Stimulation of hepatic inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate kinase activity by Ca2+-dependent and -independent mechanisms.
A cytosolic fraction derived from rat hepatocytes was used to investigate the regulation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] kinase, the enzyme which converts Ins(1,4,5)P3 to inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate [Ins(1,3,4,5)P4]. The activity was doubled by raising the free Ca2+ concentration of the assay medium from 0.1 microM to 1.0 microM. A 5 min preincubation of the hepatocytes with 100 microM-dibutyryl cyclic AMP (db.cAMP) plus 100 nM-tetradecanoylphorbol acetate (TPA) resulted in a 40% increase in Ins(1,4,5)P3 kinase activity when subsequently assayed at 0.1 microM-Ca2+. This effect was smaller at [Ca2+] greater than 0.5 microM, and absent at 1.0 microM-Ca2+. Similar results were obtained after preincubation with 100 microM-db.cAMP plus 300 nM-vasopressin (20% increase at 0.1 microM-Ca2+; no effect at 1.0 microM-Ca2+). Preincubation with vasopressin, db.cAMP or TPA alone did not alter Ins(1,4,5)P3 kinase activity. It is proposed that these results, together with recent evidence implicating Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 in the control of Ca2+ influx, could be relevant to earlier findings that hepatic Ca2+ uptake is synergistically stimulated by cyclic AMP analogues and vasopressin.


Sensory nerve conduction velocity of cutaneous afferents of the radial, ulnar, peroneal, and tibial nerves of the dog: reference values.
The mean conduction velocities of the compound action potentials of sensory axons of the cutaneous branches of the radial, ulnar, peroneal, and tibial nerves of the healthy dog were determined by cutaneous stimulation and recorded by averaged evoked response technique. Locations for both stimulation and recording electrodes were identified. Mean conduction velocities were: radial nerve = 65.1 +/- 6.2; ulnar nerve = 69.4 +/- 6.9; peroneal nerve = 64.4 +/- 5.25; and tibial nerve = 63.4 +/- 5.3 m/s +/- SD.


Gynaecomastia in leprosy in three districts of Tamil Nadu.
The prevalence of Gynaecomastia (GM), a well known complication of leprosy in adult male patients was studied in 790 cases of whom 641 were the inmates of five leprosy hospitals and the remaining 149 mostly from the clinics of field area attached to the Central Leprosy Teaching and Research Institute, Chengalpattu during 1982-83. The overall prevalence rate was found to be 19.24%. Among the hospitalised patients, it was 22.15% against 6.71% among the patients attending the clinics in the field area. The youngest and the oldest patient in this study was 16 years and 83 years respectively. The highest rate of 32.89% was in the 36-45 age group. Only 152 GM cases were detected; the rates in the lepromatous, borderline lepromatous, borderline tuberculoid were 29.21%, 9.64% and 3.68% respectively. Those who gave a history of frequent ENL reactions had a higher rate of GM i.e. 34.55 as against 21.52 without or with very infrequent ENL reaction. Early treatment had a remarkable effect in the reduction of GM. Only 14% developed GM when the treatment was started within 2 years after the onset of leprosy as against 46.9% when the same was started after 16 years. In the latter group, the longer duration of the disease could also play a contributory role. Sterility rate was more than double in those with GM i.e. 34.14% against 14% without it.


The efficacy and safety of inhaled antibiotics for the treatment of bronchiectasis in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Although use of inhaled antibiotics is the standard of care in cystic fibrosis, there is insufficient evidence to support use of inhaled antibiotics in patients with bronchiectasis not due to cystic fibrosis. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of inhaled antibiotics for the long-term treatment of adults with bronchiectasis and chronic respiratory tract infections. We did a systematic review and meta-analysis of all randomised controlled trials of inhaled-antibiotic use in adult patients with bronchiectasis and chronic respiratory tract infections. Eligible publications were identified by searching MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Randomised controlled trials of inhaled antibiotics were included if the patients were adults with stable bronchiectasis diagnosed by CT or bronchography, the trials had treatment a duration of at least 4 weeks, and their outcomes met at least one of the endpoints of interest. Studies in cystic fibrosis were excluded. Efficacy endpoints assessed were bacterial load, bacterial eradication from sputum, frequency of exacerbations, time to first exacerbation, proportion of patients with at least one exacerbation, frequency of severe exacerbations, quality of life, change in FEV1, 6-min walk distance, mortality, adherence to treatment, and sputum volume; safety endpoints were adverse events and bacterial resistance in sputum. Each study was independently reviewed for methodological quality using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to pool individual studies. Heterogeneity was assessed using I2. The review is registered on PROSPERO, number CRD42019122892. 16 trials (n=2597 patients) were included for analysis. The mean reduction of colony forming units per g of sputum with inhaled antibiotics was -2·32 log units (95% CI -3·20 to -1·45; p<0·0001). Bacterial eradication was increased with inhaled antibiotic therapy (odds ratio [OR] 3·36, 1·63 to 6·91; p=0·0010). Inhaled antibiotics significantly reduced exacerbation frequency (rate ratio 0·81, 0·67 to 0·97; p=0·020). Time to first exacerbation was significantly prolonged with inhaled antibiotics (hazard ratio 0·83, 0·69 to 0·99; p=0·028). The proportion of patients with at least one exacerbation decreased (risk ratio 0·85, 0·74 to 0·97; p=0·015). There was a significant reduction in the frequency of severe exacerbations (rate ratio 0·43, 0·24 to 0·78; p=0·0050). The scores for neither the Quality of Life Bronchiectasis questionnaire nor St George's Respiratory Questionnaire improved above the minimal clinically important difference. The relative change in FEV1 was a deterioration of 0·87% predicted value (-2·00 to 0·26%; p=0·13). Other efficacy endpoints were reported in only few studies or had few events. There was no difference in treatment-emergent adverse effects (OR 0·97, 0·67 to 1·40; p=0·85) or bronchospasm (0·99, 0·66 to 1·48; p=0·95). Emergence of bacterial resistance was evident at the end of the treatment period (risk ratio 1·91, 1·46 to 2·49; p<0·0001). Inhaled antibiotics are well tolerated, reduce bacterial load, and achieve a small but statistically significant reduction in exacerbation frequency without clinically significant improvements in quality of life in patients with bronchiectasis and chronic respiratory tract infections. British Lung Foundation through the GSK/British Lung Foundation Chair of Respiratory Research and European Respiratory Society through the EMBARC2 consortium. EMBARC2 is supported by project partners Chiesi, Grifols, Insmed, Novartis, and Zambon.


Detection of viral genomes in cultured cells and paraffin-embedded tissue sections using biotin-labeled hybridization probes.
A method of in situ cytohybridization is described for the detection of specific viral genomes in infected cell cultures or paraffin-embedded tissue sections without the use of radioisotopes. Biotin-labeled analogs of TTP are incorporated into viral DNA in vitro by nick translation and the resultant DNA probes hybridized to cytologic samples. Cells containing viral genetic material are then revealed by standard immunofluorescence, immunoperoxidase, or affinity cytochemical techniques that are based on the specific interaction between biotin and antibiotin IgG or avidin. Hybridization probes containing nucleotides that have an 11- or 16-atom spacer arm between the biotin molecule and the pyrimidine ring interact with these detector proteins more efficiently than probes containing biotin-nucleotides with a 4-atom spacer arm. The total procedure can be performed fairly rapidly (24 hr or less) and numerous samples can be processed simultaneously. Although the detection methods employed to date are not as sensitive as autoradiographic procedures with high specific activity probes, more sensitive protein detector complexes are currently being constructed. The speed, specificity, and resolving power of this technique should be of general utility in screening for the presence of infectious agents in cell or tissue samples. Here we report the visualization of parvovirus, polyomavirus, herpes simplex virus, adenovirus, and retrovirus genetic material in infected cell cultures and herpes simplex and adenovirus DNA in paraffin-embedded autopsy tissues.


Comparative effectiveness analysis of Pipeline device versus coiling in unruptured aneurysms smaller than 10 mm.
Both endovascular coiling and the Pipeline embolization device (PED) have been shown to be safe and clinically effective for treatment of small (< 10 mm) aneurysms. The authors conducted a comparative effectiveness analysis to compare the utility of these treatment methods in terms of health benefits. A decision-analytical study was performed with Markov modeling methods to simulate patients with small unruptured aneurysms undergoing endovascular coiling, stent-assisted coiling (SAC), or PED placement for treatment. Input probabilities were derived from prior literature, and 1-way, 2-way, and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to assess model and input parameter uncertainty. The base case calculation for a 50-year-old man reveals PED to have a higher health benefit (17.48 quality-adjusted life years [QALYs]) than coiling (17.44 QALYs) or SAC (17.36 QALYs). PED is the better option in 6020 of the 10,000 iterations in probabilistic sensitivity analysis. When the retreatment rate of PED is lower than 9.53%, and the coiling retreatment is higher than 15.6%, PED is the better strategy. In the 2-way sensitivity analysis varying the retreatment rates from both treatment modalities, when the retreatment rate of PED is approximately 14% lower than the retreatment rate of coiling, PED is the more favorable treatment strategy. Otherwise, coiling is more effective. SAC may be better than PED when the unfavorable outcome risk of SAC is lower than 70% of its reported current value. With the increasing use of PEDs for treatment of small unruptured aneurysms, the current study indicates that these devices may have higher health benefits due to lower rates of retreatment compared to both simple coiling and stent-assisted techniques. Longer follow-up studies are needed to document the rates of recurrence and retreatment after coiling and PED to assess the cost-effectiveness of these strategies.


Itch elicited by intradermal injection of serotonin, intracisternal injection of morphine, and their synergistic interactions in rats.
We used the cheek model of itch and pain in rats to determine the dose-response relationships for intradermal injection of serotonin and α methylserotonin on scratching behavior. We also determined the dose-related effects of intracisternally injected morphine on scratching, effects that were greatly reduced by administration of the opiate antagonist naloxone. We then examined the interactions of intradermal injection of serotonin and intracisternal injection of morphine on scratching and found that the two procedures act synergistically to increase itch. These results suggest that morphine applied to the CNS is capable of producing itch and greatly increasing itch originating in the skin (hyperknesis).


Living Kinship Trouble: Danish Sperm Donors' Narratives of Relatedness.
Danish sperm donors face a particular kind of kinship trouble: they find themselves in a cultural and organizational context that offers different and contrary ways of how to make connections to donor-conceived individuals meaningful. Whereas Danish sperm banks and Danish law want sperm donors to regard these connections as contractual issues, the dominant kinship narrative in Denmark asks sperm donors to also consider them as family and kinship relations. Based on interviews with Danish sperm donors and participant observation at Danish sperm banks, I argue that Danish sperm donors make sense of connections to donor-conceived individuals as a particular kind of relatedness that cannot be reduced to either contractual or kinship relations. Making sense of these connections, sperm donors negotiate their social significance and thereby participate in opening a space which offers avenues for new kinds of sociality.


Neural Network Alterations Across Eating Disorders: A Narrative Review of fMRI Studies.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has provided insight on how neural abnormalities are related to the symptomatology of the eating disorders (EDs): anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and binge eating disorder (BED). More specifically, an increasingly growing number of brain imaging studies has shed light on how functionally connected brain networks contribute not only to disturbed eating behavior, but also to transdiagnostic alterations in body/interoceptive perception, reward processing and executive functioning. This narrative review aims to summarize recent advances in fMRI studies of patients with EDs by highlighting studies investigating network alterations that are shared across EDs. Findings on reward processing in both AN and BN patients point to the presence of altered sensitivity to salient food stimuli in striatal regions and to the possibility of hypothalamic inputs being overridden by top-down emotional-cognitive control regions. Additionally, innovative new lines of research suggest that increased activations in fronto-striatal circuits are strongly associated with the maintenance of restrictive eating habits in AN patients. Although significantly fewer studies have been carried out in patients with BN and BED, aberrant neural responses to both food cues and anticipated food receipt appear to occur in these populations. These altered responses, coupled with diminished recruitment of prefrontal cognitive control circuitry, are believed to contribute to the binge eating of palatable foods. Results from functional network connectivity studies are diverse, but findings tend to converge on indicating disrupted resting-state connectivity in executive networks, the default-mode network and the salience network across EDs.


Helium-Uranium Ratios for Pleistocene and Tertiary Fossil Aragonites.
Uranium: helium ages are compared with Th(230): U(234) ages and stratigraphic ages for selected Pleistocene and Tertiary shells and corals. Agreement is good except for those fossils for which independent criteria (for example, aragonite: calcite, Ra(226): Th(230), or U(234): U(238) ratios) indicate a chemically open system. Certain of the Tertiary samples yield erroneously low ages which probably result from secondary addition of uranium. The helium geochronometer appears to yield reliable minimum ages and may be applicable to direct dating of aragonitic fossils-especially those of Pleistocene age-when used in conjunction with other isotopic and geologic information.


Utilizing spatiotemporal analysis of influenza-like illness and rapid tests to focus swine-origin influenza virus intervention.
In the spring of 2009, a novel strain of H1N1 swine-origin influenza A virus (S-OIV) emerged in Mexico and the United States, and soon after was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. This work examined the ability of real-time reports of influenza-like illness (ILI) symptoms and rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs) to approximate the spatiotemporal distribution of PCR-confirmed S-OIV cases for the purposes of focusing local intervention efforts. Cluster and age adjusted relative risk patterns of ILI, RIDT, and S-OIV were assessed at a fine spatial scale at different time and space extents within Cameron County, Texas on the US-Mexico border. Space-time patterns of ILI and RIDT were found to effectively characterize the areas with highest geographical risk of S-OIV within the first two weeks of the outbreak. Based on these results, ILI and/or RIDT may prove to be acceptable indicators of the location of S-OIV hotspots. Given that S-OIV data is often difficult to obtain real-time during an outbreak; these findings may be of use to public health officials targeting prevention and response efforts during future flu outbreaks.


Reproducibility and repeatability of quantitative sodium magnetic resonance imaging in vivo in articular cartilage at 3 T and 7 T.
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease of articular cartilage that may be associated with a loss of glycosaminoglycans. Quantitative sodium magnetic resonance imaging is highly specific to glycosaminoglycan content and could be used to assess the biochemical degradation of cartilage in early osteoarthritis. However, the reproducibility and repeatability of this technique are not well documented. The aim of this study is to test the reproducibility and repeatability of sodium quantification in cartilage in vivo using intraday and interday acquisitions at 3 T and 7 T, with a radial 3D sequence, with and without fluid suppression. Fluid suppression was obtained by adiabatic inversion recovery (IR WURST) and is expected to improve the sensitivity of the method to glycosaminoglycan content. The root mean square of coefficients of variation are all in the range of 7.5-13.6%. No significant intermagnet, intersequence, intraday, and interday differences in the coefficients of variation were observed. Sodium quantification using IR WURST gave values closer to those reported in the literature for healthy cartilage (220-310 mM) than radial 3D. In conclusion, IR WURST was more accurate in context of sodium measurement, with a reproducibility and repeatability comparable to other compositional magnetic resonance imaging techniques of cartilage.


Oat β-glucan: physico-chemical characteristics in relation to its blood-glucose and cholesterol-lowering properties.
The water-soluble, mixed-linkage β-glucan, a form of soluble dietary fibre, is considered the main biologically active component responsible for the capacity of many oat products to lower postprandial glycaemia and fasting plasma cholesterol in human subjects. The present review discusses the physical and chemical properties of oat β-glucan that are considered important predictors of these beneficial metabolic effects. In vitro modelling and animal and human studies have provided compelling evidence showing that the ability of oat β-glucan to increase the viscosity of digesta in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is a primary determinant of its blood-glucose and cholesterol-lowering properties. Therefore, the chemical structure, molecular weight (MW), the rate and extent of dissolution and solution rheology of oat β-glucan are key factors in determining the physiological function of oat-containing foods. The structure and properties of oat β-glucan vary between species and varieties of oats, and are also affected by the growing and storage conditions and processing of oat grain. In addition, the extraction and analysis methods may also contribute to the variations in the structure, MW, hydration and solution rheology of β-glucan obtained from different laboratories. Recent work has demonstrated that β-glucan solubility in foods depends on the source of the material and processing conditions; solubility may also be subject to changes during food preparation and storage (such as freezing). In conclusion, both the amount and MW of β-glucan that are solubilised in the GIT need to be considered when assessing the blood-glucose and cholesterol-lowering properties of oat-containing foods.


Step-wise and one-pot synthesis of highly substituted conjugated trienes from 2-oxobenzo[h]chromenes/2H-pyran-2-ones.
A mild and efficient route for the synthesis of conjugated trienes via nitroethane-mediated ring contraction of 2-oxobenzo[h]chromenes/2H-pyran-2-ones followed by decarboxylative rearrangement of the obtained spirobutenolides and butenolides is described. The (E)-isomer of trienes was obtained by step-wise and one-pot approaches from 2-oxobenzo[h]chromenes. Butenolides 4a-l as new substrates have been developed for the construction of trienes. The mixture of the (E)- and (Z)-isomers of spirobutenolides undergoes decarboxylative rearrangement in the presence of sodium ethoxide as a base to yield the (E)-isomer of trienes, while the (E)-isomer of butenolides reacts to give a mixture of (2E,4E)- and (2E,4Z)-isomers of trienes in an almost steady ratio of 45 : 55 or 1 : 1.2. The structure and geometry of the obtained butenolides and trienes were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray analysis.


Adsorption and movement of water by skin of the Australian thorny devil (Agamidae: Moloch horridus).
Moisture-harvesting lizards, such as the Australian thorny devil Moloch horridus, have remarkable adaptations for inhabiting arid regions. Their microstructured skin surface, with channels in between overlapping scales, enables them to collect water by capillarity and passively transport it to the mouth for ingestion. We characterized this capillary water transport for live thorny devils using high-speed video analyses. Comparison with preserved specimens showed that live lizards are required for detailed studies of skin water transport. For thorny devils, there was no directionality in cutaneous water transport (unlike Phrynosoma) as 7 µl water droplets applied to the skin were transported radially over more than 9.2 mm. We calculated the total capillary volume as 5.76 µl cm-2 (dorsal) and 4.45 µl cm-2 (ventral), which is reduced to 50% filling by the time transportation ceases. Using micro-computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy of shed skin to investigate capillary morphology, we found that the channels are hierarchically structured as a large channel between the scales that is sub-divided by protrusions into smaller sub-capillaries. The large channel quickly absorbs water whereas the sub-capillary structure extends the transport distance by about 39% and potentially reduces the water volume required for drinking. An adapted dynamics function, which closely reflects the channel morphology, includes that ecological role.


Effects of rehabilitation on quality of life in patients with chronic stroke.
To evaluate the effects of rehabilitation on disability and quality of life (QoL) in patients with chronic stroke. This is an observational, prospective and multidimensional study. Sixty-six consecutive inpatients were enrolled. A rehabilitation programme of 2 months consisting of six exercise periods per week was performed. An impairment of cognitive function was the exclusion criteria for patient enrolment. European Stroke Scale, Barthel Index, Modified Rankin Scale, Deambulation Index and SF-36 were performed both before and after rehabilitation. A short-term follow-up (2 months after discharge) was performed by phone administration of SF-36. Significant improvement in clinical and disability measurements was observed after rehabilitation. For QoL, a significant improvement was observed both in physical function and in social function immediately after rehabilitation. At follow-up the social function improvement was maintained, while physical function improvement was lost. The data show that rehabilitation in patients with chronic stroke lessens disability and improves physical and social function and that repeated cycles of treatment are needed to maintain the level of improvement reached.


[Histochemical study of the cholinesterase in the olfactory bulb of the frog, Rana temporaria].
In the olfactory bulb of Rana temporaria the distribution of cholinesterase was studied by the method of Karnovsky and Roots. When the butyrilthiocholine was used as a substrate the histochemical reaction was not obtained. The incubation with the acetylthiocholine showed the enzyme activity that was most pronounced in the mitral cells layer and in the nerve fibers area surrounding the granular cells layer. The addition of neostigmine to the incubation medium abolished the enzyme activity.


Current issues in the treatment of specific phobia: recommendations for innovative applications of hypnosis.
Specific phobia is the most common and treatable of the anxiety disorders. Exposure-based therapies are the treatment of choice and empirically validated protocols are available that promise rapid and effective results. In many cases, however, patients are reluctant to comply with demanding schedules of exposure, increasing the risk of treatment failure. Furthermore, in clinical practice, patients often present with multiple phobias and other Axis I and Axis II disorders that can further complicate therapy. This article covers four important issues that have been addressed in the literature: (a) managing resistance to treatment, (b) reducing length of treatment, (c) clarifying the optimal application of relaxation training, and (d) applying advances in cognitive neuroscience. These issues are reviewed and recommendations proposed for ways in which to modify current treatments. Specific suggestions are provided for implementing these recommendations including examples of innovative applications of standard hypnotic techniques.


A longitudinal examination of socioemotional learning in African American and Latino boys across the transition from pre-K to kindergarten.
Questions about socioemotional learning in boys of color (BOC) arise in light of the disproportionate rates of school adjustment difficulties BOC experience by adolescence. Socioemotional competence in BOC is assessed in terms of self-regulation, interpersonal skills, and positive relationships with peers and teachers when they enter pre-K. Changes in competence are tracked until the end of kindergarten. Teachers from randomly selected early childhood programs in 11 states rated children's socioemotional competence in the fall and spring of pre-K. Children were followed through the end of kindergarten. Analyses compared Black (n = 278) and Latino (n = 347) boys to girls of color (n = 624) and White children (n = 1,209) while controlling for family poverty. Pre-K teachers rated a majority of BOC proficient on self-regulation and peer relations. BOC did not differ from White boys on initial competence ratings or on development over time, although boys as a group were rated as less competent than girls. Although gender mattered in the initial assessment of socioemotional competence, gender was unrelated to change in competence over time. The longitudinal analyses showed a decline in teacher ratings of socioemotional competence from pre-K to kindergarten. This decline was most likely attributable to the demands, structure, and didactic approaches common in kindergarten. Social competence did predict academic skills. Self-regulation of emotions was the domain most consistently related to academic functioning. The vulnerability BOC experience during adolescence is not evident in the levels of social competence they demonstrate early in their lives at school.


Cultural competence and unique concerns in patients with ethnic skin.
The projections of increases in the number of skin of color patients over the next several decades, necessitates expertise in cultural competence for health care providers. Acquiring competency begins with practitioners reflecting on their self identity and personal beliefs. Additionally, understanding African-American cultural habits and practices and their impact on disease is critically important. We review, in this article, the fundamentals of becoming cultural competent. Patients are best served when their physician embraces their culture, their view of the health care system as well as habits and practices.


Differential localization of divalent metal transporter 1 with and without iron response element in rat PC12 and sympathetic neuronal cells.
Two isoforms of divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) (Nramp2 and DCT1) are encoded by two mRNA species, one of which contains an iron response element (IRE) motif in the 3'-noncoding region. The subcellular distribution of the two isoforms of DMT1 is distinct, and the -IRE species accumulates in the nucleus of neuronal or neuronal-like cells. Reverse transcription-PCR and Western blot analysis of PC12 cells reveals that these cells express both forms of DMT1. Immunofluorescence and immunoblotting studies, using immunospecific antibodies to the -IRE form of DMT1, demonstrate that this form of the transporter, in PC12 cells, is predominantly localized in the nucleus, cell membrane, and neurites with only weak staining of the cell body. Studies using antibodies to the +IRE form indicate that this species of DMT1 is distributed within vesicles in the cell body and neurite projections, with minimal nuclear staining. Similar staining patterns are observed for the two forms of DMT1 in cultures of sympathetic ganglion neurons isolated from perinatal rat pups. To determine whether nuclear localization of the -IRE form of DMT1 is constrained to neuronal or neuronal-like cells, immunocytochemical studies were performed with human embryonic kidney 293T (HEK293T), HEP2G hepatoma and medulloblastoma, and rat Schwann cells. The -IRE-specific antibodies stained nuclei from medulloblastoma, whereas little nuclear staining was observed with HEK293T, hepatoma, or Schwann cells. The unexpected finding that the -IRE species of DMT1 selectively accumulates in the nucleus of neuronal and neuronal-like cells leads us to postulate that the two proteins may have different functions in vivo.


Low-density lipoprotein triglycerides: A marker for metabolic diseases.
Dyslipidemia plays an essential role in the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases, and the regulation of cholesterol and triglyceride metabolism has been applied in the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of clinical cardiovascular diseases. Following advances in methodology in recent years, low-density lipoprotein triglycerides (LDL-TG) has been identified as a potential risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease and has some clinical significance in its diagnosis and treatment. Meanwhile, LDL-TG metabolism regulation may also be involved in the development of type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, hypothyroidism and other diseases, which may improve our understanding of the prevention, control and risk assessment of clinically relevant diseases.


Optic Nerve Infiltration in Systemic Metastatic Retinal Lymphoma (SMRL): Multimodal Imaging and Challenges in Diagnosis.
A 45-year-old man was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma stage IV which was confirmed by celiac lymph node biopsy. He subsequently completed six cycles of R-CHOP chemotherapy. Six months later, he presented with panuveitis OU with positive relative afferent pupillary defect OD. OCT revealed hyper-reflective lesions and irregularity of the retinal pigment epithelium OU. Fundus fluorescein angiogram shows hyper-auto fluorescence and granular changes on the retina. A month later, he developed swollen optic disc OD and hemorrhagic retinitis OU and treated as presumed CMV retinitis. Anti-TB was started after a positive Mantoux test. He finally consented for a vitreous biopsy which showed atypical lymphoid cells highly suggestive for vitreoretinal lymphoma and subsequently received intravitreal methotrexate OU.Conclusion: Optic nerve infiltration in systemic metastatic retinal lymphoma may have initial occult signs but with profound visual loss. Ocular infections like CMV retinitis and tuberculosis may mask and delay the diagnosis in immunocompromised patients.


Ribosomal protein L35 is required for 27SB pre-rRNA processing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Ribosome synthesis involves the concomitance of pre-rRNA processing and ribosomal protein assembly. In eukaryotes, this is a complex process that requires the participation of specific sequences and structures within the pre-rRNAs, at least 200 trans-acting factors and the ribosomal proteins. There is little information on the function of individual 60S ribosomal proteins in ribosome synthesis. Herein, we have analysed the contribution of ribosomal protein L35 in ribosome biogenesis. In vivo depletion of L35 results in a deficit in 60S ribosomal subunits and the appearance of half-mer polysomes. Pulse-chase, northern hybridization and primer extension analyses show that processing of the 27SB to 7S pre-rRNAs is strongly delayed upon L35 depletion. Most likely as a consequence of this, release of pre-60S ribosomal particles from the nucleolus to the nucleoplasm is also blocked. Deletion of RPL35A leads to similar although less pronounced phenotypes. Moreover, we show that L35 assembles in the nucleolus and binds to early pre-60S ribosomal particles. Finally, flow cytometry analysis indicated that L35-depleted cells mildly delay the G1 phase of the cell cycle. We conclude that L35 assembly is a prerequisite for the efficient cleavage of the internal transcribed spacer 2 at site C(2).


Race differences in cardiac catheterization: the role of social contextual variables.
Race differences in the receipt of invasive cardiac procedures are well-documented but the etiology remains poorly understood. We examined how social contextual variables were related to race differences in the likelihood of receiving cardiac catheterization in a sample of veterans who were recommended to undergo the procedure by a physician. Prospective observational cohort study. A subsample from a study examining race disparities in cardiac catheterization of 48 Black/African American and 189 White veterans who were recommended by a physician to undergo cardiac catheterization. We assessed social contextual variables (e.g., knowing somebody who had the procedure, being encouraged by family or friends), clinical variables (e.g., hypertension, maximal medical therapy), and if participants received cardiac catheterization at any point during the study. Blacks/African Americans were less likely to undergo cardiac catheterization compared to Whites even after controlling for age, education, and clinical variables (OR = 0.31; 95% CI, 0.13, 0.75). After controlling for demographic and clinical variables, three social contextual variables were significantly related to increased likelihood of receiving catheterization: knowing someone who had undergone the procedure (OR = 3.14; 95% CI, 1.70, 8.74), social support (OR = 2.05; 95% CI, 1.17, 2.78), and being encouraged by family to have procedure (OR = 1.45; 95% CI, 1.08, 1.90). After adding the social contextual variables, race was no longer significantly related to the likelihood of receiving catheterization, thus suggesting that social context plays an important role in the relationship between race and cardiac catheterization. Our results suggest that social contextual factors are related to the likelihood of receiving recommended care. In addition, accounting for these relationships attenuated the observed race disparities between Whites and Blacks/African Americans who were recommended to undergo cardiac catheterization by their physicians.


Lymphatic filariasis: perspectives on lymphatic remodeling and contractile dysfunction in filarial disease pathogenesis.
Lymphatic filariasis, one of the most debilitating diseases associated with the lymphatic system, affects over a hundred million people worldwide and manifests itself in a variety of severe clinical pathologies. The filarial parasites specifically target the lymphatics and impair lymph flow, which is critical for the normal functions of the lymphatic system in maintenance of body fluid balance and physiological interstitial fluid transport. The resultant contractile dysfunction of the lymphatics causes fluid accumulation and lymphedema, one of the major pathologies associated with filarial infection. In this review, we take a closer look at the contractile mechanisms of the lymphatics, its altered functions, and remodeling during an inflammatory state and how it relates to the severe pathogenesis underlying a filarial infection. We further elaborate on the complex host-parasite interactions, and molecular mechanisms contributing to the disease pathogenesis. The overall emphasis is on elucidating some of the emerging concepts and new directions that aim to harness the process of lymphangiogenesis or enhance contractility in a dysfunctional lymphatics, thereby restoring the fluid imbalance and mitigating the pathological conditions of lymphatic filariasis.


p16(INK4a) and p15(INK4b) gene promoter methylation in cervical cancer patients.
The aim of this study was to determine the methylation status of the p16(INK4a), p14(ARF) and p15(INK4b) genes and the subsequent effect of hypermethylation on the expression of these genes in cervical cancer patients. Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) was performed to analyse the methylation status of p16(INK4a), p14(ARF) and p15(INK4b) genes and was confirmed by sequencing. Reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) was carried out to determine changes in the expression of the genes due to hypermethylation. Hypermethylation of the p16(INK4a), p14(ARF) and p15(INK4b) gene promoters was observed in 36, 8.8 and 11.2%, respectively, of 125 cervical cancer samples from a north Indian population. Methylation of p16(INK4a) was significantly (P<0.001) associated with the cervical cancer cases. Significant association of p16(INK4a) hypermethylation with passive smoking and oral contraceptive use was also observed. Methylation of p15(INK4b) was also found to be significant (P<0.05). Our findings did not reveal any correlation between the promoter methylation of p16(INK4a), p14(ARF) and p15(INK4b) with factors, including age and human papillomavirus infection. mRNA expression was significantly reduced in patients with a methylated promoter (P<0.001) of p16(INK4a) compared to patients with an unmethylated promoter. In conclusion, this is the first study demonstrating significant hypermethylation of p15(INK4b) and p16(INK4a) genes among cervical cancer patients in a north Indian population, and a significant association of p16(INK4a) hypermethylation with passive smoking and oral contraceptive use.


Highly crystalline Ni/NiO hybrid electrodes processed by inkjet printing and laser-induced reductive sintering under ambient conditions.
In this study, we perform drop-on-demand (DOD) inkjet printing and laser reductive sintering of precrystallized NiO nanoparticle (NP) ink under ambient conditions to obtain NiO/Ni hybrid electrode patterns on a highly localized area. By formulating an inkjet-printable and laser-reducible NiO NP ink, and by exploring the optimum conditions of inkjet printing parameters, we generate stable droplets, enabling arbitrary shapes of NiO NP dot arrays or line patterns to be deposited. Subsequent short-time low-temperature sintering produces highly crystalline NiO electrodes. Furthermore, laser reductive sintering applied on deposited NiO NP patterns can successfully realize a selective transformation of NiO into Ni electrodes under ambient conditions. Therefore, we can define either NiO or Ni electrodes, or a combination of the two on specific areas with precise amounts of ink. In addition, we identify the characteristics of the synthesized NPs, NP ink, NiO and Ni electrodes using various analytical methods.


Effect of erythropoietin on mesenchymal stem cell differentiation and secretion in vitro in an acute kidney injury microenvironment.
We investigated the effect of erythropoietin (EPO) on differentiation and secretion of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in an acute kidney injury microenvironment. Acute kidney injury mouse models were prepared. Both renal cortices were then immediately collected to produce the ischemia/reperfusion kidney homogenate supernatant. The morphological and ultrastructural changes in the cells were observed using an inverted microscope and a transmission electron microscope. Cytokeratin-18 was detected using flow cytometry. Bone morphogenetic protein-7 levels, hepatocyte growth factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor in the culture medium were detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The cells had high CD29 and CD44 expression, as well as low CD34 and CD45 expression. More round and oval cells with cobble-like appearances were observed after EPO treatment. In addition, an increase in the number of rough endoplasmic reticula, lysosomes, and mitochondria was observed in the cytoplasm; the intercellular junction peculiar to epithelial cells was also seen on the cell surface. After treatment with ischemia/reperfusion kidney homogenate supernatant, cytokeratin-18 expression increased significantly and EPO could magnify its expression. Bone morphogenetic protein-7 levels, hepatocyte growth factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor levels after treatment with ischemia/reperfusion kidney homogenate supernatant significantly decreased, whereas EPO increased the cytokine secretion. The acute kidney injury microenvironment can induce the bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells to partially differentiate into renal tubular epithelium-shaped cells, but weaken their secretion function. EPO intervention can boost up their differentiation function and reverse their low secretion effect.


Preoperative Embolization for Skull Base Meningiomas.
The results of preoperative embolization for skull base meningiomas were retrospectively evaluated to confirm the efficacy of this procedure. Skull base meningiomas that were treated with preoperative embolization were evaluated in 20 patients. The occluded arteries, embolic materials, treatment time, excision rate, neurologic manifestations, and complications were analyzed. The embolic material was 80% liquid, 30% coils, and 15% particles. The surgery was normally completed within 3 to 5 hours. Blood loss was normally approximately 250 mL, excluding four patients having the following conditions: malignant meningioma, a large tumor located on the medial side of the sphenoidal ridge, the petroclival tumor, and infiltrated tumor into the sigmoid sinus. The mean excision rate was 90%, achieving a Simpson grade III, but 10% were graded as Simpson grade IV. No permanent complications due to the preoperative embolization occurred. No neurologic symptoms occurred after excision. Current cerebral endovascular treatment is sophisticated, and the complication rate has markedly decreased. Although it was impossible to compare directly with or without operative embolization, preoperative embolization should be actively used as part of the treatment for this benign tumor, with better understanding of dangerous anastomosis.


Convergence and extrusion are required for normal fusion of the mammalian secondary palate.
The fusion of two distinct prominences into one continuous structure is common during development and typically requires integration of two epithelia and subsequent removal of that intervening epithelium. Using confocal live imaging, we directly observed the cellular processes underlying tissue fusion, using the secondary palatal shelves as a model. We find that convergence of a multi-layered epithelium into a single-layer epithelium is an essential early step, driven by cell intercalation, and is concurrent to orthogonal cell displacement and epithelial cell extrusion. Functional studies in mice indicate that this process requires an actomyosin contractility pathway involving Rho kinase (ROCK) and myosin light chain kinase (MLCK), culminating in the activation of non-muscle myosin IIA (NMIIA). Together, these data indicate that actomyosin contractility drives cell intercalation and cell extrusion during palate fusion and suggest a general mechanism for tissue fusion in development.


Risks and Challenges in Interpreting Simultaneous Analyses of Multiple Cytokines.
To determine the inherent risks of handling results below the lowest detectable value in the analysis of multiple cytokines in the aqueous humor of patients with retinal diseases by comparing possible statistical strategies to lower the risk of mis interpretation or over interpretation of results. Furthermore, in analyzing multiple cytokines simultaneously, the challenge of multiple comparison arises. The analyses were based on parallel testing of 43 cytokines in 58 aqueous humor samples from patients with macular hole or epiretinal membrane. Substitution of values below the detection limit with 0.1 ×, 0.5 ×, or 1.0× of the lowest level of quantitation was compared with handling as missing value. The impact of correction for multiple comparisons was assessed using the Holm correction. When comparing macular hole with epiretinal membrane, not substituting the missing data revealed a difference (P < 0.05) for five compared with wight cytokines after their substitution, indicating an increased risk for under-estimating group differences (type II error). Correcting for multiple comparisons revealed a relevant risk of over estimating group differences (type I error). Physiologic cytokine concentrations in ocular fluids typically range at or below the lowest level of quantitation. Handling of results below this cutoff as missing leads to increased type II errors. Not correcting for multiple comparisons increases the risk of a type I error. Taken together, both harbor a systematic inherent risk of misinterpretation of the results. Ignoring the inherent risks of data misinterpretation in analyses of ocular fluid samples may result in mis leading conclusions regarding their biological relevance.


Torsion of the testicular appendix: importance of associated acute inflammation.
Torsion of the testicular appendix is the commonest cause of acute scrotum in children. The histological picture of these cases is variable and many show a heavy acute inflammatory cell infiltrate, unlike the response to pure ischaemic necrosis in other organs. The clinical implications and consequences of this associated inflammation are not clear. A retrospective review of all cases presenting with torsion of the testicular appendix between 1987 and 2005 was carried out. In all, 79 cases were reviewed and the degree of acute inflammatory cell infiltrate and other morphological parameters were assessed and compared with the patients' clinical, operative and postoperative findings. Stains for bacteria and fungi were examined. A positive correlation was found between the severity of acute inflammatory cell infiltrates and the longer duration of symptoms and presence of clinical evidence of torsion of the testicular appendages. No other association was detected between the pattern or degree of acute inflammatory cell infiltrate and any other clinicopathological variable that may indicate pyogenic infection. No bacteria or fungal elements were identified. Marked lymphatic dilation may be the only histological finding to indicate the presence of early torsion in cases of scrotal pain secondary to torsion of the appendix testis. Heavy acute inflammatory cell infiltrates in the torted testicular appendix can be regarded as marker of progression of this condition. Investigation for infection is therefore not necessary in such cases.


Proteomic analysis of polyribosomes identifies splicing factors as potential regulators of translation during mitosis.
Precise regulation of mRNA translation is critical for proper cell division, but little is known about the factors that mediate it. To identify mRNA-binding proteins that regulate translation during mitosis, we analyzed the composition of polysomes from interphase and mitotic cells using unbiased quantitative mass-spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). We found that mitotic polysomes are enriched with a subset of proteins involved in RNA processing, including alternative splicing and RNA export. To demonstrate that these may indeed be regulators of translation, we focused on heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein C (hnRNP C) as a test case and confirmed that it is recruited to elongating ribosomes during mitosis. Then, using a combination of pulsed SILAC, metabolic labeling and ribosome profiling, we showed that knockdown of hnRNP C affects both global and transcript-specific translation rates and found that hnRNP C is specifically important for translation of mRNAs that encode ribosomal proteins and translation factors. Taken together, our results demonstrate how proteomic analysis of polysomes can provide insight into translation regulation under various cellular conditions of interest and suggest that hnRNP C facilitates production of translation machinery components during mitosis to provide daughter cells with the ability to efficiently synthesize proteins as they enter G1 phase.


Quarantine requirements for the importation of black rhinoceros from Zimbabwe into Australia.
The proposal by the Zoological Parks Board of New South Wales to import 10 southern black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) from Zimbabwe as part of an international project for conservation of the species presented the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) with a unique challenge. This importation is, at least in the modern era, the first importation of live herbivores from the African continent. Many of the serious animal diseases in the world are endemic in parts of Africa. Knowledge of which of these diseases infect wild species and may be transmitted from the wild species to domesticated species, is limited. This paper describes the strategies adopted by AQIS to facilitate the importation of rhinoceros while maintaining protection of Australian consumers, rural industries, domestic livestock and fauna against the entry and spread of unwanted pests and diseases.


[Responses of the pressor and depressor regulatory systems to high sodium intake in borderline arterial hypertension].
A total of 25 healthy individuals and 48 borderline hypertensives aged 22-56 years were examined. The healthy subjects having a salt load showed elevated blood histamine concentrations and an unchanged vascular response to histamine, and reduced plasma renin activity. The patients having a salt load displayed high histamine levels, sharply decreased vascular response to histamine, and undepressed plasma renin activity. It is concluded that the pressor mechanisms responsible for controlling vascular tone are more active than the depressor ones during the salt load in patients with borderline hypertension. The humoral response of the patients to a salt load was impaired with elevated plasma cortisol concentrations, which was not followed by sodium retention in the body.


Randomized controlled trial of honey versus mupirocin to decolonize patients with nasal colonization of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
Mupirocin is used specifically for the eradication of nasal meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), but increasing mupirocin resistance restricts its repeated use. The antibacterial effects of manuka honey have been established in vitro; antibacterial activity of other honeys has also been reported. To describe the learning experience from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing the efficacy of medical-grade honey (MGH) with mupirocin 2% for the eradication of nasal MRSA. Patients colonized in the nose with MRSA and age ≥18 years were recruited. Participants received either one or two courses of MGH or mupirocin 2%, three times per day for five consecutive days. The proportion of patients who were decolonized after one or two courses of treatment was not significantly different between MGH [18/42; 42.8%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 27.7-59.0] and mupirocin 2% (25/44; 56.8%; 95% CI: 41.0-71.7). Non-nasal MRSA colonization was significantly associated with persistent nasal colonization (odds ratio: 5.186; 95% CI: 1.736-5.489; P = 0.003). The rate of new acquisition of mupirocin resistance was 9.75%. Although not significant, a decolonization rate of 42.8% for MGH was impressive. Our findings suggest that this strategy, which has the potential to combat antimicrobial resistance, should be assessed in similar but larger studies.


The Cultural Climate of Southwest Dental Colleges: Dentistry and Dental Hygiene.
The purpose of this study was to identify the cultural climate of southwestern dental colleges, from the perspective of dental hygiene and dental students. The Cultural Attitudes and Climate Questionnaire was used to measure cultural climate. It contained 57 items related to campus experiences, cultural comfort, diversity awareness, racial pressures, fair treatment, respect, lack of support, patient care and overall satisfaction. The survey was administered to 508 dental and dental hygiene students at 5 dental colleges. The response rate was 41% (n=239/508). Students reported not experiencing racial conflict or pressures (71 to 90%), being treated fairly and with respect (86 to 90%) and being comfortable interacting with and treating other cultures (70 to 91%). They also practiced culturally appropriate behaviors (54 to 92%). Those reporting diversity training (77.8%) were more likely to engage in 3 of the 6 awareness practices (p<0.033). Although all groups agreed their educational experience was rewarding (89.5%), African-Americans reported a significantly lower level of agreement than Whites (p=0.003) and Asians (p=0.008). Among all groups, satisfaction with their educational experience was significantly correlated with fair treatment (rho=0.441 to 0.511, p<0.001) and respect for other cultures (rho=0.391 to 0.441, p<0.001). The students generally reported a positive cultural climate. Improvements could be made by focusing on fair treatment, respect for cultures and the African-American experience. Cultural competence training could be key to improving cultural climate, as positive outcomes from training were identified.


Antibiotic sensitivity and spectrum of bacterial isolates in otorhinolaryngological infection: a retrospective study.
To identify the common bacteria of otorhinolaryngological (ORL) infection in three general hospitals in the state of Sarawak, East Malaysia and to determine the antibiotic sensitivity of the common bacteria to update local antibiotic policy. All specimens with positive monoclonal culture, received from inpatient and outpatient Otorhinolaryngology Department in the year 2009 and 2010 were included in the study. Patients' demographics, nature of specimens, bacterial isolates and antibiotic sensitivity were analysed by using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). A total 244 positive monoclonal cultures were identified. Staphylococcus species and Gram negative bacilli were the commonest bacteria of ORL infections. Common ORL bacteria remain sensitive to our front line antibiotics. There are a number of multi-drug resistant isolates of MRSA, ESBL Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumanii in the hospital-acquired infections. Although resistance to antimicrobial agents is growing worldwide, first line antibiotics still show significant therapeutic advantage in our local setting. The low resistance of bacterial isolates in our community reflects judicious use of antibiotics in our routine clinical practices.


White matter microstructure throughout the brain correlates with visual imagery in grapheme-color synesthesia.
In this study we show, for the first time, a correlation between the neuroanatomy of the synesthetic brain and a metric that measures behavior not exclusive to the synesthetic experience. Grapheme-color synesthetes (n=20), who experience colors triggered by viewing or thinking of specific letters or numbers, showed altered white matter microstructure, as measured using diffusion tensor imaging, compared with carefully matched non-synesthetic controls. Synesthetes had lower fractional anisotropy and higher perpendicular diffusivity when compared to non-synesthetic controls. An analysis of the mode of anisotropy suggested that these differences were likely due to the presence of more crossing pathways in the brains of synesthetes. Additionally, these differences in white matter microstructure correlated negatively, and only for synesthetes, with a measure of the vividness of their visual imagery. Synesthetes who reported the most vivid visual imagery had the lowest fractional anisotropy and highest perpendicular diffusivity. We conclude that synesthetes as a population vary along a continuum while showing categorical differences in neuroanatomy and behavior compared to non-synesthetes.


[Detection of genetically modified organisms obtained from food samples ].
Genetially modified organisms (GMOs) were explored in food samples obtained from November 2000 to March 2003 in the Tokyo area by using PCR and real-time PCR techniques. The existence of Roundup Ready Soybean (RRS) was surveyed in processed foods derived from soybeans, such as tofu, boiled soybean, kinako, nama-age, abura-age, natto, miso, soymilk and yuba. RRS was detected in 3 of 37 tofu, 2 of 3 nama-age, 2 of 3 yuba and 3 of 3 abura-age samples. The CBH351 in 70 processed corn foods, NewLeaf Plus and NewLeaf Y in 50 processed potato foods, and 55-1 papaya in 16 papayas were surveyed. These GMOs were not detected among the samples. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of RRS and genetically modified (GM) corn were performed in soybean, corn and semi-processed corn products such as corn meal, corn flour and corn grits. RRS was detected in 42 of 178 soybean samples, and the amount of RRS in RRS-positive samples was determined. The content was in the range of 0.1-1.4% in identity-preserved soybeans (non-GMO), and 49.8-78.8% in non-segregated soybeans. On the other hand, GM corns were detected in 8 of 26 samples. The amount of GM corn in GM corn-positive samples was in the range of 0.1-2.0%.


Effectiveness of a simplified reablement program to minimize functional decline in hospitalized older patients.
To examine the effects of a simplified reablement program on physical function and quality of life in hospitalized older patients. The randomized controlled trial enrolled 114 older patients aged ≥65 years who, 2 weeks before admission, had been able to walk independently. Patients randomized to the reablement group received supervision and assistance to carry out the simplified reablement program 30 min daily during their hospital stay. Patients in the reminding group received only oral encouragement to continue the reablement program for 30 min daily. The control group received only usual care that included medical intervention consistent with the patient's diagnosis. The main outcome was improvement in physical function, including the modified version of the Katz Activities of Daily Living (ADL) score, Timed Up and Go test (TUG) and Hand Grip Strength (HGS). Secondary outcomes included the EuroQoL 5 Dimension (EQ-5D) Questionnaire and Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The intervention had no significant effect on the Katz ADL score. However, a significant within-group improvement in TUG occurred in the reminding group and reablement group. In addition, a significant time-dependent improvement in HGS occurred only in the reablement group. With respect to secondary outcomes, the EQ5D score improved significantly only in the reablement group at 3 months after discharge. The simplified reablement program may be beneficial to optimize physical function and improve quality of life in hospitalized older patients. It is recommended that health professionals should assist or encourage older patients to do simplified reablement during their hospital stay. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 436-442.


Dominant-negative Smad2 mutants inhibit activin/Vg1 signaling and disrupt axis formation in Xenopus.
Smads are central mediators of signal transduction for the TGFbeta superfamily. However, the precise functions of Smad-mediated signaling pathways in early development are unclear. Here we demonstrate a requirement for Smad2 signaling in dorsoanterior axis formation during Xenopus development. Using two point mutations of Smad2 previously identified in colorectal carcinomas, we show that Smad2 ushers Smad4 to the nucleus to form a transcriptional activation complex with the nuclear DNA-binding protein FAST-1 and that the mutant proteins interact normally with FAST-1 but fail to recruit Smad4 into the nucleus. This mechanism of inhibition specifically restricts the dominant-negative activity of these mutants to the activin/Vg1 signaling pathway without inhibiting BMPs. Furthermore, expression of these mutants in Xenopus animal caps inhibits but does not abolish activin and Vg1 induction of mesoderm and in the embryo results in a truncated dorsoanterior axis. These studies define a mechanism through which mutations in Smad2 may block TGFbeta-dependent signaling and suggest a critical role for inductive signaling mediated by the Smad2 pathway in Xenopus organizer function.


Sex-biased natal dispersal and inbreeding avoidance in American black bears as revealed by spatial genetic analyses.
We tested the hypothesis that sex-biased natal dispersal reduces close inbreeding in American black bears, a solitary species that exhibits nearly complete male dispersal and female philopatry. Using microsatellite DNA and spatial data from reproductively mature bears (>or= 4 years old), we examined the spatial genetic structure of two distinct populations in New Mexico from 1993 to 2000. As predicted, relatedness (r) and the frequency of close relationships (parent-offspring or full siblings) decreased with distance among female dyads, but little change was observed among male or opposite-sex dyads. Neighbouring females were more closely related than neighbouring males. The potential for inbreeding was low. Most opposite-sex pairs that lived sufficiently close to facilitate mating were unrelated, and few were close relatives. We found no evidence that bears actively avoided inbreeding in their selection of mates from this nearby pool, as mean r and relationship frequencies did not differ between potential and actual mating pairs (determined by parentage analysis). These basic patterns were apparent in both study areas despite a nearly two-fold difference in density. However, the sex bias in dispersal was less pronounced in the lower-density area, based on proportions of bears with male and female relatives residing nearby. This result suggests that male bears may respond to reduced competition by decreasing their rate or distance of dispersal. Evidence supports the hypothesis that inbreeding avoidance is achieved by means of male-biased dispersal but also indicates that competition (for mates or resources) modifies dispersal patterns.


Rheumatology nurses' perceptions of undertaking a postgraduate education programme: A phenomenological study.
The expansion of the role of the rheumatology nurse specialist led to the instigation, in 1999, of the first Masters programme in rheumatology nursing, with the aim of supporting clinical advancement with evidence-based practice. This study explored the experience of rheumatology nurses undertaking postgraduate study at Masters level. (1) To explore the perceptions and experiences of clinical nurse specialists undertaking a Masters programme in Rheumatology Nursing, including perceptions of impact. (2) To identify future educational needs. Ten rheumatology nurses who had completed a Masters degree in rheumatology nursing participated in a semi-structured video link or telephone interview conducted between 17th March 2021-17th May 2021. Interpretive phenomenological analysis was undertaken by two researchers and two public contributors. Four themes were identified: (i) Increased confidence and the development of new clinical skills. (ii) The perceived impact on the organisation; (iii) Benefits of face-to-face learning; and (iv) Continuing evolution of the rheumatology nurse specialist role. Participants reported increased confidence in clinical skills and felt that their learning had benefited their employing organisation. However, lack of time and insufficient managerial support could impede the implementation of new skills. Learning examination techniques, engagement in learning and peer support were seen as advantages of face-to-face learning. Future educational needs focused on diagnostic and prescribing skills. Participant learners perceived that completing a face-to-face Masters in rheumatology increased confidence in delivering new clinical skills and fostered peer networks, whilst also benefiting their employing organisations. There is a need for organisational support to apply learning to the clinical setting.


Subtle injuries of the Lisfranc joint.
In fifteen patients, a subtle injury of the Lisfranc joint (tarsometatarsal articulation) was found. The lesion was defined as a diastasis of two to five millimeters between the bases of the first and second metatarsals, as seen on anteroposterior radiographs. There often was a long delay between injury and diagnosis. Eight patients were treated with a below-the-knee cast only, three had treatment with a cast and then tarsometatarsal arthrodesis, two had no initial treatment but later had arthrodesis, and two had open reduction and internal fixation. The duration of follow-up ranged from two to thirteen years after the diagnosis. There was no correlation between the severity of the diastasis and the patient's functional result. Marked disability and pain persisted in seven patients, and six of them had flattening of the longitudinal arch. Maintenance of the longitudinal arch usually was associated with a better functional outcome. When a patient has a subtle injury of the Lisfranc joint, weight-bearing lateral radiographs of both feet are needed to identify flattening of the longitudinal arch. Such radiographs should be made routinely in the evaluation of all injuries of the foot that may involve the Lisfranc joint.


Cancer Digital Slide Archive: an informatics resource to support integrated in silico analysis of TCGA pathology data.
The integration and visualization of multimodal datasets is a common challenge in biomedical informatics. Several recent studies of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data have illustrated important relationships between morphology observed in whole-slide images, outcome, and genetic events. The pairing of genomics and rich clinical descriptions with whole-slide imaging provided by TCGA presents a unique opportunity to perform these correlative studies. However, better tools are needed to integrate the vast and disparate data types. To build an integrated web-based platform supporting whole-slide pathology image visualization and data integration. All images and genomic data were directly obtained from the TCGA and National Cancer Institute (NCI) websites. The Cancer Digital Slide Archive (CDSA) produced is accessible to the public (http://cancer.digitalslidearchive.net) and currently hosts more than 20,000 whole-slide images from 22 cancer types. The capabilities of CDSA are demonstrated using TCGA datasets to integrate pathology imaging with associated clinical, genomic and MRI measurements in glioblastomas and can be extended to other tumor types. CDSA also allows URL-based sharing of whole-slide images, and has preliminary support for directly sharing regions of interest and other annotations. Images can also be selected on the basis of other metadata, such as mutational profile, patient age, and other relevant characteristics. With the increasing availability of whole-slide scanners, analysis of digitized pathology images will become increasingly important in linking morphologic observations with genomic and clinical endpoints.


Monoglobus pectinilyticus gen. nov., sp. nov., a pectinolytic bacterium isolated from human faeces.
A novel anaerobic pectinolytic bacterium (strain 14T) was isolated from human faeces. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain 14T belonged to the family Ruminococcaceae, but was located separately from known clostridial clusters within the taxon. The closest cultured relative of strain 14T was Acetivibrio cellulolyticus (89.7 % sequence similarity). Strain 14T shared ~99 % sequence similarity with cloned 16S rRNA gene sequences from uncultured bacteria derived from the human gut. Cells were Gram-stain-positive, non-motile cocci approximately 0.6 µm in diameter. Strain 14T fermented pectins from citrus peel, apple, and kiwifruit as well as carbohydrates that are constituents of pectins and hemicellulose, such as galacturonic acid, xylose, and arabinose. TEM images of strain 14T, cultured in association with plant tissues, suggested extracellular fibrolytic activity associated with the bacterial cells, forming zones of degradation in the pectin-rich regions of middle lamella. Phylogenetic and phenotypic analysis supported the differentiation of strain 14T as a novel genus in the family Ruminococcaceae. The name Monoglobus pectinilyticus gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is 14T (JCM 31914T=DSM 104782T).


Fluorinated liquid crystals--properties and applications.
This critical review begins with a brief, but essential, introduction to the special nature of liquid crystal materials, their peculiar properties, and their commercial applications, followed by an introductory insight into the remarkable nature of the fluoro substituent, and its fascinating influence on the properties of organic compounds. However, the main focus of the review is to discuss the enormous amount of exciting research on fluorinated liquid crystals that has been reported. The small size of the fluoro substituent enables its incorporation into all types of liquid crystal, including calamitic, discotic, banana, lyotropic, and polymers, without ruining the liquid crystalline nature of the material. However the fluoro substituent is larger than hydrogen, and hence causes a significant steric effect, which combined with the high polarity, confers many fascinating, and often remarkable, modifications to melting point, mesophase morphology and transition temperatures, and the many other very important physical properties, such as dielectric anisotropy, optical anisotropy, and visco-elastic properties. There are many different positions within a liquid crystal structure where a fluoro substituent can be located, including (i) a terminal position, (ii) within a terminal chain, as a semi-fluorinated or as a perfluorinated chain, or as one fluoro substituent at a chiral centre, (iii) as part of a linking group, and (iv) a lateral position in the core section. Such variety enables the interesting and advantageous tailoring of properties, both for the fundamental purposes of establishing structure-property relationships, and for materials targeted towards commercially-successful liquid crystal display applications.


The value of intraoperative EABRs in auditory brainstem implantation.
To compare the intraoperative electrically evoked auditory brainstem response (EABR) morphologies between neurofibromatosis II (NF2) adult auditory brainstem implant (ABI) recipients who had auditory percepts post-operatively and those who did not and between NF2 adult ABI recipients and non-NF2 pediatric ABI recipients. This was a retrospective case series at a single tertiary academic referral center examining all ABI recipients from 1994 to 2016, which included 34 NF2 adults and 11 non-NF2 children. The morphologies of intraoperative EABRs were evaluated for the number of waveforms showing a response, the number of positive peaks in those responses, and the latencies of each of these peaks. 27/34 adult NF2 patients and 9/10 children had EABR waveforms. 20/27 (74.0%) of the adult patients and all of the children had ABI devices that stimulated post-operatively. When comparing the waveforms between adults who stimulated and those who did not stimulate, the proportion of total number of intraoperative EABR peaks to total possible peaks was significantly higher for the adults who stimulated than for those who did not (p < 0.05). Children had a significantly higher proportion of total number of peaks to total possible peaks when compared to adults who stimulated (p < 0.02). Additionally, there were more likely to be EABR responses at the initial stimulation than intraoperatively in the pediatric ABI population (p = 0.065). The value of intraoperative EABR tracing may lie in its ability to predict post-operative auditory percepts based on the placement of the array providing the highest number of total peaks.


Double outlet right ventricle: opinions regarding management.
In the current era of superb surgical results for congenital heart disease, several management options are available for patients born with double outlet right ventricle (DORV). The surgical repair of DORV is tailored to address the variety of abnormalities associated with this lesion. The treatment strategies are dependent upon the anatomy and relationship of the ventricular septal defect (VSD) and the great arteries. For patients with subaortic or doubly committed VSDs, without right ventricular outflow tract obstruction, the usual repair is an intraventricular tunnel from the VSD to the aorta. If right ventricular outflow tract obstruction exists, then augmentation of the right ventricular outflow tract or conduit placement from the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery is necessary. For the "Taussig-Bing anomaly" (subpulmonary VSD) an arterial switch operation is indicated with tunneling of the VSD to the neoaorta. For patients with a remote VSD, complex atrioventricular valve abnormalities, or unbalanced ventricles, a staged palliative approach is warranted. This approach will result in the patient having "single ventricle" physiology, and "Fontan anatomy" after the staging surgeries. Outcomes are determined by the surgery performed. Patients who require conduit placement from right ventricle to pulmonary artery will need subsequent surgery for replacement of the conduit. Complex intraventricular tunnels are at risk for developing subaortic obstruction. Patients who had arterial switch operations have thus far had excellent results. However, these patients may be at risk for development of neoaortic valve regurgitation requiring subsequent reoperation. Complex biventricular intracardiac repairs have been associated with a higher risk of reoperation. In the past 10 to 15 years, patients undergoing Fontan operations have had improved early and late survival. However, long-term problems after the Fontan operation include arrhythmia and development of protein-losing enteropathy.


The Transcriptional Signature of a Runner's High.
Endorphins, endocannabinoids, monoamines, and neurotrophins have all been implicated in the euphoric response to endurance running, known as a runner's high (RH). The epitranscriptional mechanisms regulating this effect have not been defined. Here, we investigate peripheral micro-ribonucleic acid (miRNA) changes unique to athletes experiencing postrun euphoria, yielding insights into gene networks that control an RH. A cohort study involving 25 collegiate runners (48% females, age = 20 ± 1 yr) examined salivary RNA levels before and after a long-distance run. Participants were divided into RH and nonrunner's high (NRH) groups based on surveys of four criteria (mood, lost sense of time, run quality, and euphoria). Physiological measures were also recorded (temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, pupillary dilatation, and salivary serotonin). Levels of miRNAs and their messenger RNA targets were compared across pre- and postrun samples from RH and NRH groups with two-way ANOVA. Representation of opioid, gamma-aminobutyic acid (GABA), endocannabinoid, neurotrophin, serotonergic, and dopaminergic pathways was assessed in DIANA miRPath. Pearson's correlation analyses examined relationships between miRNAs and RH indices. RH participants (n = 13) demonstrated postrun mydriasis (P = 0.046) and hypothermia (P = 0.043) relative to NRH participants (n = 12) but had no difference in serotonin dynamics (P = 0.88). Six miRNAs (miR-194-5p, miR-4676-3p, miR-4254, miR-4425, miR-1273-3p, miR-6743-5p) exhibited significant effects (false discovery rate P value < 0.05) across pre- or postrun and RH/NRH groups. These miRNAs displayed target enrichment for opioid (P = 2.74E-06) and GABA (P = 0.00016) pathways. miR-1237-3p levels were related with lost sense of time (R = 0.40). Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK11), an endocannabinoid target of miR-1273-3p, was nominally elevated in RH participants (false discovery rate P value = 0.11). Unique dynamics in miRNA concentration occur in athletes with subjective/objective evidence of RH, targeting genes implicated endorphin, endocannabinoid, and GABAergic signaling.


The value and limitation of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in preventing recurrence of resected hepatocellular carcinoma.
To evaluate the value and limitation of postoperative transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in preventing recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the first group, 987 postoperative patients with HCC, who did not have any evidence of recurrence in the first preventative TACE but were found to have recurrence at different times during the follow-up survey, were analyzed. In the second group, 643 postoperative patients with HCC had no TACE for compared study. To study the relationship between the recurrence time and the number of TACE treatments was analyzed. The 6-, 12-, and 18-mo recurrence rates in the first and second groups were 22.2% (210 cases) vs 61.6% (396 cases), 78.0% (770 cases) vs 74.7% (480 cases) and 88.6% (874 cases) vs 80.1% (515 cases). There were significant differences between the recurrence rates of the two groups at 6 mo (P<0.0001). The principal role of TACE after HCC operation is to suppress, detect early and treat micro-metastasis. It has a good effect of preventing recurrence of HCC in 6 mo, but such an effect is less satisfactory in a longer period. When it is uncertain whether HCC is single-central or multi-central and if there is cancer residue or metastasis after operation, TACE is valuable to prevent recurrence.


[The clinical masks of foreign bodies in the bronchi].
Three cases of foreign bodies in the bronchi, aspiration of which has gone unnoticed for the patients, are considered. In view of great diagnostic difficulties of related inflammation in atelectasis-affected sites of the lungs encountered in such cases, the study of the disease history and bronchological examination seem essential and should be detailed and comprehensive. This is especially true in torpid and atypical course of pneumonia, signs of aspiration and bronchial obstruction.


Head above the parapet: How minority subordinates influence group outcomes and the consequences they face for doing so.
Research on power often treats the recipients of powerholders' decisions (i.e., subordinates) as an undifferentiated group, overlooking how their responses to powerholders' decisions might vary and how those responses might affect powerholders' later decisions. In this article, we examine the role of lone dissenting subordinates (individuals whose feedback differs from that expressed by other group members) in shaping powerholders' allocation decisions, and explore the consequences those subordinates face for their dissent. In 3 experimental studies, we show that even as a lone voice, the feedback of a dissenting subordinate influences powerholders' decisions. Powerholders make more self-interested allocations when a lone subordinate provides consistently positive feedback, even when others provide mostly negative feedback. However, powerholders regulate their allocations when a lone subordinate provides candid feedback that points out the self-interested nature of their allocations, even when others provide consistently positive feedback. We further show that lone dissenting subordinates' influence is stronger when they share a salient group membership with the powerholder (e.g., their school or political affiliation). Finally, we find that powerholders reward lone subordinates who provide them with positive feedback, but only punish lone candid subordinates if they do not share a salient group membership with them. Overall, our results suggest that subordinates who risk putting their head above the parapet can improve outcomes for their group members, and can avoid being punished for doing so, as long as they share a salient group membership with the powerholder. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).


Gender Differences in Veterans Referred for Neuropsychological Evaluation in an Outpatient Neuropsychology Consultation Service.
The number of women veterans seeking Veterans Health Administration services has substantially increased over the past decade. Neuropsychology remains an understudied area in the examination of gender differences. The present study sought to delineate similarities and differences in men and women veterans presenting for neuropsychological evaluation in terms of demographics, referral, medical conditions, effort, and outcome diagnosis. A database collected from an outpatient VA neuropsychology clinic from 2013 to 2019 was analyzed (n = 232 women, 2642 men). Additional analyses examined younger (n = 836 men, 155 women) and older (n = 1805 men, 77 women) age cohorts. Women veterans were younger and more educated than men, whereas men had higher prevalence of vascular risk factors. Both groups were most often referred from mental health clinics and memory was the most common referral question. Although men performed worse on performance validity measures, clinicians rated women as evidencing poorer effort on a cumulative rating based on formal and embedded performance validity measures, behavioral observations, and inconsistent test patterns. Older women reported more depressive symptoms than older men and were more commonly diagnosed with depression. This exploratory study fills a gap in the understanding of gender differences in veterans presenting for neuropsychological evaluations. Findings emphasize consideration for the intersection of gender with demographics, medical factors, effort, and psychological symptoms by VA neuropsychologists. A better understanding of relationships between gender and these factors may inform neuropsychologists' test selection, interpretation of behavioral observations, and diagnostic considerations to best treat women veterans.


Deciphering the glycogenome of schistosomes.
Schistosoma mansoni and other Schistosoma sp. are multicellular parasitic helminths (worms) that infect humans and mammals worldwide. Infection by these parasites, which results in developmental maturation and sexual differentiation of the worms over a period of 5-6 weeks, induces antibodies to glycan antigens expressed in surface and secreted glycoproteins and glycolipids. There is growing interest in defining these unusual parasite-synthesized glycan antigens and using them to understand immune responses, their roles in immunomodulation, and in using glycan antigens as potential vaccine targets. A key problem in this area, however, has been the lack of information about the enzymes involved in elaborating the complex repertoire of glycans represented by the schistosome glycome. Recent availability of the nuclear genome sequences for Schistosoma sp. has created the opportunity to define the glycogenome, which represents the specific genes and cognate enzymes that generate the glycome. Here we describe the current state of information in regard to the schistosome glycogenome and glycome and highlight the important classes of glycans and glycogenes that may be important in their generation.


Systemic administration of antiretrovirals prior to exposure prevents rectal and intravenous HIV-1 transmission in humanized BLT mice.
Successful antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for mucosal and intravenous HIV-1 transmission could reduce new infections among targeted high-risk populations including discordant couples, injection drug users, high-risk women and men who have sex with men. Targeted antiretroviral PrEP could be particularly effective at slowing the spread of HIV-1 if a single antiretroviral combination were found to be broadly protective across multiple routes of transmission. Therefore, we designed our in vivo preclinical study to systematically investigate whether rectal and intravenous HIV-1 transmission can be blocked by antiretrovirals administered systemically prior to HIV-1 exposure. We performed these studies using a highly relevant in vivo model of mucosal HIV-1 transmission, humanized Bone marrow/Liver/Thymus mice (BLT). BLT mice are susceptible to HIV-1 infection via three major physiological routes of viral transmission: vaginal, rectal and intravenous. Our results show that BLT mice given systemic antiretroviral PrEP are efficiently protected from HIV-1 infection regardless of the route of exposure. Specifically, systemic antiretroviral PrEP with emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate prevented both rectal (Chi square = 8.6, df = 1, p = 0.003) and intravenous (Chi square = 13, df = 1, p = 0.0003) HIV-1 transmission. Our results indicate that antiretroviral PrEP has the potential to be broadly effective at preventing new rectal or intravenous HIV transmissions in targeted high risk individuals. These in vivo preclinical findings provide strong experimental evidence supporting the potential clinical implementation of antiretroviral based pre-exposure prophylactic measures to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.


Treatment of carcinoma in situ of the larynx.
The treatment of choice for carcinoma in situ of the larynx is radiotherapy. Forty-three patients were seen with this condition between 1940 and 1972 and are now suitable for five year follow-up. Thirty-seven of these patients were treated with a tumoricidal dose of Cobalt 60. Three died in less than five years--without evidence of laryngeal disease. Of the remaining 34, all but one are free of disease for five to 17 years. The only failure in this group had co-existing invasive carcinoma. The high incidence of radiotherapy failures previously reported is probably related to the frequency of co-existing invasive carcinoma. We do not feel that there is a true increase in the incidence of carcinoma in situ in recent years. The increased frequency of diagnosis is probably due to increased awareness of the disease and the routine use of microlaryngoscopy.


Knowledge-driven geospatial location resolution for phylogeographic models of virus migration.
Diseases caused by zoonotic viruses (viruses transmittable between humans and animals) are a major threat to public health throughout the world. By studying virus migration and mutation patterns, the field of phylogeography provides a valuable tool for improving their surveillance. A key component in phylogeographic analysis of zoonotic viruses involves identifying the specific locations of relevant viral sequences. This is usually accomplished by querying public databases such as GenBank and examining the geospatial metadata in the record. When sufficient detail is not available, a logical next step is for the researcher to conduct a manual survey of the corresponding published articles. In this article, we present a system for detection and disambiguation of locations (toponym resolution) in full-text articles to automate the retrieval of sufficient metadata. Our system has been tested on a manually annotated corpus of journal articles related to phylogeography using integrated heuristics for location disambiguation including a distance heuristic, a population heuristic and a novel heuristic utilizing knowledge obtained from GenBank metadata (i.e. a 'metadata heuristic'). For detecting and disambiguating locations, our system performed best using the metadata heuristic (0.54 Precision, 0.89 Recall and 0.68 F-score). Precision reaches 0.88 when examining only the disambiguation of location names. Our error analysis showed that a noticeable increase in the accuracy of toponym resolution is possible by improving the geospatial location detection. By improving these fundamental automated tasks, our system can be a useful resource to phylogeographers that rely on geospatial metadata of GenBank sequences. .


A respiratory-deficient mutation associated with high salt sensitivity in Kluyveromyces lactis.
A salt-sensitive mutant of Kluyveromyces lactis was isolated that was unable to grow in high-salt media. This mutant was also respiratory-deficient and temperature-sensitive for growth. The mutation mapped in a single nuclear gene that is the ortholog of BCS1 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The BCS1 product is a mitochondrial protein required for the assembly of respiratory complex III. The bcs1 mutation of S. cerevisiae leads to a loss of respiration, but, unlike in K. lactis, it is not accompanied by salt sensitivity. All the respiratory-deficient K. lactis mutants tested were found to be salt-sensitive compared to their isogenic wild-type strains. In the presence of the respiratory inhibitor antimycin A, the wild-type strain also became salt-sensitive. By contrast, none of the S. cerevisiae respiratory-deficient mutants tested showed increased salt sensitivity. The salt sensitivity of the Klbcs1 mutant, but not its respiratory deficiency, was suppressed by the multicopy KlVMA13 gene, a homolog of the S. cerevisiae VMA13 gene encoding a subunit of the vacuolar H(+)-ATPase. These results suggest that cellular salt homeostasis in K. lactis is strongly dependent on mitochondrial respiratory activity, and/or that the ion homeostasis of mitochondria themselves could be a primary target of salt stress.


Sonochemical synthesis and physical properties of Co0.3Ni0.5Mn0.2EuxFe2-xO4 nano-spinel ferrites.
Nanoparticles (NPs) of composition Co0.3Ni0.5Mn0.2EuxFe2-xO4, where 0.00 ≤ x ≤ 0.10 (hereafter called CNMEuF) were synthesized by sonochemical approach using UZ SONOPULS HD 2070 ultrasonic homogenizer (frequency of 20 kHz and power of 70 W). As-synthesized samples were characterized thoroughly to determine the effects of europium ions (Eu3+) substitution on their structure, morphology and magnetic traits. Structural analyses of the synthesized NPs confirmed their high purity and crystalline cubic phases. Percent diffuse reflectance (%DR) data and Kubelka-Munk theory were exploited to evaluate the optical band gap energies of the studied CNMEuF NPs. Values of optical band gap energies obtained from the Tauc plots were observed in the range of 1.47-1.58 eV. The hysteresis loops (at room temperature and 10 K) of synthesized NPs were analyzed to determine their magnetic properties. These NPs disclosed superparamagnetic and hard ferrimagnetic character at room temperature and 10 K, respectively. With exception, the sample with x = 0.10 revealed soft ferrimagnetic behavior at 10 K. Eu3+ doping was shown to have significant influence on the structure and magnetic attributes of the proposed CNMEuF NPs. Values of various magnetic parameters of proposed compositions were reduced with the increase in Eu3+ dopant contents.


Metrics that differentiate the origins of osmolyte effects on protein stability: a test of the surface tension proposal.
Osmolytes that are naturally selected to protect organisms against environmental stresses are known to confer stability to proteins via preferential exclusion from protein surfaces. Solvophobicity, surface tension, excluded volume, water structure changes and electrostatic repulsion are all examples of forces proposed to account for preferential exclusion and the ramifications exclusion has on protein properties. What has been lacking is a systematic way of determining which force(s) is(are) responsible for osmolyte effects. Here, we propose the use of two experimental metrics for assessing the abilities of various proposed forces to account for osmolyte-mediated effects on protein properties. Metric 1 requires prediction of the experimentally determined ability of the osmolyte to bring about folding/unfolding resulting from the application of the force in question (i.e. prediction of the m-value of the protein in osmolyte). Metric 2 requires prediction of the experimentally determined ability of the osmolyte to contract or expand the Stokes radius of the denatured state resulting from the application of the force. These metrics are applied to test separate claims that solvophobicity/solvophilicity and surface tension are driving forces for osmolyte-induced effects on protein stability. The results show clearly that solvophobic/solvophilic forces readily account for protein stability and denatured state dimensional effects, while surface tension alone fails to do so. The agreement between experimental and predicted m-values involves both positive and negative m-values for three different proteins, and as many as six different osmolytes, illustrating that the tests are robust and discriminating. The ability of the two metrics to distinguish which forces account for the effects of osmolytes on protein properties and which do not, provides a powerful means of investigating the origins of osmolyte-protein effects.


'It's pretty hard with our ones, they can't talk, the more able bodied can participate': staff attitudes about the applicability of disability policies to people with severe and profound intellectual disabilities.
The level of resident's adaptive behaviour and staff facilitative practices are key sources of variation in outcomes for residents in community-based residential services. The higher the resident support needs the poorer their outcome. Although substantial investment has been made in values-based training for staff, their attitudes and the impact of these on practice is largely unexplored. The first study used ethnographic and action research methods to examine the daily lives of 25 residents with severe and profound intellectual disabilities (ID), who lived in five small group homes, and the attitudes of the staff supporting them. Thematic analysis of the data led to a proposition that although staff accept principles of inclusion, choice and participation for people with ID in general, they do not consider it feasible to apply these to the people with severe and profound ID to whom they provide support. The findings from a second study that used a group comparison design and administered a short questionnaire about staff attitudes to 144 direct-care staff and first-line managers working in disability services confirmed this hypothesis. The study suggests more focused attention is needed to staff understanding the values embedded in current policies and their application to people with more severe disabilities.


Eye signs in 611 cases of posterior fossa aneurysms: their diagnostic and prognostic value.
This review of 611 cases of aneurysms in the posterior fossa managed by one neurosurgeon between 1965 and 1980 shows that eye signs are important indications for investigation and may lead to earlier detection and treatment of the aneurysm. They were present in 50% of the patients. Major defects in ocular motility or the visual field were present preoperatively in 57 of the 64 patients with unfavourable surgical results--postoperative death or total physical dependency. Of the same 64 patients 55% (35) had "giant" aneurysms, as compared with 17% (102) of the entire group of patients. Hypertension was present in 50% of the patients who died and 25% of those with poor functional results after surgery. Computer-assisted tomography and four-vessel angiography are essential for accurate localization of the aneurysm and for blood-flow information important in determining the best surgical approach.


Estimating older adults' preferences for walking programs via conjoint analysis.
Physical inactivity is a major driver of costly health problems, especially in older adults. Structured walking programs are one approach for increasing physical activity, although there is little information about how the characteristics of these programs influence their effectiveness. It was hypothesized that cash incentives would increase acceptability and effectiveness while a group participation requirement would place a net burden on participants. To measure preferences for specific characteristics of walking programs (i.e., minutes per day, days per week, organized or individual/informal group, cash incentive) and the likelihood of participation, a conjoint-analysis survey of 501 inactive adults aged >or=50 years was conducted in October 2006. Data were analyzed in 2007-2008. The most-preferred program was three 20-minute walks per week. Respondents had a strong preference for programs conducted outside of a formal group setting. Offering an incentive of $9 in cash per week ($468 per year) increased predicted participation by 31%. The results suggest that the characteristics of walking programs, such as whether they involve participation in a formal group, substantially influence their perceived acceptability and the likelihood of participation. The results also suggest that, independent of other program attributes, modest financial incentives increase the likelihood of program participation by sedentary older adults, and thus are a potential means to increase the effectiveness of walking programs.