HPEs were much more contaminated than CPEs, with PFAAs in CPEs comparable to or lower than those in HPEs from 20km away from the FIP. PFOA concentrations in HPEs were higher than the levels of PFOA in eggs from other studies reported so far. For the first time, PFBA was reported in eggs and detected in all egg samples. PFOA and PFBA were the predominant forms in HPEs, while PFOA, PFBA and PFOS dominated in CPEs. For PFOA, estimated daily intakes (EDI) were 233ng/kg·bw/day for adults and 657ng/kg·bw/day for children who consume HPEs at households about 2km away from the FIP. The EDI of PFOA for children via HPEs exceeded the reference dose value (333ng/kg·bw/day) proposed by the Environmental Working Group.


The prevalence of asthma in children of elementary school age in western New York.
To determine the prevalence of caregiver-reported asthma in children 4 to 13 years old in metropolitan western New York State, surveys were conducted during 1997-1999 in the Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Iroquois, and Gowanda school systems. Questionnaires (3,889) were sent to the homes of elementary school children in nine schools in western New York. The caregivers were asked to complete a 13-item questionnaire for the child. Of the questionnaires, 60.5% (2,353/3,889) were completed. Of all children, 18% had physician-diagnosed asthma. Of children diagnosed with asthma, 86% were taking medication. Symptoms were consistent with suspected undiagnosed asthma for 13% of the children. Buffalo had the highest rate of diagnosed asthma (20%) for the age group. Gowanda had a prevalence of 18%, Iroquois 16%, and Niagara Falls 15%. Variations were observed in asthma prevalence rates among different racial/ethnic groups. In general, boys had a significantly (P = .001) increased odds of being asthmatic compared with girls. Overall, African-Americans and Hispanic/Latino children had significantly (P = .012 and P = .005, respectively) higher asthma prevalence rates, two to five times those of their Caucasian peers. In Gowanda, the prevalence of diagnosed asthma among Native American children was 23%, compared to 15% among Caucasian children. Of diagnosed Native American children, 71% were female. In Gowanda, a significant association (P = .007) of asthma among children in split-grade classes was observed compared to nonsplit grades. Of Native American children in split grades, 60% were diagnosed asthmatics. These observations reveal a high prevalence of asthma in the age group of 4 to 13 year olds in western New York. Local variations in potential triggers of asthma need to be considered when advising asthmatics. The results suggest that some grades have a disproportionate amount of children with asthma. The implications of asthma for children's early education need to be examined further.


[Attraction of Sphenophorus levis Vaurie adults (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) to vegetal tissues at different conservation levels].
The occurrence of the sugarcane weevil Sphenophorus levis Vaurie is important in sugarcane in some regions in Brazil. Damage is caused by the larvae as they bore into the nodes and can reach 30 ton/ha/year. Many control alternatives have been attempted, but none were satisfactory, except for the use of toxic baits. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize their efficiency or to propose new techniques. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the attractiveness of adults of S. levis to sugarcane nodes and pineapple peelings in an 'Y' tube olfactometer. The sugarcane internodes were treated with 10% molasses, and tested after different periods of fermentation (24, 48 e 72h), at different times of the day (diurnal and nocturnal) and with both sexes. These tests were carried out in order to correlate the response of S. levis to ethyl acetate and ethanol release as a result of the fermentation process. The release of both compounds was monitored by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Our data indicated that sugarcane internodes mixed with 10% molasses fermented for 24h and 48h were the most attractive to S. levis (up to 90%). Pineapple peelings attracted 62.5% of the tested insects. The olfactory response was higher during the day, and no differences were found between the sexes. The production of ethanol in all plant substrates was higher than ethyl acetate, but we could not establish a clear correlation with the insect response to baits.


Thin-section CT in the examination of cervical disc herniation. A prospective study with 1-mm axial and helical images.
The aim of the investigation was to determine whether thin-section high-resolution CT imaging could replace MR imaging and/or myelography in preoperative evaluation of radiculopathy and/or myelopathy. A total of 120 patients, referred for cervical myelography (n=107) or MR imaging (n=13), were further examined with 1-mm non-contrast CT of the suspected disc space, including at least the next cephalic and caudal interspaces. Thirty-seven patients underwent Cloward's operation, at which 32 were found to have disc herniation. The sensitivities of CT (n=37), myelography (n=29) and MR imaging (n=8) were 66%, 84%, and 86%, respectively. The corresponding figures for false-positives were 8%, 10%, and 13%. Artefacts caused by wide shoulders in the 1-mm CT images were estimated to have contributed to a false-negative finding in 8 cases. The remaining 3 false-negatives were retrospectively considered evaluation errors. The true-positive CT findings usually presented with a local disc bulge measuring over 80 HU in density. Local ligamentous hypertrophy presented an indistinguishable finding in 3 cases, yielding false-positive CT findings. Conventional thin-section CT is considered a usable alternative for the evaluation of suspected cervical disc herniations in selected patients. Stocky patients with wide shoulders and a short neck are not suitable candidates, even when new generation equipment is available.


Anemia and clinical outcomes in patients with non-dialysis dependent or dialysis dependent severe chronic kidney disease: a Danish population-based study.
Routine clinical evidence is limited on clinical outcomes associated with anemia in patients with severe chronic kidney disease (CKD). We linked population-based medical databases to identify individuals with severe CKD (eGFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2) in Northern Denmark from 2000 to 2016, including prevalent patients as of 1 January 2009 or incident patients hereafter into the study. We classified patients as non-anemic (≥ 12/≥ 13 g/dl hemoglobin (Hgb) in women/men), anemia grade 1 (10-12/13 g/dl Hgb in women/men), 2 (8-10 g/dl Hgb), and 3+ (< 8 g/dl Hgb), allowing persons to contribute with patient profiles and risk time in consecutively more severe anemia grade cohorts. Patients were stratified by dialysis status and followed for clinical outcomes. We identified 16,972 CKD patients contributing with a total of 28,510 anemia patient profiles, of which 3594 had dialysis dependent (DD) and 24,916 had non-dialysis dependent (NDD) severe CKD. Overall, 14% had no anemia, 35% grade 1 anemia, 44% grade 2 anemia and 17% grade 3+ anemia. Compared to patients with no anemia, adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for NDD patients with grade 3+ anemia were elevated for incident dialysis (1.91, 95% CI 1.61-2.26), any acute hospitalization (1.74, 95% CI 1.57-1.93), all-cause death (1.82, 95% CI 1.70-1.94), and MACE (1.14, 95% CI 1.02-1.26). Similar HRs were observed among DD patients. Among NDD or DD patients with severe CKD, presence and severity of anemia were associated with increased risks of incident dialysis for NDD patients and with acute hospitalizations, death and MACE for all patients.


Chemical properties and toxicity of chromium(III) nutritional supplements.
The status of Cr(III) as an essential micronutrient for humans is currently under question. No functional Cr(III)-containing biomolecules have been definitively described as yet, and accumulated experience in the use of Cr(III) nutritional supplements (such as [Cr(pic) 3], where pic = 2-pyridinecarboxylato) has shown no measurable benefits for nondiabetic people. Although the use of large doses of Cr(III) supplements may lead to improvements in glucose metabolism for type 2 diabetics, there is a growing concern over the possible genotoxicity of these compounds, particularly of [Cr(pic) 3]. The current perspective discusses chemical transformations of Cr(III) nutritional supplements in biological media, with implications for both beneficial and toxic actions of Cr(III) complexes, which are likely to arise from the same biochemical mechanisms, dependent on concentrations of the reactive species. These species include: (i) partial hydrolysis products of Cr(III) nutritional supplements, which are capable of binding to biological macromolecules and altering their functions; and (ii) highly reactive Cr(VI/V/IV) species and organic radicals, formed in reactions of Cr(III) with biological oxidants. Low concentrations of these species are likely to cause alterations in cell signaling (including enhancement of insulin signaling) through interactions with the active centers of regulatory enzymes in the cell membrane or in the cytoplasm, while higher concentrations are likely to produce genotoxic DNA lesions in the cell nucleus. These data suggest that the potential for genotoxic side-effects of Cr(III) complexes may outweigh their possible benefits as insulin enhancers, and that recommendations for their use as either nutritional supplements or antidiabetic drugs need to be reconsidered in light of these recent findings.


Atmospheric peroxides in a polluted subtropical environment: seasonal variation, sources and sinks, and importance of heterogeneous processes.
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and organic peroxides play an important role in atmospheric chemistry, but knowledge of their abundances, sources, and sinks from heterogeneous processes remains incomplete. Here we report the measurement results obtained in four seasons during 2011-2012 at a suburban site and a background site in Hong Kong. Organic peroxides were found to be more abundant than H2O2, which is in contrast to most previous observations. Model calculations with a multiphase chemical mechanism suggest important contributions from heterogeneous processes (primarily transition metal ion [TMI]-HOx reactions) to the H2O2 budget, accounting for about one-third and more than half of total production rate and loss rate, respectively. In comparison, they contribute much less to organic peroxides. The fast removal of H2O2 by these heterogeneous reactions explains the observed high organic peroxide fractions. Sensitivity analysis reveals that the role of heterogeneous processes depends on the abundance of soluble metals in aerosol, serving as a net H2O2 source at low metal concentrations, but as a net sink with high metal loading. The findings of this study suggest the need to consider the chemical processes in the aerosol aqueous phase when examining the chemical budget of gas-phase H2O2.


Early-infantile developmental and epileptic encephalopathy: the aetiologies, phenotypic differences and outcomes-a prospective observational study.
In this study, we have evaluated the underlying aetiologies, yield of genetic testing and long-term outcomes in patients with early-infantile developmental and epileptic encephalopathies. We have prospectively studied patients with seizure onset before 3 months of age. Based on the clinical details, neuroimaging, metabolic testing and comprehensive genetic evaluation, patients were classified into different aetiological groups. The phenotypic differences between genetic/unknown groups and remaining aetiologies were compared. Factors that could affect seizure control were also assessed. A total of 80 children (M:F ratio-1.5:1) were recruited. The median seizure onset age was 28 days (range, 1-90 days). The aetiologies were confirmed in 66 patients (83%). The patients were further classified into four aetiological groups: genetic (50%), structural (19%), metabolic (14%; all were vitamin responsive) and unknown (17%). On comparing for the phenotypic differences between the groups, children in the 'genetic/unknown' groups were more frequently observed to have severe developmental delay (Odds Ratio = 57; P < 0.0001), autistic behaviours (Odds Ratio = 37; P < 0.0001), tone abnormalities (Odds Ratio = 9; P = 0.0006) and movement disorder (Odds Ratio = 19; P < 0.0001). Clonic seizures were more common in the vitamin responsive/structural groups (Risk Ratio = 1.36; P = 0.05) as compared to patients with 'genetic/unknown' aetiologies. On the contrary, vitamin responsive/structural aetiology patients were less likely to have tonic seizures (Risk Ratio = 0.66; P = 0.04). Metabolic testing was diagnostic in three out of 41 patients tested (all three had biotinidase deficiency). MRI was abnormal in 35/80 patients (malformation observed in 16/35; 19/35 had non-specific changes that did not contribute to underlying aetiology). A molecular diagnosis was achieved in 53 out of 77 patients tested (69%). Next-generation sequencing had a yield of 51%, while microarray had a yield of 14%. STXBP1 was the most common (five patients) single-gene defect identified. There were 24 novel variants. The mean follow-up period was 30 months (range, 4-72 months). On multivariate logistic regression for the important factors that could affect seizure control (seizure onset age, time lag of first visit to paediatric neurologist and aetiologies), only vitamin responsive aetiology had a statistically significant positive effect on seizure control (P = 0.02). Genetic aetiologies are the most common cause of early-infantile developmental and epileptic encephalopathies. Patients in the genetic/unknown groups had a more severe phenotype. Patients with vitamin responsive epilepsies had the best probability of seizure control.


Limb salvage surgery for osteosarcoma: Early results in Indian patients.
While limb salvage surgery has long been established as the standard of care for osteosarcoma, large studies from Indian centers are few. Given the diverse socio economic milieu of our patients, it becomes significant to determine the feasibility and outcome of management of osteosarcoma in our population. We analyzed the early outcome of limb salvage surgery with multimodality treatment of osteosarcoma of the extremity/girdle bones at a tertiary North Indian Cancer Centre. A total of 51 limb salvage surgeries performed during the months between November 2008 and November 2012 were studied. Neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy was given by the pediatric/adult medical oncology teams as applicable. The mean followup was 19.45 months (range 2-50 months). The oncological outcome was correlated with age, sex, size of tumor, stage at presentation, site, histological subtype, type of chemotherapy protocol followed and necrosis seen on postoperative examination of resected specimen. The functional outcome of the patients was evaluated using the musculoskeletal tumor society (MSTS) scoring system. Out of a total of 37 males and 14 females with an average age of 18.8 years, the 3 year overall survival was 66% and 3 year event free survival was 61.8%. In this group of patients with a short followup, a better oncological outcome was associated with good postoperative tumor necrosis, nonchondroblastic histology and age <14 years. The average MSTS score was highest in patients with proximal or distal femur prosthesis and the lowest in patients undergoing a knee arthrodesis. The present study shows oncological and functional outcomes of limb salvage combined with chemotherapy in Indian patients with osteosarcoma comparable to those in world literature. Larger studies on Indian population with longer followup are recommended.


Xylanase production by Aspergillus niger FTCC 5003 using palm kernel cake in fermentative bioprocess.
The production of xylanase from palm kernel cake as a substrate was studied in solid substrate fermentation. The simultaneous effects of three independent variables, namely incubation temperature, initial moisture content of substrate and air flow rate on xylanase production were evaluated by response surface methodology using central composite face centered design. A total of 18 experiments were carried out in which Aspergillus niger FTCC 5003 was cultivated on palm kernel cake in a column bioreactor for 7 days under incubation temperature, moisture level and aeration rate determined. Test results showed that the highest xylanase activity of 174.88 U g(-1) was produced at incubation temperature, initial moisture level and aeration rate of 25 degrees C, 60% and 1.5 L min(-1), respectively. The statistical analysis of the experimental results revealed that the linear effect of incubation temperature and quadratic term of initial moisture content had highly significant effects on xylanase production (p<0.01). Statistical results also showed that interaction effect between incubation temperature and initial moisture content as well as interaction effect between moisture level and aeration rate influenced the yield ofxylanase at probability levels of 95%. Optimum conditions determined by statistical model for attaining maximum xylanase production were incubation temperature of 25 degrees C, initial moisture level of 63% and aeration rate of 1.76 L min(-1). The xylanase activity of 192.50 U g(-1) was obtained when solid substrate fermentation was performed under the optimal circumstances.


On a probabilistic set covering model for diagnosing psychiatric disorders.
Correct diagnosis and treatment of the patients attending a hospital is the foremost requirement if that hospital is to be a profitable proposition. F.T. DeDombal achieved 70% reduction in unwanted surgeries and almost 100% reduction in delayed surgeries in cases of acute abdomen through computer-aided diagnosis. Similarly, R. Boom et al proved an increase in the professional efficiency of internees in diagnosing cases of jaundice, acute abdominal pain & upper G.I. bleeding after they started using computer. N.G. Rao reported diagnostic accuracy of 94% for various types of anemias with the use of expert system developed by him. Johri & Guha showed an enhancement of performance of non-expert clinician in tackling psychiatric disorders from 64% to 86%. Many developed countries have developed data bases for studying the epidemiological patterns of various diseases for future health planning and combating strategy. Another advantage of computer based diagnosis is that it will provide uniformity for defining diseases, symptoms & signs which is very important for pursuing medical research. A very simple methodology is described in this paper which can provide data driven as well as heuristic driven approach to medical decision making. To start with, this approach has been used to analyse psychiatric disorders but can be implemented elsewhere with the same efficiency.


Transcriptomics and translatomics identify a robust inflammatory gene signature in brain endothelial cells after ischemic stroke.
Vascular endothelial function is challenged during cerebral ischemia and reperfusion. The endothelial responses are involved in inflammatory leukocyte attraction, adhesion and infiltration, blood-brain barrier leakage, and angiogenesis. This study investigated gene expression changes in brain endothelial cells after acute ischemic stroke using transcriptomics and translatomics. We isolated brain endothelial mRNA by: (i) translating ribosome affinity purification, enabling immunoprecipitation of brain endothelial ribosome-attached mRNA for translatome sequencing and (ii) isolating CD31+ endothelial cells by fluorescence-activating cell sorting for classical transcriptomic analysis. Both techniques revealed similar pathways regulated by ischemia but they showed specific differences in some transcripts derived from non-endothelial cells. We defined a gene set characterizing the endothelial response to acute stroke (24h) by selecting the differentially expressed genes common to both techniques, thus corresponding with the translatome and minimizing non-endothelial mRNA contamination. Enriched pathways were related to inflammation and immunoregulation, angiogenesis, extracellular matrix, oxidative stress, and lipid trafficking and storage. We validated, by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence, the protein expression of several genes encoding cell surface proteins. The inflammatory response was associated with the endothelial upregulation of genes related to lipid storage functions and we identified lipid droplet biogenesis in the endothelial cells after ischemia. The study reports a robust translatomic signature of brain endothelial cells after acute stroke and identifies enrichment in novel pathways involved in membrane signaling and lipid storage. Altogether these results highlight the endothelial contribution to the inflammatory response, and identify novel molecules that could be targets to improve vascular function after ischemic stroke.


Staring us in the face? An embodied theory of innate face preference.
Human expertise in face perception grows over development, but even within minutes of birth, infants exhibit an extraordinary sensitivity to face-like stimuli. The dominant theory accounts for innate face detection by proposing that the neonate brain contains an innate face detection device, dubbed 'Conspec'. Newborn face preference has been promoted as some of the strongest evidence for innate knowledge, and forms a canonical stage for the modern form of the nature-nurture debate in psychology. Interpretation of newborn face preference results has concentrated on monocular stimulus properties, with little mention or focused investigation of potential binocular involvement. However, the question of whether and how newborns integrate the binocular visual streams bears directly on the generation of observable visual preferences. In this theoretical paper, we employ a synthetic approach utilizing robotic and computational models to draw together the threads of binocular integration and face preference in newborns, and demonstrate cases where the former may explain the latter. We suggest that a system-level view considering the binocular embodiment of newborn vision may offer a mutually satisfying resolution to some long-running arguments in the polarizing debate surrounding the existence and causal structure of newborns' 'innate knowledge' of faces.


Perceptions of and willingness to engage in public health precautions to prevent 2009 H1N1 influenza transmission.
Recommendations about precautionary behaviors are a key part of public health responses to infectious disease threats such as the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. Individuals' interpretation of recommendations, willingness to comply, and factors predicting willingness were examined. A telephone survey of adult residents of New York State was conducted (N = 807). Respondents reported how they interpreted recommendations, willingness to engage in recommended actions, risk perceptions for H1N1 infection, and perceived efficacy of recommendations. Demographic characteristics were used to calculate sampling weights to obtain population-representative estimates. There was substantial variability in interpretation of preventive actions. Willingness to engage in preventive actions also varied substantially; vaccination willingness was substantially lower than other preventive actions. No pattern of demographic characteristics consistently predicted willingness. Perceived efficacy was associated with willingness for all recommendations, and perceived severity was associated with willingness for some recommendations. Results suggest that individual interpretation of actions differ widely. The results suggest that current recommendations are not clear to laypeople and are open to different interpretations. These varying interpretations should be considered in crafting public health messages about precautionary behaviors.


Image approximation by variable knot bicubic splines.
This paper presents a degree of freedom or information content analysis of images in the context of digital image processing. As such it represents an attempt to quantify the number of truly independent samples one gathers with imaging devices. The degrees of freedom of a sampled image itself are developed as an approximation problem. Here, bicubic splines with variable knots are employed in an attempt to answer the question as to what extent images are finitely representable in the context of digital sensors and computers. Relatively simple algorithms for good knot placement are given and result in spline approximations that achieve significant parameter reductions at acceptable error levels. The knots themselves are shown to be useful as an indicator of image activity and have potential as an image segmentation device, as well as easy implementation in CCD signal processing and focal plane smart sensor arrays. Both mathematical and experimental results are presented.


Localized expression of an anti-TNF single-chain antibody prevents development of collagen-induced arthritis.
Although systemic administration of neutralizing anti-TNF antibodies has been used successfully in treating rheumatoid arthritis, there is a potential for side effects. We transduced a collagen reactive T-cell hybridoma with tissue-specific homing properties to assess therapeutic effects of local delivery to inflamed joints of anti-TNF single-chain antibodies (scFv) by adoptive cellular gene therapy. Cell culture medium conditioned with 1 x 10(6) scFv producer cells/ml had TNF neutralizing capacity in vitro equivalent to 50 ng/ml anti-TNF monoclonal antibody. Adding a kappa chain constant domain to the basic scFv (construct TN3-Ckappa) gave increased in vitro stability and in vivo therapeutic effect. TN3-Ckappa blocked development of collagen-induced arthritis in DBA/1LacJ mice for >60 days. Transgene expression was detected in the paws but not the spleen of treated animals for up to 55 days postinjection. No significant variations in cell proliferation or cytokine secretion were found in splenocytes or peripheral lymphocytes. IL-6 expression was blocked in the diseased paws of mice in the scFv treatment groups compared to controls. In conclusion, we have shown that local expression of an anti-inflammatory agent blocks disease development without causing demonstrable systemic immune function changes. This is encouraging for the potential development of safe adoptive cellular therapies to treat autoimmunity.


Stability of neuropsychological performance in anorexia nervosa.
We investigated the stability of neuropsychological performance and eating disorder (EDO) symptoms before, immediately after, and 2 years after inpatient treatment. We also examined relationships between neuropsychological and EDO measures. Sixteen women who were admitted for inpatient treatment of anorexia nervosa participated in three evaluations: (1) at admission to the hospital, (2) at discharge, and (3) at a follow-up exam approximately two years after discharge. Body mass index increased significantly from each testing session to the next. Endorsement of eating disorder symptoms was significantly decreased at discharge and at follow-up compared to admission. In terms of cognitive performance, total scores on a brief neuropsychological battery (RBANS) were significantly greater at follow-up than at admission. We found no relationships between EDO symptoms and cognitive function at any of the three sessions. The current findings suggest that EDO symptoms and cognitive performance in anorexia nervosa patients can show improvement as long as two years after hospitalization, but there is no evidence that EDO symptoms are related to neuropsychological performance.


Evaluating the performance of surfactant and charcoal-based cleaning products to effectively remove PAHs from firefighter gear.
Firefighters regularly respond to fire scenes where a mixture of chemicals including volatile, semi-volatile, and nonvolatile compounds are present in smoke and soot. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are common contaminants at fire scenes that may be deposited on the gear and the individual firefighter. Laundering is a common approach for the decontamination of contaminated gear. Surfactants are widely used by firefighters during laundering to remove PAHs as they are generally non-toxic and biodegradable. The removal of PAHs depends on the surfactant types, chemistries, and concentrations. This study evaluated the effect of surfactant concentrations to remove persistent contaminants like PAHs from turnout gear. The cleaning performance of different types of surfactants was also evaluated. Outer shell fabrics were contaminated with a standard mixture of 16 PAH compounds, and two commercial detergents were used at different concentrations. Additionally, the cleaning efficacy of eight commercially available regular and charcoal-based cleaning products was also determined against PAHs at a single surfactant concentration. For the decontamination method, a bench-scale washing procedure simulating the National Fire Protection Assocation 1851 laundering process was used. The removal efficacy of high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs were found to be lower compared to the low molecular weight PAHs for any type or any concentration of detergent. Our research also showed that the recommended surfactant concentrations provided by detergent manufacturers can be ineffective at removing the HMW PAHs from heavily contaminated fabric. With 1mL of detergent in a 100-mL bath, which is multiple times higher than recommended amount, only 40% of HMW PAHs were removed. The cleaning efficacy can be increased to above 90% by using higher concentrations of detergents. This research shows that firefighters may need to use a higher concentration of detergent than the recommended amount to effectively remove PAHs from the gear. All the regular and charcoal-based detergents were able to remove PAHs effectively from contaminated fabrics when a higher concentration of detergent was used.


[The special case: isolated neurinoma of the labyrinth (author's transl)].
A 28-year-old patient developed severe unilateral sensorineural deafness and vertigo. A tumor of the cerebello-pontine angle was assumed on the basis of a computed tomogram, and a translabyrinthine exposure of the internal auditory canal was performed. A histologically verified neurinoma was found, but in the labyrinthine vestibule. Although the tumor extended into the horizontal semicircular canal, both the internal auditory canal and the cerebello-pontine angle were tumor-free. The labyrinthine origin of a neurinoma has relevant implications for the differential diagnosis of progressive sensorineural deafness. As such, the filling of the internal auditory canal with contrast media does not preclude the presence of a tumor at the eighth nerve and requires additional precision tomography of the labyrinth.


A systematic molecular analysis of the T cell-stimulating antigens from Mycobacterium leprae with T cell clones of leprosy patients. Identification of a novel M. leprae HSP 70 fragment by M. leprae-specific T cells.
Both protective immunity and immunopathology induced by mycobacteria are dependent on Ag-specific, CD4+ MHC class II-restricted T lymphocytes. The identification of Ag recognized by T cells is fundamental to the understanding of protective and pathologic immunity as well as to the design of effective immunoprophylaxis and immunotherapy strategies. Although some T cell clones are known to respond to recombinant mycobacterial heat shock proteins (hsp) like hsp3 65, the specificity of most T cells has remained unknown. We therefore have undertaken a specificity analysis of 48 well defined Mycobacterium leprae- and/or Mycobacterium tuberculosis-reactive (Th-1-like) T cell clones. Most clones (n = 44) were derived from different leprosy patients, and the remainder from one healthy control. Their HLA restriction molecules were DR2, DR3, DR4, DR5, DR7, DQ, or DP. T cell clones were stimulated with large numbers (n = 20 to 40) of mycobacterial SDS-PAGE-separated fractions bound to nitrocellulose. Each clone recognized a single fraction or peak with a particular Mr range. Some of the clones (n = 7) recognized the fraction that contained the hsp 65 as confirmed with the recombinant Ag. Most clones (n = 41), however, responded to Ag other than the hsp 65. Nine clones responded to a 67- to 80-kDa fraction. Five of them responded also to an ATP-purified, 70-kDa M. leprae protein, but only one of these five (that was HLA-DR2 restricted and cross-reactive with M. tuberculosis) recognized the recombinant C-terminal half (amino acids 278-621) of the M. leprae hsp 70 molecule and also recognized the recombinant M. tuberculosis hsp 70. We therefore have used the 5' part of the M. leprae hsp 70 gene that we have cloned recently. This fragment (that encodes amino acids 6-279) was indeed recognized by the other four M. leprae-specific T cells that were all HLA-DR3 restricted and did not cross-react with the highly homologous (95%) M. tuberculosis hsp 70. These results suggest that this novel fragment is a relevant T cell-stimulating Ag for leprosy patients. A panel of other recombinant Ag, including hsp 18 was tested. The majority of T cell clones appeared to recognize antigenic fractions distinct from hsp. In conclusion, T cells of leprosy patients see a large variety of different Ag including non-hsp, and one newly recognized moiety is the N-terminal M. leprae hsp 70 fragment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


Trauma Providers' Knowledge, Views, and Practice of Trauma-Informed Care.
Trauma-informed interventions have been implemented in various settings, but trauma-informed care (TIC) has not been widely incorporated into the treatment of adult patients with traumatic injuries. The purpose of this study was to examine health care provider knowledge, attitudes, practices, competence, and perceived barriers to implementation of TIC. This cross-sectional study used an anonymous web-based survey to assess attitudes, knowledge, perceived competence, and practice of TIC among trauma providers from an urban academic medical center with a regional resource trauma center. Providers (nurses, physicians, therapists [physical, occupational, respiratory]) working in trauma resuscitation, trauma critical care, and trauma care units were recruited. Descriptive statistics summarized knowledge, attitudes, practice, competence, and perceived barriers to TIC and logistic regression analyses examined factors predicting the use of TIC in practice. Of 147 participants, the majority were nurses (65%), followed by therapists (18%) and physicians (17%), with a median 3 years of experience; 75% answered the knowledge items correctly and 89% held favorable opinions about TIC. Nineteen percent rated themselves as less than "somewhat competent." All participants rated the following as significant barriers to providing basic TIC: time constraints, need of training, confusing information about TIC, and worry about retraumatizing patients. Self-rated competence was the most consistent predictor of providers' reported use of specific TIC practices. Despite some variability, providers were generally knowledgeable and held favorable views toward incorporating TIC into their practice. TIC training for trauma providers is needed and should aim to build providers' perceived competence in providing TIC.


Extracellular vesicles expressing a single-chain variable fragment of an HIV-1 specific antibody selectively target Env+ tissues.
Rationale: Antiretroviral therapy can effectively suppress HIV-1 replication in the peripheral blood to an undetectable level. However, elimination of the latent virus in reservoirs remains a challenge and is a major obstacle in the treatment of HIV-1-infected patients. Exosomes exhibit huge promise as an endogenous drug delivery nanosystem for delivering drugs to solid tissues given their unique properties, including low immunogenicity, innate stability, high delivery efficiency, and most importantly the ability to penetrate solid tissues due to their lipophilic properties. Methods: We engineered and expressed the scFv of a high affinity HIV-1-specific monoclonal antibody, 10E8, on the exosomal surface (10E8scFv-exos). Subsequently, the 10E8scFv-exos were loaded with curcumin (Cur), a chemical that kills HIV-1-infected cells, or miR-143, an apoptosis-inducing miRNA. We tested the ability of 10E8scFv-exos to deliver cargo to Env+ target cells and tissues, as well as their ability to suppress HIV-1 infection. Results: 10E8scFv-exos efficiently targeted CHO cells expressing a trimeric gp140 on their surface (Env+ cells) in vitro, as demonstrated by confocal imaging and flow cytometry. 10E8scFv-exos loaded with Cur or miR-143 showed specific killing of Env+ cells. In addition, 10E8scFv-exos loaded with Cur or miR-143 could suppress p24 expression in an HIV-1 latency cell line ACH2 and in PBMCs from an ART-treated HIV-1-infected patient. In an NCG mouse model grafted with tumorigenic Env+ CHO cells and which had developed solid tissue tumors, intravenously injected 10E8scFv-exos targeted the Env-expressing tissues and delivered Cur to induce a strong suppression of the Env+ tumor growth with low toxicity. Conclusion: In principle, engineered exosomes can deliver anti-HIV agents to solid tissues by specifically targeting cells expressing viral envelop proteins and inducing cell killing, suggesting that such an approach could be developed for eradicating virus-infected cells in tissue reservoirs.


Antiprotrusio cages for acetabular revision.
The purpose of this review was to explore the results of antiprotrusio cages and present indications for these devices. The role of antiprotrusio cages has had several reassessments in North America during the past decade. Currently, the primary indication for antiprotrusio cages are: (1) circumstances in which a stable, uncemented hemispheric acetabular component cannot be gained; and (2) circumstances in which there is so little remaining host bone that biologic fixation of a porous implant is very unlikely. Antiprotrusio cages have been reported to have a mechanical failure rate between 0% and 15% at midterm followup but most series do not report selective results of using cages only for the most severe bone defects. Key technical points when using antiprotrusio cages include: (1) wide exposure of the acetabular bone while protecting surrounding neurovascular structures; (2) positioning the antiprotrusio cage so as to span from host bone to host bone, thereby bridging acetabular defects; (3) appropriate bone grafting of acetabular bone deficiencies; and (4) secure fixation of the cage with good dome and posterior column support.


Potassium conductance activated during regulatory volume decrease by mudpuppy red blood cells.
The cellular basis of regulatory volume decrease (RVD) by mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) red blood cells (RBCs) was examined. Volume regulation was inhibited by replacing extracellular Na+ with K+. In contrast, addition of gramicidin (5 microM) to the extracellular medium enhanced RVD. The K(+)-channel blocker quinine (1 mM) also inhibited RVD, and this inhibition was reversed by gramicidin (5 microM). In addition, a 0 Ca(2+)-EGTA Ringer blocked RVD, whereas the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 ( microM) enhanced recovery of cell volume. The stretch-activated ion channel antagonist gadolinium (10 microM) inhibited RVD, and this effect was reversed by A23187 (2 microM). Furthermore, the calmodulin inhibitors pimozide (10 microM) and N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-napthalene-sulfonamide (0.1 mM) blocked RVD, and this inhibition was reversed with gramicidin (5 microM). Consistent with these findings, a K(+)-selective membrane conductance was activated by exposing RBCs to a 0.5x Ringer solution (observed with the whole cell patch clamp technique). This conductance was inhibited by quinine (1 mM), gadolinium (10 microM), and pimozide (10 microM). These results indicate that cell swelling activates a K+ conductance by a Ca(2+)-calmodulin-dependent mechanism and that this channel mediates K+ loss during RVD.


Electronic effects of conjugated aryl groups on the properties and reactivities of di(arylethynyl)tetracenes.
The photochemical oxidations of acenes can cause challenges with their optoelectronic applications, such as singlet fission and organic transistors. At the same time, these reactions form the basis for many luminescent sensing schemes for 1O2. While diethynyl substitution is arguably the most widely adopted of the various substitution strategies to control oxidation and also improve solubility and processability of long acenes, the extent to which differences between the alkyne groups can influence key properties of long acenes remains largely unknown. This report therefore describes the effects of various arenes and heteroarenes on the electronic structures, optical properites, and reactivity with singlet oxygen for eight 5,12-di(arylethynyl)tetracenes. The fluorescence spectra of these tetracenes span approximately 100 nm, while their observed rate constants for reaction with singlet oxygen correlates strongly with the HOMO level, spanning one order of magnitude. They are also amenable to fluorescent materials that respond ratiometrically to singlet oxygen. Therefore, electronic effects of groups directly conjugated to ethynylacenes offer a useful chemical space for rational acene design.


Novel tools for genetic manipulation of follicle stem cells in the Drosophila ovary reveal an integrin-dependent transition from quiescence to proliferation.
In many tissues, the presence of stem cells is inferred by the capacity of the tissue to maintain homeostasis and undergo repair after injury. Isolation of self-renewing cells with the ability to generate the full array of cells within a given tissue strongly supports this idea, but the identification and genetic manipulation of individual stem cells within their niche remain a challenge. Here we present novel methods for marking and genetically altering epithelial follicle stem cells (FSCs) within the Drosophila ovary. Using these new tools, we define a sequential multistep process that comprises transitioning of FSCs from quiescence to proliferation. We further demonstrate that integrins are cell-autonomously required within FSCs to provide directional signals that are necessary at each step of this process. These methods may be used to define precise roles for specific genes in the sequential events that occur during FSC division after a period of quiescence.


Utility of serum resistin in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis and prediction of disease severity in term and late preterm infants.
Introduction Resistin is a proinflammatory hormone recently proposed as a sepsis biomarker. Our aim was to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic values of this marker in neonatal sepsis. Methods This is a prospective observational study that includes 60 term and late preterm neonates with proven and possible sepsis besides 30 healthy controls. Resistin and other biomarkers, like C-reactive protein (CRP), were measured within 2 h of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission. Infants were monitored and the primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Results Resistin was higher among septic neonates compared with controls (P<0.001). Resistin had an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.994 for differentiating septic infants from controls. The area under the curve (AUC) for differentiating infants with culture-proven sepsis from controls was 0.999 compared with an AUC of 1 for CRP. The other markers, like platelet count, were inferior to resistin and CRP. Resistin was positively correlated with CRP [Spearman's correlation coefficient (rs)=0.55, P<0.001]. No significant differences in resistin levels were noted between survivors and non-survivors but resistin was higher among infants with severe sepsis (P=0.015) and among those who needed mechanical ventilation (P<0.001). Conclusion Resistin is useful for the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. Resistin failed to predict mortality but was associated with indicators of disease severity.


Structural Racism, Lifestyle Behaviors, and Obesity-related Cancers among Black and Hispanic/Latino Adults in the United States: A Narrative Review.
One in three adults in the United States has obesity; a chronic disease that is implicated in the etiology of at least 14 cancers. Cancer is the leading cause of death among U.S. Hispanic/Latino adults and the second most common cause of death, after cardiovascular disease, for Black adults. Our country's legacy in overt discrimination (e.g., slavery, segregation) generated inequities across all spheres in which people function as defined by the socioecological model-biological, individual, community, structural-and two of the many areas in which it manifests today are the disproportionate burden of obesity and obesity-related cancers in populations of color. Inequities due to environmental, social, and economic factors may predispose individuals to poor lifestyle behaviors by hindering an individual's opportunity to make healthy lifestyles choices. In this review, we examined the evidence on obesity and the lifestyle guidelines for cancer prevention in relation to cancer risk and outcomes for Black and Hispanic/Latino adults. We also discussed the role of structural and societal inequities on the ability of these two communities to adopt and maintain healthful lifestyle behaviors in accordance with the lifestyle guidelines for cancer prevention and control.


Clinical neurological findings among car painters exposed to a mixture of organic solvents.
A full clinical neurological examination was used to study the possible effects of long-term exposure to low concentrations of mixtures of organic solvents on the nervous system. The exposed group consisted of 102 male car painters and the referents of 102 age- and sex-matched locomotive engineers and assistants. The psychoorganic syndrome, a decrease in the sense of light touch and pain, and an increase in the vibration threshold were more frequent among the car painters than among the referents, and the observed differences of these frequencies were statistically significant. The sense of vibration had been affected in the lower extremities of 65 of the 102 car painters and in 25 of the referents. Sensory functions seem to be the most vulnerable part of the nervous system of workers chronically exposed to different organic solvents.


New developments in fetal lung surgery
After more than two decades of experimental and clinical work, fetal surgery has become a reasonable treatment modality for selected fetuses with life-threatening anomalies. We review the literature on anatomic anomalies of the fetal lung that are amenable to fetal surgical therapy. Ultrafast fetal magnetic resonance imaging has enhanced the accuracy of prenatal evaluation. Fetal lung masses associated with hydrops are nearly 100% fatal. These lesions can be resected in utero if they are predominantly solid or multicystic. Thoracoamniotic shunting may be effective in the setting of a single large predominant cyst. Fetuses diagnosed with left congenital diaphragmatic hernia before 26 weeks' gestation, who have liver herniation and a sonographic right lung-to-head circumference ratio of less than 1.0, may benefit from temporary fetal tracheal occlusion to enhance lung growth before birth.


Abbreviated combined anatomical/electrophysiological approach for catheter ablation of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia in children.
Atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia was proven during electrophysiologic study in 41 children, aged from 3.7 to 16 years, who were referred for catheter ablation of symptomatic supraventricular tachycardia. Using an abbreviated combined anatomical and electrogram-guided approach for selective ablation of the slow pathway, a steerable ablation catheter was placed at the inferior region of the vestibule of the tricuspid valve close to the orifice of the coronary sinus, with the intention of recording a multicomponent local atrial electrogramm during sinus rhythm. If application of radiofrequency current of 500 kHz at 70 degrees C at this site did not result in a slowly accelerated junctional rhythm, at a rate of less than 120 beats per minute, the catheter was stepwise advanced up to a position midway towards the apex of the triangle of Koch for additional applications of energy. Ablation was achieved in 35 of the patients. In 6 patients, the slow pathway was modulated such that the tachycardia could no longer be induced. The number of applications of energy ranged from 1 to 19, with a median of 6 applications. The mean period of fluoroscopy was reduced to 15.6 (4.3 to 39.8) minutes, while the overall duration of the catheterization procedures ranged from 88 to 280 (mean 173.2) minutes. In none of the patients did we observe permanent high grade atrioventricular block. During follow-up over a mean of 4.1 years, two patients had recurrence of tachycardia, corresponding to a 95% rate of success in the midterm. We conclude that selective radiofrequency ablation of the slow pathway using the abbreviated anatomical and electrophysiological approach is a safe and curative therapeutic approach in children with atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia. Periods required for fluoroscopy can be significantly reduced, and mid-term results are excellent.


Unusual magnetic order in the pseudogap region of the superconductor HgBa2CuO4+delta.
The pseudogap region of the phase diagram is an important unsolved puzzle in the field of high-transition-temperature (high-T(c)) superconductivity, characterized by anomalous physical properties. There are open questions about the number of distinct phases and the possible presence of a quantum-critical point underneath the superconducting dome. The picture has remained unclear because there has not been conclusive evidence for a new type of order. Neutron scattering measurements for YBa(2)Cu(3)O(6+delta) (YBCO) resulted in contradictory claims of no and weak magnetic order, and the interpretation of muon spin relaxation measurements on YBCO and of circularly polarized photoemission experiments on Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+delta)(refs 12, 13) has been controversial. Here we use polarized neutron diffraction to demonstrate for the model superconductor HgBa(2)CuO(4+delta) (Hg1201) that the characteristic temperature T* marks the onset of an unusual magnetic order. Together with recent results for YBCO, this observation constitutes a demonstration of the universal existence of such a state. The findings appear to rule out theories that regard T* as a crossover temperature rather than a phase transition temperature. Instead, they are consistent with a variant of previously proposed charge-current-loop order that involves apical oxygen orbitals, and with the notion that many of the unusual properties arise from the presence of a quantum-critical point.


Skin Autofluorescence, a Measure of Cumulative Metabolic Stress and Advanced Glycation End Products, Decreases During the Summer in Dialysis Patients.
Tissue advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are a measure of cumulative metabolic and oxidative stress and cytokine-driven inflammatory reactions. AGEs are thought to contribute to the cardiovascular complications of hemodialysis (HD) patients. Skin autofluorescence (SAF) is related to the tissue accumulation of AGEs and rises with age. SAF is one of the strongest prognostic markers of mortality in these patients. The content of AGEs is high in barbecue food. Due to the location in northern Sweden, there is a short intense barbecue season between June and August. The aim of this study was to investigate if seasonal variations in SAF exist in HD patients, especially during the barbecue season. SAF was measured noninvasively with an AGE Reader in 34 HD-patients (15 of those with diabetes mellitus, DM). Each time the median of three measures were used. Skin-AF was measured before and after each one HD at the end of February and May in 31 patients (22 men/9 women); the end of May and August in 28 (20 m/8 w); the end of August and March in 25 (19 m/6 w). Paired statistical analyses were performed during all four periods (n = 23, 17 m/6 w); as was HbA1c of those with DM. There was at a median 5.6% increase in skin-AF during the winter period (February-May, P = 0.004) and a 10.6% decrease in the skin-AF during the summer (May-August, P < 0.001). HbA1c in the DM rose during the summer (P = 0.013). In conclusion, skin-AF decreased significantly during the summer. Future studies should look for favorable factors that prevent skin-AF and subsequently cardiovascular diseases.


Abortion surveillance--United States, 2000.
CDC began abortion surveillance in 1969 to document the number and characteristics of women obtaining legal induced abortions. This report summarizes and describes data reported to CDC regarding legal induced abortions obtained in the United States in 2000. For each year since 1969, CDC has compiled abortion data by state or area of occurrence. During 1973-1997, data were received from or estimated for 52 reporting areas in the United States: 50 states, the District of Columbia, and New York City. In 1998 and 1999, CDC compiled abortion data from 48 reporting areas. Alaska, California, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma did not report, and data for these areas were not estimated. In 2000, Oklahoma again reported these data, increasing the number of reporting areas to 49. A total of 857,475 legal induced abortions were reported to CDC for 2000 from 49 reporting areas, representing a 0.5% decrease from the 861,789 legal induced abortions reported by 48 reporting areas for 1999 and a 1.3% decrease for the same 48 reporting areas that reported in 1999. The abortion ratio, defined as the number of abortions per 1,000 live births, was 246 in 2000 (for the same 48 reporting areas as 1999), compared with 256 reported for 1999. This represents a 3.8% decline in the abortion ratio. The abortion rate (for the same 48 reporting areas as 1999) was 16 per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years for 2000. This was also a 3.8% decrease from the rate reported for procedures performed during 1997-1999 for the same 48 reporting areas. The highest percentages of reported abortions were for women aged <25 years (52%), women who were white (57%), and unmarried women (81%). Fifty-eight percent of all abortions for which gestational age was reported were performed at < or =8 weeks of gestation, and 88% were performed before 13 weeks. From 1992 (when detailed data regarding early abortions were first collected) through 2000, steady increases have occurred in the percentage of abortions performed at < or =6 weeks of gestation. Few abortions were performed after 15 weeks of gestation; 4.3% were obtained at 16-20 weeks and 1.4% were obtained at > or =21 weeks. A total of 31 reporting areas submitted data stating that they performed medical (nonsurgical) procedures, making up 1.0% of all reported procedures from the 42 areas with adequate reporting on type of procedure. In 1998 and 1999 (the most recent years for which data are available), 14 women died as a result of complications from known legal induced abortion. Ten of these deaths occurred in 1998 and four occurred in 1999; no deaths were associated with known illegal abortion. From 1990 through 1997, the number of legal induced abortions gradually declined. In 1998 and 1999, the number of abortions continued to decrease when comparing the same 48 reporting areas. In 2000, even with one additional reporting state, the number of abortions declined slightly. In 1998 and 1999, as in previous years, deaths related to legal induced abortions occurred rarely (<1 death per 100,000 abortions). Abortion surveillance in the United States continues to provide data necessary for examining trends in numbers and characteristics of women who obtain legal induced abortions and for increasing understanding of one additional aspect of the spectrum of pregnancy outcomes. Policy makers and program planners need these data to improve the health and well-being of women and infants.


Molecular changes associated with teratogen-induced cyclopia.
Exposure of zebrafish embryos to a number of teratogens results in cyclopia, but little is known about the underlying molecular changes. Using zebrafish embryos, we compare the effects cyclopamine, forskolin, and ethanol delivered starting just before gastrulation, on gene expression in early axial tissues and forebrain development. Although all three teratogens suppress gli1 expression, they do so with variable kinetics, suggesting that while suppression of Shh signaling is a common outcome of these three teratogens, it is not a common cause of the cyclopia. Instead, all teratogens studied produce a series of changes in the expression of gsc and six3b present in early axial development, as well as a later suppression of neural crest cell marker dlx3b. Ethanol and forskolin, but not cyclopamine, exposure reduced anterior markers, which most likely contributes to the cyclopic phenotype. These data suggest that each teratogen exposure leads to a unique set of molecular changes that underlie the single phenotype of cyclopia.


Vibrational shortcut to the mean-first-passage-time problem.
What is the average time a random walker takes to get from A to B on a fractal structure and how does this mean time scale with the size of the system and the distance between source and target? We take a nonprobabilistic approach toward this problem and show how the solution is readily obtained using an analysis of thermal vibrations on fractals. Invariance under scaling and continuity with respect to the spectral dimension are shown to be emergent properties of the solution obtained via vibrational analysis. Our result emphasizes the duality between diffusion and vibrations on fractal structures. Applications to biological systems are discussed.


Lack of preference for low-predation-risk habitats in larval damselflies explained by costs of intraspecific interactions.
Many studies indicate prey organisms select microhabitats with high structural complexity as a way of reducing risk of predation. We used laboratory experiments to show that damselfly larvae, Ischnura verticalis, suffer higher predation rates from pumpkinseed sunfish in low-density vegetation. However, larvae do not preferentially occupy microhabitats with high vegetation density in either the presence or absence of sunfish; when given a choice, the number of larvae per stem of vegetation was equal across all densities of vegetation. That larvae do not congregate in dense vegetation may reflect costs of aggressive interactions. Results from laboratory experiments indicated larval interactions increase conspicuous behaviours (most notably swimming) and consequently increase fish predation. A subsequent experiment indicated that frequency of larval interactions increases with increased vegetation density when number of larvae/stem is constant. Thus, larval microhabitat selection may reflect a trade-off between reduced risk of predation in areas of high vegetation density, caused by reduced fish foraging ability, and increased aggressive larval interactions, due to decreased proximity of larvae. Copyright 2000 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.


Molecular mechanisms of cholangiocarcinoma.
Cholangiocarcinoma (CC), the malignant tumor of the epithelial cells lining the biliary ducts, has undergone a worldwide increase in incidence and mortality. The malignant transformation of the biliary cells originates from a multistep process evolving through chronic inflammation of the biliary tract to CC. In the last few years several advances have been towards understanding and clarifying the molecular mechanisms implicated in the cholangiocarcinogenesis process. However, many pathophysiologic aspects governing the growth of CC are still undefined. The poor prognosis of this tumor underlines the urgent need to codify the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in the growth and progression of CC in order to design effective preventive measures and valid treatment regimens. This review reports on progresses made in the last few years in clarifying the molecular pathways involved in the process of cholangiocarcinogenesis.


Osteolytic effects of tumoral estrogen signaling in an estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer bone metastasis model.
Estrogen receptor α-positive (ER+) subtypes of breast cancer have the greatest predilection for forming osteolytic bone metastases (BMETs). Because tumor-derived factors mediate osteolysis, a possible role for tumoral ERα signaling in driving ER+ BMET osteolysis was queried using an estrogen (E2)-dependent ER+ breast cancer BMET model. Female athymic Foxn1nu mice were inoculated with human ER+ MCF-7 breast cancer cells via the left cardiac ventricle post-E2 pellet placement, and age- and dose-dependent E2 effects on osteolytic ER+ BMET progression, as well as direct bone effects of E2, were determined. Osteolytic BMETs, which did not form in the absence of E2 supplementation, occurred with the same frequency in young (5-week-old) vs. skeletally mature (16-week-old) E2 (0.72 mg)-treated mice, but were larger in young mice where anabolic bone effects of E2 were greater. However, in mice of a single age and across a range of E2 doses, anabolic E2 bone effects were constant, while osteolytic ER+ BMET lesion incidence and size increased in an E2-dose-dependent fashion. Osteoclasts in ER+ tumor-bearing (but not tumor-naive) mice increased in an E2-dose dependent fashion at the bone-tumor interface, while histologic tumor size and proliferation did not vary with E2 dose. E2-inducible tumoral secretion of the osteolytic factor parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) was dose-dependent and mediated by ERα, with significantly greater levels of secretion from ER+ BMET-derived tumor cells. These results suggest that tumoral ERα signaling may contribute to ER+ BMET-associated osteolysis, potentially explaining the greater predilection for ER+ tumors to form clinically-evident osteolytic BMETs.