Perceiver as polar planimeter: Direct perception of jumping, reaching, and jump-reaching affordances for the self and others.
Runeson (Scandanavian Journal of Psychology 18:172-179, 1977) suggested that the polar planimeter might serve as an informative model system of perceptual mechanism. The key aspect of the polar planimeter is that it registers a higher order property of the environment without computational mediation on the basis of lower order properties, detecting task-specific information only. This aspect was posited as a hypothesis for the perception of jumping and reaching affordances for the self and another person. The findings supported this hypothesis. The perception of reaching while jumping significantly differed from an additive combination of jump-without-reaching and reach-without-jumping perception. The results are consistent with Gibson's (The senses considered as perceptual systems, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA; Gibson, The senses considered as perceptual systems, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA, 1966; The ecological approach to visual perception, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA; Gibson, The ecological approach to visual perception, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA, 1979) theory of information-that aspects of the environment are specified by patterns in energetic media.


Neuromuscular Taping Application in Counter Movement Jump: Biomechanical Insight in a Group of Healthy Basketball Players.
Kinesiologic elastic tape is widely used for both clinical and sport applications although its efficacy in enhancing agonistic performance is still controversial. Aim of the study was to verify in a group of healthy basketball players whether a neuromuscular taping application (NMT) on ankle and knee joints could affect the kinematic and the kinetic parameters of the jump, either by enhancing or inhibiting the functional performance. Fourteen healthy male basketball players without any ongoing pathologies at upper limbs, lower limbs and trunk volunteered in the study. They randomly performed 2 sets of 5 counter movement jumps (CMJ) with and without application of Kinesiologic tape. The best 3 jumps of each set were considered for the analysis. The Kinematics parameters analyzed were: knees maximal flexion and ankles maximal dorsiflexion during the push off phase, jump height and take off velocity. Vertical ground reaction force and maximal power expressed in the push off phase of the jump were also investigated. The NMT application in both knees and ankles showed no statistically significant differences in the kinematic and kinetic parameters and did not interfere with the CMJ performance. Bilateral NMT application in the group of healthy male basketball players did not change kinematics and kinetics jump parameters, thus suggesting that its routine use should have no negative effect on functional performance. Similarly, the combined application of the tape on both knees and ankles did not affect in either way jump performance.


Aortobronchial fistula: a rare etiology for hemoptysis.
Aortobronchial fistula is an extremely rare cause of hemoptysis. Aortobronchial fistula occurs in patients who have a history of thoracic vascular surgery. Because its symptoms are nonspecific, a high index of suspicion is critical if the physician is to detect it. The results of imaging studies (e.g., plain films, computed tomography, and angiography) and bronchoscopy are sometimes, but not always, diagnostic--another reason the diagnosis is difficult. Left untreated, mortality in patients with aortobronchial fistula is 100%. Patients can be salvaged by a variety of techniques, including the placement of an endovascular stent. We describe the case of a 52-year-old man who came to us with hoarseness and hemoptysis, which proved to be underlying symptoms of aortobronchial fistula. He was treated successfully.


Clinical characteristics and overall survival prognostic nomogram for metaplastic breast cancer.
Metaplastic breast cancer (MBC) is a rare breast tumor and the prognostic factors for survival in patients still remain controversial. This study aims to develop and validate a nomogram to predict the overall survival (OS) of patients with MBC. We searched the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database for data about patients including metaplastic breast cancer and infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) from 2010 to 2018. The survival outcomes of patients between MBC and IDC were analyzed and compared with the Kaplan-Meier (KM) method. MBC patients were randomly allocated to the training set and validation I set by a ratio of eight to two. Meanwhile, the performance of this model was validated again by the validation II set, which consisted of MBC patients from the Union Hospital of Fujian Medical University between 2010 and 2018. The independent prognostic factors were selected by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. The nomogram was constructed to predict individual survival outcomes for MBC patients. The discriminative power, calibration, and clinical effectiveness of the nomogram were evaluated by the concordance index (C-index), the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and the decision curve analysis (DCA). MBC had a significantly higher T stage (T2 and above accounting for 75.1% vs 39.9%), fewer infiltrated lymph nodes (N0 accounted for 76.2% vs 67.7%), a lower proportion of ER (22.2% vs 81.2%), PR (13.6% vs 71.4%), and HER-2(6.7% vs 17.7%) positive, radiotherapy(51.6% vs 58.0%) but more chemotherapy(67.5% vs 44.7%), and a higher rate of mastectomy(53.2% vs 36.8%), which was discovered when comparing the clinical baseline data between MBC and IDC. Age at diagnosis, T, N, and M stage, as well as surgery and radiation treatment, were all significant independent prognostic factors for overall survival (OS). In the validation I cohort, the nomogram's C-index (0.769 95% CI 0.710 -0.828) was indicated to be considerably higher than the standard AJCC model's (0.700 95% CI 0.644 -0.756). Nomogram's great predictive capability capacity further was supported by the comparatively high C-index of the validation II sets (0.728 95%CI 0.588-0.869). Metaplastic breast cancer is more aggressive, with a worse clinical prognosis than IDC. This nomogram is recommended for patients with MBC, both American and Chinese, which can help clinicians make more accurate individualized survival analyses.


Aromatase inhibitors: possible future applications.
In premenopausal women ovaries are the major sites of estrogen production, while in postmenopausal women estrogen is produced by aromatization of ovarian and adrenal androgens in extragonadal sites, mostly in adipose tissue. Aromatase is a cytochrome P450 hemoprotein-containing enzyme complex that catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the conversion of androstenedione and testosterone to estrone and estradiol (E2). Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) have been developed primarily for use in either natural or surgical postmenopausal patients. In premenopausal women, the ovary can overcome the estrogen blockade by reflex increments of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), so AIs must be combined with a gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist to prevent the reflex LH and FSH increments. In advanced hormone-dependent breast cancer treatment, AIs have been shown to be superior to tamoxifen. Preliminary evidence also suggests superiority in the adjuvant, neoadjuvant settings and also for breast cancer prevention. AIs have been used in infertility and can increase ovulation rate. Reducing FSH dose, estrogen levels, improving response to FSH, implantation rates, and developing multiple follicles that can be used in in vitro maturation procedures are potential areas that AIs might be used in in assisted reproductive technologies (ART), besides simple ovulation induction. AIs are reported to be successful in treatment of endometriosis, an estrogen-dependent process. The use of AIs in gynecomastia, puberte precox, leiomyoma uteri, some estrogen-dependent cancers (ovarian), endometrial cancer and male infertility are reported; some of the results are promising but more clinical trials are needed. AIs are predicted to become the gold standard in the treatment of estrogen-dependent diseases in reproductive medicine in the near future.


cAMP-stimulated phosphorylation of diaphanous 1 regulates protein stability and interaction with binding partners in adrenocortical cells.
Diaphanous homologue 1 (DIAPH1) is a Rho effector protein that coordinates cellular dynamics by regulating microfilament and microtubule function. We previously showed that DIAPH1 plays an integral role in regulating the production of cortisol by controlling the rate of mitochondrial movement, by which activation of the adrenocorticotropin (ACTH)/cAMP signaling pathway stimulates mitochondrial trafficking and promotes the interaction between RhoA and DIAPH1. In the present study we use mass spectrometry to identify DIAPH1 binding partners and find that DIAPH1 interacts with several proteins, including RhoA, dynamin-1, kinesin, β-tubulin, β-actin, oxysterol-binding protein (OSBP)-related protein 2 (ORP2), and ORP10. Moreover, DIAPH1 is phosphorylated in response to dibutyryl cAMP (Bt2cAMP) at Thr-759 via a pathway that requires extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK). Alanine substitution of Thr-759 renders DIAPH1 more stable and attenuates the interaction between DIAPH1 and kinesin, ORP2, and actin but has no effect on the ability of the protein to interact with RhoA or β-tubulin. Finally, overexpression of a DIAPH1 T759A mutant significantly decreases the rate of Bt2cAMP-stimulated mitochondrial movement. Taken together, our findings establish a key role for phosphorylation in regulating the stability and function of DIAPH1.


The cellular and developmental biology of medulloblastoma: current perspectives on experimental therapeutics.
Dysregulation of various signaling pathways that govern cerebellar development with respect to cell proliferation, growth arrest, apoptosis and differentiation has been postulated to contribute to medulloblastoma tumourigenesis. This review will highlight the unique nature of cerebellar development in terms of its derivation from two germinal matrices and significant postnatal expansion of the granule cell precursor (GCP) compartment resulting in granule cell development and migration to form the mature cerebellar cortex. The molecular signals that are critical for timely cell cycle exit and differentiation may become dysregulated leading to unrestrained cell proliferation and enhanced cell survival; indeed, changes in these molecular markers have been observed in medulloblastoma biopsy specimens. Furthermore, transgenic models that faithfully replicate these changes develop medulloblastoma that, by in large, recapitulates the clinico-histopathological features of these tumours. Cellular and developmental biological approaches have contributed greatly to the current debate on the relevance of the cancer stem cell hypothesis in understanding medulloblastoma initiation and propagation. Penultimately, research findings are being translated into experimental therapeutics that target the aberrant signal transduction machinery in medulloblastoma cells and that will hopefully lead to an improved risk-benefit profile.


Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation.
Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma was described by Thoenes et al. in 1986, and associations with carcinoma of collecting ducts, conventional renal cell carcinoma and sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma have been described. We report a case of chromophobe renal cell carcinoma which showed neuroendocrine differentiation. This is the first known case to be clearly identified as such. The patient was a 56-year-old man with constant right flank pain and hematuria; CT scan revealed an 8.5 cm nonhomogeneous mass involving the right kidney. Right radical nephrectomy was performed. The tumor showed a mixture of classical and eosinophilic patterns of chromophobe cell carcinoma. Additionally, it showed insular, glandular and rosetoid-like formations embedded in a dense eosinophilic hyaline stroma. The cells were cuboid or cylindrical with well-defined boundaries, finely stippled chromatin and a small nucleolus. The appearance of the cytoplasm varied from faintly eosinophilic to coarsely granular eosinophilic. Immunohistochemically, the neuroendocrine areas were reactive for C-kit, epithelial membrane antigen, cytokeratin, cytokeratin 7, chromogranin A, neuron-specific enolase, CD56 and S-100 protein. Our case represents a typical chromophobe carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation. Additionally, the immunohistochemical profile in both types of lesion suggests a common origin from renal tubular cells.


Genome-wide analysis of the CCCH zinc finger family identifies tissue specific and stress responsive candidates in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.).
The CCCH zinc finger is a group of proteins characterised by a typical motif consisting of three cysteine residues and one histidine residue. These proteins have been reported to play important roles in regulation of plant growth, developmental processes and environmental responses. In the present study, genome wide analysis of the CCCH zinc finger gene family was carried out in the available chickpea genome. Various bioinformatics tools were employed to predict 58 CCCH zinc finger genes in chickpea (designated CarC3H1-58), which were analysed for their physio-chemical properties. Phylogenetic analysis classified the proteins into 12 groups in which members of a particular group had similar structural organization. Further, the numbers as well as the types of CCCH motifs present in the CarC3H proteins were compared with those from Arabidopsis and Medicago truncatula. Synteny analysis revealed valuable information regarding the evolution of this gene family. Tandem and segmental duplication events were identified and their Ka/Ks values revealed that the CarC3H gene family in chickpea had undergone purifying selection. Digital, as well as real time qRT-PCR expression analysis was performed which helped in identification of several CarC3H members that expressed preferentially in specific chickpea tissues as well as during abiotic stresses (desiccation, cold, salinity). Moreover, molecular characterization of an important member CarC3H45 was carried out. This study provides comprehensive genomic information about the important CCCH zinc finger gene family in chickpea. The identified tissue specific and abiotic stress specific CCCH genes could be potential candidates for further characterization to delineate their functional roles in development and stress.


Hypolipidaemic effects of papaya (Carica papaya L.) juice on rats fed on a high fat and fructose diet.
Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is a highly nutritious and less-caloric fruit, commonly consumed for its minerals and vitamins and hence may help in controlling obesity and abdominal discomforts. The present study investigated the hypolipidaemic effects of papaya juice extract on male Albino Wistar rats (7 weeks old; 185 ± 17 g) fed on a high fat and fructose diet (HFFD) for 6 weeks. The rats were divided into groups I-IV of five rats each and fed on either a HFFD (i.e. the Control), HFFD + 200 mg papaya, HFFD + 350 mg papaya or a HFFD + 500 mg papaya. On day 34, after an overnight fast, blood samples were obtained by cardiac puncture under 99⋅8 % Chloroform anaesthesia for the determination of serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) and high-density cholesterol (HDL-c). The atherogenic (AI) and coronary risk (CRI) indices were also calculated. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA where means were separated using Tukey's HSD test. Resulted showed that all rats given papaya juice had an increasing, non-significant HDL-c and reduced LDL-c levels while rats fed on HFFD had the highest TC (53⋅2 mg/dl) and TG (37⋅6 mg/dl) levels. Papaya juice statistically reduced the AI and CRI of the rats. In conclusion, consumption of HFFD + 500 mg was the most effective in the reduction of rats' blood lipids and fats, due to its anti-obesity and hypolipidaemic properties, thus can be used in the management of dyspilidaemic disorders.


A campus-based community clinic and food-shelf join efforts to reduce food insecurity using a One Health approach toward building a vibrant living system.
This report describes a One Health approach to address food insecurity among two distinct campus populations-college students and patients at a campus-based community health clinic serving Latine adults. The multidisciplinary collaboration includes college staff, faculty, and students, and the founders, both women-centered institutions. Organic community gardens located on and near campus property, pollinated by campus-based beehives, contribute local organic produce to a campus-based food shelf increasing food security and nutritional health for both populations. The One Health system modeled in this report is a step toward building a vibrant community and demonstrates how others can be a part of the larger One Health movement.


Effect of Observational Evaluation of Food Safety Curricula on High School Students' Behavior Change.
High school students have limited food safety knowledge and lack safe food handling skills. However, youth of high school age are frequently employed in food service and will prepare food for themselves. This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a food safety educational intervention for changing students' food handling behaviors, and the theory of planned behavior was used to construct factors that contribute to behavior change. A combination of stationary and wearable (GoPro) cameras was used to observe the food handling practices of high school students in key areas, including food thermometer use, hand washing and hand drying, glove changing, and environmental cleaning. The percentage of correct food handling techniques was measured categorically, and the number of groups who complied with thermometer use and environmental cleaning guidelines was recorded. The percentage of students using correct hand washing, hand drying, and glove changing techniques significantly increased in the postobservation cooking session. However, the percentage of correct hand washing and glove changing events remained <50% for certain subcategories: hand washing time (38%), hand washing after handling raw produce (36%) and touching skin (20%), changing gloves after gloves became contaminated or torn (47%), and washing hands between glove changes (15%). Students modified their behaviors to comply with subjective norms related to the study, including instructor expectations, but some students did not plan to change the behaviors they practiced at home. Students cited food handling behaviors they observed their parents using when making decisions about how to prepare food. This study highlights the need for the development of food safety educational interventions that encourage safe food handling skills and address influences from key subjective norm groups.


Proteomic identification of differentially expressed proteins in aortic wall of patients with ruptured and nonruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms.
To compare the basic proteomic composition of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) wall tissue in patients with nonruptured and ruptured aneurysms. A proteomic approach with two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) and mass spectrometry (MS) was used to identify differentially expressed proteins in AAA tissue from nine patients with nonruptured and eight patients with ruptured AAA. Computerized image analysis was used to detect protein spots. Differentially expressed protein spots were in-gel digested and identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Western blot analysis was used to confirm differential expression. Seven differentially expressed proteins were detected among 745 protein spots, selecting spots whose average relative volumes differed more than twofold between the nonruptured and the ruptured group. Four protein spots were up-regulated in the ruptured group, and three were down-regulated. Five of the spots were identified. Among the upregulated spots, No. 605 was identified as peroxiredoxin-2. The up-regulation was confirmed by Western blotting. No. 381 was identified as an actin fragment. Two spots, Nos. 719 and 499, could not be identified. Among the down-regulated protein spots, No. 130 contained two peptides; one reliably determined peptide, FEDGVLDPDYPR, is found in vitronectin. Another peptide, QIDNPDYK, was borderline significant and found in calreticulin. The down-regulation of vitronectin was confirmed by Western blotting. Spot Nos. 193 and 199 both contained peptides from albumin with actin also present in No. 199. The identified proteins suggest that the aortic wall of ruptured aneurysms responds to a stressful condition and that proteolytic degradation of the cytoskeleton and connective tissue may be part of the response.


Broadband transient absorption spectroscopy using an incoherent white-light source as probe.
Time-resolved spectroscopy and, in particular, transient absorption methods have been widely employed to study the dynamics of materials, usually achieving time resolution down to femtoseconds with measurement windows up to a few nanoseconds. Various techniques have been developed to extend the measurement duration up to milliseconds and beyond to permit probing slower dynamics. However, most of these either demand complicated and expensive equipment or do not provide broadband spectral coverage. This paper proposes a transient absorption technique in which an ultra-short pulse laser and a broadband incoherent continuous-wave light source are employed as pump and probe, respectively. Detection of the transient probe transmission is performed in a time-resolved fashion with a fast photodiode after a monochromator and the data is recorded with an oscilloscope. The time resolution is determined by the electronic bandwidth of the detection and acquisition devices and is ∼1 ns, with a measurement duration window of up to milliseconds and a spectral resolution of <2 nm covering from 0.4 to 2 µm. In addition, the setup can be employed to measure time- and spectrally-resolved photoluminescence.


Occupational causes of laryngeal cancer.
In a case-control study of all new cases of laryngeal cancer in Denmark from 1980 to 1982, 326 cases and 1134 community selected controls participated. Questionnaires were used to obtain information on education, occupation, and number of occupational exposures as well as smoking and drinking habits. High risk ratios for laryngeal cancer were found for semiskilled and unskilled workers, workers exposed to dust, out of doors workers, drivers, and people working in the cement industries and port services. The study hypothesis was that exposure to chromium or nickel increases the incidence rate of laryngeal cancer. No support for this was found concerning chromium, but exposure to nickel had a statistically significant risk ratio of 1.7.


Size Dependent Phase Transformation of Liquid Gallium.
As the most popular liquid metal (LM), gallium (Ga) and its alloys are emerging as functional materials due to their unique combination of fluidic and metallic properties near room temperature. As an important branch of utilizing LMs, micro- and submicron-particles of Ga-based LM are widely employed in wearable electronics, catalysis, energy, and biomedicine. Meanwhile, the phase transition is crucial not only for the applications based on this reversible transformation process, but also for the solidification temperature at which fluid properties are lost. While Ga has several solid phases and exhibits unusual size-dependent phase behavior. This complex process makes the phase transition and undercooling of Ga uncontrollable, which considerably affects the application performance. In this work, extensive (nano-)calorimetry experiments are performed to investigate the polymorph selection mechanism during liquid Ga crystallization. It is surprisingly found that the crystallization temperature and crystallization pathway to either α -Ga or β -Ga can be effectively engineered by thermal treatment and droplet size. The polymorph selection process is suggested to be highly relevant to the capability of forming covalent bonds in the equilibrium supercooled liquid. The observation of two different crystallization pathways depending on the annealing temperature may indicate that there exist two different liquid phases in Ga.


MTL-CEBPA, a Small Activating RNA Therapeutic Upregulating C/EBP-α, in Patients with Advanced Liver Cancer: A First-in-Human, Multicenter, Open-Label, Phase I Trial.
Transcription factor C/EBP-α (CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha) acts as a master regulator of hepatic and myeloid functions and multiple oncogenic processes. MTL-CEBPA is a first-in-class small activating RNA oligonucleotide drug that upregulates C/EBP-α. We conducted a phase I, open-label, dose-escalation trial of MTL-CEBPA in adults with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with cirrhosis, or resulting from nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or with liver metastases. Patients received intravenous MTL-CEBPA once a week for 3 weeks followed by a rest period of 1 week per treatment cycle in the dose-escalation phase (3+3 design). Thirty-eight participants have been treated across six dose levels (28-160 mg/m2) and three dosing schedules. Thirty-four patients were evaluable for safety endpoints at 28 days. MTL-CEBPA treatment-related adverse events were not associated with dose, and no maximum dose was reached across the three schedules evaluated. Grade 3 treatment-related adverse events occurred in nine (24%) patients. In 24 patients with HCC evaluable for efficacy, an objective tumor response was achieved in one patient [4%; partial response (PR) for over 2 years] and stable disease (SD) in 12 (50%). After discontinuation of MTL-CEBPA, seven patients were treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs); three patients had a complete response with one further PR and two with SD. MTL-CEBPA is the first saRNA in clinical trials and demonstrates an acceptable safety profile and potential synergistic efficacy with TKIs in HCC. These encouraging phase I data validate targeting of C/EBP-α and have prompted MTL-CEBPA + sorafenib combination studies in HCC.


Flow cytometric DNA patterns in cervical carcinoma.
Flow cytometric measurements of the DNA content were performed in a prospective study of 167 women with invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Ploidy level and the proportion of S-phase cells were correlated to age, menopausal age, staging according to FIGO and histopathology. With increasing age a successive shift from a dominance of peri-diploid and peri-tetraploid values to marked aneuploidy was found. Peri-diploid and peri-tetraploid tumors were more often found in premenopausal than in post-menopausal women (p less than 0.001). The mean S-phase rate was significantly higher in women aged 60-89 years than in women aged 20-59 years (p less than 0.01). More aneuploid tumors were found in stages III and IV than in stages IB and II (p less than 0.01). The mean S-phase rate was higher in stages III and IV (20.8%) than in stages IB and II (17.2%) (p less than 0.01). No statistically significant correlation was shown between ploidy level and histopathology or between S-phase rate and histopathology. In 37 patients polyclonal tumors were found. The reproducibility of the method was good (r = 0.99).


Genetic risk scores associated with temperament clusters in Finnish depression patients.
Cloninger's temperament dimensions have been studied widely in relation to genetics. In this study, we examined Cloninger's temperament dimensions grouped with cluster analyses and their association with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). This study included 212 genotyped Finnish patients from the Ostrobothnia Depression Study. The temperament clusters were analysed at baseline and at six weeks from the beginning of the depression intervention study. We selected depression-related catecholamine and serotonin genes based on a literature search, and 59 SNPs from ten different genes were analysed. The associations of single SNPs with temperament clusters were studied. Using the selected genes, genetic risk score (GRS) analyses were conducted considering appropriate confounding factors. No single SNP had a significant association with the temperament clusters. Associations between GRSs and temperament clusters were observed in multivariate models that were significant after permutation analyses. Two SNPs from the DRD3 gene, two SNPs from the SLC6A2 gene, one SNP from the SLC6A4 gene, and one SNP from the HTR2A gene associated with the HHA/LRD/LP (high harm avoidance, low reward dependence, low persistence) cluster at baseline. Two SNPs from the HTR2A gene were associated with the HHA/LRD/LP cluster at six weeks. Two SNPs from the HTR2A gene and two SNPs from the COMT gene were associated with the HP (high persistence) cluster at six weeks. GRSs seem to associate with an individual's temperament profile, which can be observed in the clusters used. Further research needs to be conducted on these types of clusters and their clinical applicability.


[Distribution of F-actin (DACM-HMM staining) in the epidermis in normal subjects and in cases of psoriasis vulgaris].
The epithelium of normal subjects (NE) and that in cases of psoriasis vulgaris, or PV, (PVE) were studied using DACM-HMM staining. In the living cell layer of NE, strong fluorescence was observed in the cell margins, and these bands of fluorescence were narrower in the granular layer than in the basal and squamous layers. In PV, the bands were broad in the lower and middle strata of the squamous layer, and attenuated in the upper strata. Accompanying keratinization, the distribution of F-actin in the keratinocytes was thought to vary. The variations in fluorescence in the lower and middle squamous layer strata of PVE may be attributed to increase of F-actin in the cell margins.


LightR-YOLOv5: A compact rotating detector for SARS-CoV-2 antigen-detection rapid diagnostic test results.
Nucleic acid testing is currently the golden reference for coronaviruses (SARS-CoV-2) detection, while the SARS-CoV-2 antigen-detection rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) is an important adjunct. RDT can be widely used in the community or regional screening management as self-test tools and may need to be verified by healthcare authorities. However, manual verification of RDT results is a time-consuming task, and existing object detection algorithms usually suffer from high model complexity and computational effort, making them difficult to deploy. We propose LightR-YOLOv5, a compact rotating SARS-CoV-2 antigen-detection RDT results detector. Firstly, we employ an extremely light-weight L-ShuffleNetV2 network as a feature extraction network with a slight reduction in recognition accuracy. Secondly, we combine semantic and texture features in different layers by judiciously combining and employing GSConv, depth-wise convolution, and other modules, and further employ the NAM attention to locate the RDT result detection region. Furthermore, we propose a new data augmentation approach, Single-Copy-Paste, for increasing data samples for the specific task of RDT result detection while achieving a small improvement in model accuracy. Compared with some mainstream rotating object detection networks, the model size of our LightR-YOLOv5 is only 2.03MB, and it is 12.6%, 6.4%, and 7.3% higher in mAP@.5:.95 metrics compared to RetianNet, FCOS, and R3Det, respectively.


[The decline of health-related quality of life associated with some diseases in Korean adults].
This study was conducted to measure the decline in the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) associated with some diseases in South Korean adults. The EQ-5D health states in the 2005 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHNES) and the Korean EQ-5D valuation set were used to obtain the EQ-5D indexes of the study subjects. Each disease group was defined when the subjects reported to the NHNES that they were diagnosed with the corresponding disease during the previous 1 year by physicians. Since the distributions of the EQ-5D indexes in each subgroup were negatively skewed, median regression analysis was used to estimate the effects of specific diseases on the HRQoL. Median regression analysis produced estimates that approximated the median of the EQ-5D indexes and there are more robust for analyzing data with many outliers. A total of 16,692 subjects (6,667 patients and 10,025 people without any disease) were included in the analysis. As a result of the median regression analysis, stroke had the strongest impact on the HRQoL for both males and females, followed by osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, rheumatic arthritis, and herniation of an intervertebral disc. While asthma had a significant impact on the HRQoL only in men, cataract, temporo-mandibular dysfunction, and peptic ulcer significantly affected the HRQoL only in women. Stroke and musculoskeletal diseases were associated with the largest losses of the HRQoL in Korean adults.


Novel fluorometric assay for hydroxyl radical prevention capacity using fluorescein as the probe.
A novel fluorometric method has been developed to evaluate hydroxyl radical prevention capacity using fluorescein (FL) as the probe. The hydroxyl radical is generated by a Co(II)-mediated Fenton-like reaction, and the hydroxyl radical formation under the experimental condition is indirectly confirmed by the hydroxylation of p-hydroxybenzoic acid. The fluorescence decay curve of FL is monitored in the absence or presence of antioxidant, the area under the fluorescence decay curve (AUC) is integrated, and the net AUC, which is an index of the hydroxyl radical prevention capacity, is calculated by subtracting the AUC of the blank from that of the antioxidant. Gallic acid is chosen as a reference standard, and the activity of sample is expressed as gallic acid equivalents. The method is rigorously validated through linearity, precision, accuracy, and ruggedness. A wide range of phenolic antioxidants is analyzed, and the hydroxyl radical prevention capacity is mainly due to the metal-chelating capability of the compounds.


Identification of potential target genes associated with the effect of propranolol on angiosarcoma via microarray analysis.
The purpose of the present study was to explore the effect of propranolol on angiosarcoma, and the potential target genes involved in the processes of proliferation and differentiation of angiosarcoma tumor cells. The mRNA expression profile (GSE42534) was downloaded from the Gene Expressed Omnibus database, including three samples without propranolol treatment (control), three samples with propranolol treatment for 4 h and three samples with propranolol treatment for 24 h. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in angiosarcoma tumor cells with or without propranolol treatment were obtained via the limma package of R and designated DEGs-4 h and DEGs-24 h. The DEGs-24 h group was divided into two sets. Set 1 contained the DEGs also contained in the DEGs-4 h group. Set 2 contained the remainder of the DEGs. Functional and pathway enrichment analysis of sets 1 and 2 was performed. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks of sets 1 and 2 were constructed, termed PPI 1 and PPI 2, and visualized using Cytoscape software. Modules of the two PPI networks were analyzed, and their topological structures were simulated using the tYNA platform. A total of 543 and 2,025 DEGs were identified in angiosarcoma tumor cells treated with propranolol for 4 and 24 h, respectively, compared with the control group. A total of 401 DEGs were involved in DEGs-4 h and DEGs-24 h, including metallothionein 1, heme oxygenase 1, WW domain-binding protein 2 and sequestosome 1. Certain significantly enriched gene ontology (GO) terms and pathways of sets 1 and 2 were identified, containing 28 overlapping GO terms. Furthermore, 121 nodes and 700 associated pairs were involved in PPI 1, whereas 1,324 nodes and 11,839 associated pairs were involved in PPI 2. A total of 45 and 593 potential target genes were obtained according to the node degrees of PPI 1 and PPI 2. The results of the present study indicated that a number of potential target genes, including AXL receptor tyrosine kinase, coatomer subunit α, DR1-associated protein 1 and ERBB receptor feedback inhibitor 1 may be involved in the effect of propranolol on angiosarcoma.


Influence of mechanochemically fabricated nano-hardystonite reinforcement in polycaprolactone scaffold for potential use in bone tissue engineering: Synthesis and characterization.
Bone tissue engineering (BTE) has gained significant attention for the regeneration of bone tissue, particularly for critical-size bone defects. The aim of this research was first to synthesize nanopowders of hardystonite (HT) through ball milling and then to manufacture composite scaffolds for BTE use out of polycaprolactone (PCL) containing 0, 3, 5, and 10 wt% HT by electrospinning method. The crystallite size of the synthesized HT nanopowders was 42.8 nm. including up to 5 wt% HT into PCL scaffolds resulted in significant improvements, such as a reduction in the fiber diameter from 186.457±15.74 to 150.021±21.99 nm, a decrease in porosity volume from 85.2±2.5 to 80.3±3.3 %, an improvement in the mechanical properties (ultimate tensile strength: 5.7±0.2 MPa, elongation: 47.5±3.5 %, tensile modulus: 32.7±0.9 MPa), an improvement in the hydrophilicity, and biodegradability. Notably, PCL/5%HT exhibited the maximum cell viability (194±14 %). Additionally, following a 4-week of submersion in simulated body fluid (SBF), the constructed PCL/HT composite scaffolds showed a remarkable capacity to stimulate the development of hydroxyapatite (HA), which increased significantly for the 5 wt% HT scaffolds. However, at 10 wt% HT, nanopowder agglomeration led to an increase in the fiber diameter and a decrease in the mechanical characteristics. Collectively, the PCL/5%HT composite scaffolds can therefore help with the regeneration of the critical-size bone defects and offer tremendous potential for BTE applications.


Identification of p65-associated phosphoproteins by mass spectrometry after on-plate phosphopeptide enrichment using polymer-oxotitanium films.
Stimuli-induced protein phosphorylation plays a vital role in signal transduction and transcriptional activities in eukaryotic cells. This work aims to develop analysis techniques that rapidly detect stimulus-specific intracellular protein phosphorylation and association, with specific emphasis on identifying phosphoproteins associated with p65, a nuclear regulatory factor. The analytical strategy includes immunoprecipitation of the target protein along with its associated proteins, tryptic digestion directly on the antibody beads, on-plate phosphopeptide enrichment for matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS), and collision-induced dissociation-tandem mass spectrometry (CID-MS/MS) to identify phosphopeptides and phosphorylation sites. Enrichment of the phosphopeptides from the tryptic digest occurs on a polymer-oxotitanium-modified gold wafer (Au-P-oxoTi) and consumes as little as 1 microL of digest solution. The Au-P-oxoTi wafers can capture both mono- and multiphosphorylated peptides from model protein digests containing high concentrations of nonphosphopeptides, urea, and salts. When combined with MALDI-MS/MS, the enrichment technique reveals nine phosphopeptides from p65-associated proteins immunoprecipitated from human acute monocytic leukemia (THP-1) cell nuclear extracts. Semiquantitative MALDI-MS shows that the levels of these proteins increase dramatically after treatment with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. Overall, these techniques facilitated the identification of five p65-associated proteins, two of which were not previously reported to interact with p65.


Anti-HIV-1 activity of benzothiadiazine dioxide.
Antiviral assays carried out on the potent benzothiadiazine dioxide (BTD) human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) inhibitors have led us to find marginal but selective anti-HIV-1 activity. Specific pharmacological studies, such as time of addition experiments and assays on specific viral strains with mutations on its reverse transcriptase, have indicated that BTD compounds act as non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Theoretical calculations showed a butterfly conformation for the active derivatives that are compatible with their mechanism of action. Therefore, BTD derivatives can be considered as potential lead compounds for the treatment of opportunistic HCMV infections in immunocompromised individuals such as AIDS patients.


Cancer incidence among union carpenters in New Jersey.
A cohort of 13,354 male union carpenters in New Jersey was linked to cancer registry data to investigate cancer incidence during 1979 through 2000. Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results data were used to calculate standardized incidence ratios (SIRs). A total of 592 incident cancers were observed among this cohort (SIR=1.07), which was not statistically in excess. However, significant excesses were observed for cancers of the digestive system and peritoneum (SIR=1.24) and the respiratory system (SIR=1.52). Workers in the union more than 30 years were at significant risk for cancers of the digestive organs and peritoneum (SIR=3.98), rectum (SIR=4.85), trachea, bronchus, and lung (SIR=4.56), and other parts of the respiratory system (SIR=11.00). Testicular cancer was significantly in excess (SIR=2.48) in analyses that lagged results 15 years from initial union membership. Additional etiologic research is needed to evaluate possible occupational and nonoccupational risk factors for testicular cancer.


Which U.S. medical graduates plan to become specialty-board certified? Analysis of the 1997-2004 national association of American Medical Colleges Graduation Questionnaire database.
Predictors of U.S. allopathic medical-school graduates' board-certification plans have not been characterized. Using multivariable logistic regression, graduates' responses to 11 questions on the 1997-2004 Association of American Medical Colleges Graduation Questionnaire were analyzed to identify independent predictors of plans for specialty-board certification. The proportion of 108,408 graduates planning specialty-board certification decreased from 97.3% in 1997 to 88.4% in 2004. Among 101,805 (93.9%) graduates with complete data, graduates who were Hispanic, rated their clinical clerkships, quality of medical education, and confidence in clinical skills more highly, had any debt, and planned "University-faculty" careers were more likely to plan becoming board certified. Females, Asians/Pacific Islanders, and graduates who planned to practice in underserved areas, planned "other" nonclinical-practice careers, and graduated with MD/other (non-PhD) degrees were less likely to plan becoming board certified. Specialty-board certification does not appear to be among the professional goals for a growing proportion of U.S. medical graduates.


Dental and skeletal features in subjects with missing maxillary lateral incisors: a case control retrospective study.
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between missing maxillary lateral incisors and the mesio-distal (MD) diameters of the teeth. Occlusal and skeletal characteristics of the patients have been analyzed. Seventy-nine patients were included in the study (permanent dentition, mean age: 13.7): 30 subjects with uni- or bilateral maxillary lateral incisors agenesis (study group, SG) and 49 patients with no maxillary lateral incisors agenesis (control group, CG). Orthopanoramics, plaster models and cephalometric analysis were used to perform the evaluations. Compared to the CG, in the SG, most of the teeth had smaller MD diameter. In the bilateral agenesis subgroup, the average differences between teeth diameters were lower than those found by comparing them to the unilateral agenesis subgroup and to the SG. Overjet was reduced on average in the SG. In the SG were found less cases of cross-bite and scissor-bite, less frequency of impaction of at least one tooth and agenesis of other teeth, crowding only in the lower arch, square or ovoid arch shape in the upper arch and square in the lower arch, increased interincisal angle and decreased SN^GoMe. Upper lateral incisors agenesis, especially in cases of unilateral agenesis, is associated with MD teeth reduction. The agenesis of the upper lateral incisors is associated with a greater probability of agenesis affecting other teeth, molar and canine class II, reduced overjet and overbite, square or ovoid upper arch shapes, increased interincisal angle and reduced total divergence.


Tongan-American women's breast cancer knowledge, attitudes, and screening behaviors.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer for many Pacific Islander American populations, but virtually nothing is known about the cancer risks and screening behaviors of many specific ethnic subgroups. This paper examines the breast cancer risk, knowledge, attitudes, and screening behaviors of Tongan-American women. Research activities were conducted in 3 phases: determination of cancer proportional ratios using data from the California Cancer Registry, exploratory focus groups conducted with 22 women, and self-administered surveys from 303 women (for a response rate of 92%). Survey respondents were Tongan-American women aged 40 years and older, residing in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. The breast is the most common cancer site for Tongan women, followed by the cervix and uterus, lung and bronchus, and stomach. The proportion of all cancers accounted for by breast cancer is lower among Tongan women (0.8) compared to White women. We found low rates for all types of breast cancer screening: only 40% of respondents had ever performed a breast self-examination (BSE); 26% ever received a clinical breast exam (CBE); and 25% ever received a mammogram. Many misperceptions existed about breast cancer causes, signs, and symptoms as well as the role of screening in detecting pre-symptomatic cancers. Much emphasis needs to be placed on improving early breast cancer screenings among Tongan-American women, including comprehensive community education, culturally tailored and linguistically appropriate materials, and improved access to low-cost screening sites.


A Qualitative Transcriptional Signature for Predicting Prognosis and Response to Bevacizumab in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.
Bevacizumab is the molecular-targeted agent used for the antiangiogenic therapy of metastatic colorectal cancer. But some patients are resistant to bevacizumab, it needs an effective biomarker to predict the prognosis and responses of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) to bevacizumab therapy. In this work, we developed a qualitative transcriptional signature to individually predict the response of bevacizumab in patients with mCRC. First, using mCRC samples treated with bevacizumab, we detected differentially expressed genes between response and nonresponse groups. Then, the gene pairs, consisting of at least one differentially expressed gene, with stable relative expression orderings in the response samples but reversal stable relative expression orderings in the nonresponse samples were identified, denoted as pairs-bevacizumab. Similarly, we screened the gene pairs significantly associated with primary tumor locations, donated as pairs-LR. Among the overlapped gene pairs between the pairs-bevacizumab and pairs-LR, we adopted a feature selection process to extract gene pairs that reached the highest F-score for predicting bevacizumab response status in mCRC as the final gene pair signature (GPS), denoted as 64-GPS. In two independent datasets, the predicted response group showed significantly better overall survival than the nonresponse group (P = 6.00e-4 in GSE72970; P = 0.04 in TCGA). Genomic analyses showed that the predicted response group was characterized by frequent copy number alternations, whereas the nonresponse group was characterized by hypermutation. In conclusion, 64-GPS was an objective and robust predictive signature for patients with mCRC treated with bevacizumab, which could effectively assist in the decision of clinical therapy.


MicroRNA functionalized microporous titanium oxide surface by lyophilization with enhanced osteogenic activity.
Developing biomedical titanium (Ti) implants with high osteogenic ability and consequent rigid osseointegration is a constant requirement from the clinic. In this study, we fabricate novel miRNA functionalized microporous Ti implants by lyophilizing miRNA lipoplexes onto a microporous titanium oxide surface formed by microarc oxidation (MAO). The microporous titanium oxide surface provides a larger surface area for miRNA loading and enables spatial retention of the miRNAs within the pores until cellular delivery. The loading of lipoplexes into the micropores on the MAO Ti surface is facilitated by the superhydrophilicity and Ti-OH groups gathering of the MAO surface after UV irradiation followed by lyophilization. A high miRNA transfection efficiency was observed in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) seeded onto the miRNA functionalized surface with no apparent cytotoxicity. When functionalizing the Ti surface with miR-29b that enhances osteogenic activity and antimiR-138 that inhibits miR-138 inhibition of endogenous osteogenesis, clear stimulation of MSC osteogenic differentiation was observed, in terms of up-regulating osteogenic expression and enhancing alkaline phosphatase production, collagen secretion and ECM mineralization. The novel miRNA functionalized Ti implants with enhanced osteogenic activity promisingly lead to more rapid and robust osseointegration of a clinical bone implant interface. Our study implies that lyophilization may constitute a versatile method for miRNA loading to other biomaterials with the aim of controlling cellular function.


Orthogonality is not a panacea: backpropagation and "catastrophic interference".
Connectionist models with the backpropagation learning rule are said to exhibit catastrophic interference (or forgetting) with sequential training. Subsequent works showed that interference can be reduced by using orthogonal inputs. This study investigated, with a more rigorous assessment method, whether all orthogonal inputs lead to comparable extent of interference using three coding schemes. The results revealed large differences between the coding schemes. With larger networks, dense inputs led to severer interference compared with sparse inputs. With smaller networks, all the three schemes led to comparable extent of interference. Therefore, this study proved that not all the orthogonal inputs cause the same extent of interference, and that severity of interference depends on the interaction of the input coding scheme and the network size.


Importance of mobile genetic elements for dissemination of antimicrobial resistance in metagenomic sewage samples across the world.
We are facing an ever-growing threat from increasing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria. To mitigate this, we need a better understanding of the global spread of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). ARGs are often spread among bacteria by horizontal gene transfer facilitated by mobile genetic elements (MGE). Here we use a dataset consisting of 677 metagenomic sequenced sewage samples from 97 countries or regions to study how MGEs are geographically distributed and how they disseminate ARGs worldwide. The ARGs, MGEs, and bacterial abundance were calculated by reference-based read mapping. We found systematic differences in the abundance of MGEs and ARGs, where some elements were prevalent on all continents while others had higher abundance in separate geographic areas. Different MGEs tended to be localized to temperate or tropical climate zones, while different ARGs tended to separate according to continents. This suggests that the climate is an important factor influencing the local flora of MGEs. MGEs were also found to be more geographically confined than ARGs. We identified several integrated MGEs whose abundance correlated with the abundance of ARGs and bacterial genera, indicating the ability to mobilize and disseminate these genes. Some MGEs seemed to be more able to mobilize ARGs and spread to more bacterial species. The host ranges of MGEs seemed to differ between elements, where most were associated with bacteria of the same family. We believe that our method could be used to investigate the population dynamics of MGEs in complex bacterial populations.


Surface forces in polymer fluids: a comparison between simulations and density functional theory.
A polymer density functional theory is evaluated in terms of its ability to predict interactions between large surfaces in a polymer fluid. Comparisons are made with results from simulations in an expanded isotension ensemble. The variation of the net surface-surface interaction with adsorption strength is examined. Cases where the monomers interact via a pure hard sphere potential are investigated, but we have also studied the effect of attractions between the monomers. In all cases, we obtain an almost quantitative agreement between the simulated results and the predictions from the polymer density functional theory.


The effect of diuretic treatment on red cell and plasma sodium concentration in patients with hepatic cirrhosis and ascites.
The sodium content of red cells and plasma in some cirrhotic patients with ascites has been measured, before, during and after diuretic treatment. The results were compared with those found in 37 normal subjects and 42 untreated cirrhotic patients with ascites. In the 10 cirrhotic patients with ascites studied, the mean sodium content in erythrocytes before diuretic treatment was 9.95 (+1- SD 3.27) mEQ/kg, 27.15 (+/- SD 5.60) mEq/kg of dry weight and 15.02 (+/- SD 2.70) mEq/kg of red cell water. During diuretic treatment, the mean sodium content in red cells was significantly decreased to 6.27 (+/- SD 1.46) mEq/kg; 18.85 (+/- SD 4.36) mEq/kg of dry weight and 10.15 (+/- SD 2.41) mEq/kg of red blood cell water (P less than 0.01, P less than 0.01, and P less than 0.02 respectively). The mean plasma sodium concentration which was 135.95 (+/- SD 4.14) mEq/kg before diuretic treatment was significantly decreased during treatment to 129.19 (+/- SD 2.77) mEq/kg, P less than 0.001. Once the ascites had disappeared and the diuretic treatment had been discontinued the sodium concentration in both plasma and red cells became normal. The radioactive 22Na exchange "in vitro" between plasma and red cells of cirrhotic patients with ascites remained unmodified during diuretic treatment.


Feasibility and impact of online HIV/STI screening addressed to men who have sex with men and transgender women users of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in Spain (TESTATE PrEP): a study protocol for a non-blinded randomised controlled trial.
The objectives of the study are: to design and implement a pilot intervention to offer self-sampling kits to detect HIV, Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) and Treponema pallidum (TP) among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men and transgender women users of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) as part of PrEP follow-up. To evaluate if the pilot intervention causes a reduction of the retention to PrEP follow-up among the target population. To analyse the capacity of the intervention to reduce the healthcare burden on the PrEP service. To evaluate the acceptability of the intervention among PrEP users and PrEP service healthcare workers and; to validate dried blood samples for treponemal and non-treponemal antibody detection using the Dual Path Platform syphilis screening and confirmatory assay compared with blood drawn by venous puncture. We will perform a non-blinded randomised controlled non-inferiority trial among PrEP users on follow-up. Participants on the control arm will follow the usual follow-up protocol with quarterly face-to-face visits where they will be tested for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Participants in the experimental arm will alternate face-to-face meetings with online screening of HIV and STIs. The website https://testate.org/ will include a module for online follow-up visits of participants. Participants of the experimental arm will order self-sampling kits for HIV, CT, NG and TP through the website, will send the samples to the laboratory and check their results online. We will compare the retention to follow up and the healthcare burden in both arms. The acceptability of the intervention among participants and healthcare workers will be assessed. The project has been approved by the CEIC-HUGTIP (Reference: PI-22-051). Subjects will be included after giving their informed consent. Final conclusions and recommendations will be shared with stakeholders. Two publications in peer-reviewed journals are expected. NCT05752643.


Evaluation of PCR methods for detection of Brucella strains from culture and tissues.
The genus Brucella causes significant economic losses due to infertility, abortion, stillbirth or weak calves, and neonatal mortality in livestock. Brucellosis is still a zoonosis of public health importance worldwide. The study was aimed to optimize and evaluate PCR assays used for the diagnosis of Brucella infections. For this aim, several primers and PCR protocols were performed and compared with Brucella cultures and biological material inoculated with Brucella. In PCR assays, genus- or species-specific oligonucleotide primers derived from 16S rRNA sequences (F4/R2, Ba148/928, IS711, BruP6-P7) and OMPs (JPF/JPR, 31ter/sd) of Brucella were used. All primers except for BruP6-P7 detected the DNA from reference Brucella strains and field isolates. In spiked blood, milk, and semen samples, F4-R2 primer-oriented PCR assays detected minimal numbers of Brucella. In spiked serum and fetal stomach content, Ba148/928 primer-oriented PCR assays detected minimal numbers of Brucella. Field samples collected from sheep and cattle were examined by bacteriological methods and optimized PCR assays. Overall, sensitivity of PCR assays was found superior to conventional bacteriological isolation. Brucella DNA was detected in 35.1, 1.1, 24.8, 5.0, and 8.0% of aborted fetus, blood, milk, semen, and serum samples by PCR assays, respectively. In conclusion, PCR assay in optimized conditions was found to be valuable in sensitive and specific detection of Brucella infections of animals.


Intraperitoneal rupture of an infected urachal cyst in an infant. Case report.
Peritonitis due to intraperitoneal rupture of an infected urachal cyst is a life-threatening condition, not previously reported in an infant. We report this condition in an 8-month-old infant. The child underwent complete excision of the urachal remnant and made an uneventful recovery; bacterial culture grew Staphylococcus aureus. Subsequent investigations did not reveal any other renal tract abnormalities.


A laparoscopic duodenojejunostomy for a duodenal obstruction from lymphoma.
A patient with lymphoma in one-third of the duodenum causing a duodenal obstruction is described. The patient had a partial response with chemotherapy, but still was obstructed and unable to eat. He was losing weight, and chemotherapy had to be stopped. A gastrostomy tube was inserted for drainage because the stomach was quite distended. A jejunostomy tube was passed through the gastrostomy tube for feeding, but the patient did not tolerate the feeding. A laparoscopic bypass of the duodenumduodenal obstruction (from duodenum to jejunum) for this patient is shown on a video. The patient did very well after this bypass was provided. He was able to tolerate an oral diet on postoperative day 2, and on postoperative day 4, he was discharged home. He has since resumed chemotherapy, and is doing well, at this writing, 2 months after surgery. Electronic supplementary material is available for this article at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00464-005-0874-2.


Physician referral frequency for physical therapy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are at risk for developing musculoskeletal complications. Few studies have examined the role of physical therapy (PT) for addressing these complications. The study objective was to examine why and when in the medical treatment, children with ALL receive a referral to PT. Retrospective chart review of 35 children, diagnosed with ALL in 2006 and 2007 at Penn State Children's Hospital was carried out. A questionnaire was completed by 6 pediatric oncologists, to identify their referral patterns. The chart review demonstrated that 25 of the 35 patients had reports of musculoskeletal complications sometime during their treatment, but only 10 (30%) were referred to PT. The most common reason for referral was decreased functional mobility. Patients were referred evenly through all phases of therapy. Vincristine was reduced in 5 patients, the most common cause being peripheral neuropathy and foot drop. The majority (5/6) of the physicians reported that they "sometimes" refer patients to PT, through different phases of therapy, with 1/3 reporting all phases. The results show that although physicians identified the musculoskeletal complications, only a minority of patients were referred for PT. This supports the need for increasing the awareness of physicians about benefits of early integration of PT into the medical treatment.


Chronic contained rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysm presenting with longstanding back pain.
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is one of the important differential diagnoses of back pain which is often missed. Chronic contained rupture is a rare event that can cause diagnostic difficulties, presenting in different ways such as back pain, neuropathy or groin mass. We are presenting a case of 46-year-old man who presented with history of recurrent low back pain radiating to his left leg, associated with sensory deficit in the left thigh. His complaint proved to be resulting from chronic contained AAA leak.


The prevalence of some bacterial markers in female patients undergoing an initial infertility evaluation in north-east Romania.
Genital infections represent one of the most important causes of infertility, affecting: fallopian tubes, endometrial mucosa, sperm parameters. The aim of this study is to evaluate the involvement of four sexually transmitted infections (STD) in the achievement of infertility and to establish the prevalence of each infectious agent in our patients. We analyzed the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) antigen, Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU), Mycoplasma hominis (MH) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) in the endocervical secretions and Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies IgA, IgG, IgM in the serum of 125 infertile women as well as in 30 pregnant women in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, as a control group. RESULTS. In infertile women, the prevalence rate of the four bacterial markers was: CT antigen 1/125 (0.80%), CT IgG antibodies 19/125 (15.20%), MH 6/125 (4.80%), UU 51/125 (40.80%) and NG 1/125 (0.8%). From the control group, none was positive for CT antigen, but 1/30 (3.33% of patients) was positive for CT IgA while the prevalence rate for MH and UU were 16.66% and 43.33% respectively. We couldn't prove any association between genital MH/UU and infertility as the prevalence was higher in the control group than in the cases, but the correlation of the CT infection with the infertility was clearly shown. However, it is necessary to perform routine tests to screen for CT, NG, UU and MH among infertile patients. The positivity for CT IgG is a marker better correlated with fallopian tube obstruction than the CT antigen.


Lipid screening and cardiovascular health in childhood.
This clinical report replaces the 1998 policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics on cholesterol in childhood, which has been retired. This report has taken on new urgency given the current epidemic of childhood obesity with the subsequent increasing risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease in older children and adults. The approach to screening children and adolescents with a fasting lipid profile remains a targeted approach. Overweight children belong to a special risk category of children and are in need of cholesterol screening regardless of family history or other risk factors. This report reemphasizes the need for prevention of cardiovascular disease by following Dietary Guidelines for Americans and increasing physical activity and also includes a review of the pharmacologic agents and indications for treating dyslipidemia in children.


Predictive Value of COPD History on In-Stent Restenosis in Coronary Arteries Following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a prevalent chronic respiratory disease that poses a significant health risk to individuals. Patients with COPD are predisposed to a higher incidence of coronary artery disease (CAD) than the general population. This study aims to investigate the correlation between COPD and the incidence of in-stent restenosis (ISR) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and laboratory test results of patients who underwent PCI at our hospital between January 2018 and December 2021 to investigate the relationship between COPD and drug-Eluting Stents (DES) postoperative ISR. We employed the best subset method to select the most suitable combination of predictive factors, utilizing the data, and verified the precision of the model by means of internal validation. We ultimately assessed the performance of the prediction model using an ROC curve. The research indicates that COPD is an independent risk factor for ISR after PCI (OR=2.437, 95% CI [1.336, 4.495], P=0.004). The analysis revealed an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.783 for the training group and 0.705 for the testing group, indicating a model fitting for both groups (both > 0.5). COPD history is a dependable predictor of stent restenosis post percutaneous coronary intervention.


Ipilimumab 10 mg/kg versus ipilimumab 3 mg/kg in patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma: a randomised, double-blind, multicentre, phase 3 trial.
A phase 2 trial suggested increased overall survival and increased incidence of treatment-related grade 3-4 adverse events with ipilimumab 10 mg/kg compared with ipilimumab 3 mg/kg in patients with advanced melanoma. We report a phase 3 trial comparing the benefit-risk profile of ipilimumab 10 mg/kg versus 3 mg/kg. This randomised, double-blind, multicentre, phase 3 trial was done in 87 centres in 21 countries worldwide. Patients with untreated or previously treated unresectable stage III or IV melanoma, without previous treatment with BRAF inhibitors or immune checkpoint inhibitors, were randomly assigned (1:1) with an interactive voice response system by the permuted block method using block size 4 to ipilimumab 10 mg/kg or 3 mg/kg, administered by intravenous infusion for 90 min every 3 weeks for four doses. Patients were stratified by metastasis stage, previous treatment for metastatic melanoma, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status. The patients, investigators, and site staff were masked to treatment assignment. The primary endpoint was overall survival in the intention-to-treat population and safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of study treatment. This study is completed and was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01515189. Between Feb 29, and July 9, 2012, 727 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to ipilimumab 10 mg/kg (365 patients; 364 treated) or ipilimumab 3 mg/kg (362 patients; all treated). Median follow-up was 14·5 months (IQR 4·6-42·3) for the ipilimumab 10 mg/kg group and 11·2 months (4·9-29·4) for the ipilimumab 3 mg/kg group. Median overall survival was 15·7 months (95% CI 11·6-17·8) for ipilimumab 10 mg/kg compared with 11·5 months (9·9-13·3) for ipilimumab 3 mg/kg (hazard ratio 0·84, 95% CI 0·70-0·99; p=0·04). The most common grade 3-4 treatment-related adverse events were diarrhoea (37 [10%] of 364 patients in the 10 mg/kg group vs 21 [6%] of 362 patients in the 3 mg/kg group), colitis (19 [5%] vs nine [2%]), increased alanine aminotransferase (12 [3%] vs two [1%]), and hypophysitis (ten [3%] vs seven [2%]). Treatment-related serious adverse events were reported in 133 (37%) patients in the 10 mg/kg group and 66 (18%) patients in the 3 mg/kg group; four (1%) versus two (<1%) patients died from treatment-related adverse events. In patients with advanced melanoma, ipilimumab 10 mg/kg resulted in significantly longer overall survival than did ipilimumab 3 mg/kg, but with increased treatment-related adverse events. Although the treatment landscape for advanced melanoma has changed since this study was initiated, the clinical use of ipilimumab in refractory patients with unmet medical needs could warrant further assessment. Bristol-Myers Squibb.


Copper-catalyzed nucleophilic trifluoromethylation of propargylic halides.
Reactions of propargylic halides with trifluoromethyltrimethylsilane in the presence of a catalytic amount of copper(I) thiophene-2-carboxylate (CuTC) have been found to give the corresponding trifluoromethylated products in good to high yields with a high selectivity.


A new method to compare statistical tree growth curves: the PL-GMANOVA model and its application with dendrochronological data.
Growth curves are monotonically increasing functions that measure repeatedly the same subjects over time. The classical growth curve model in the statistical literature is the Generalized Multivariate Analysis of Variance (GMANOVA) model. In order to model the tree trunk radius (r) over time (t) of trees on different sites, GMANOVA is combined here with the adapted PL regression model Q = A · T+E, where for b ≠ 0 : Q = Ei[-b · r]-Ei[-b · r1] and for b = 0 : Q = Ln[r/r1], A = initial relative growth to be estimated, T = t-t1, and E is an error term for each tree and time point. Furthermore, Ei[-b · r] = ∫(Exp[-b · r]/r)dr, b = -1/TPR, with TPR being the turning point radius in a sigmoid curve, and r1 at t1 is an estimated calibrating time-radius point. Advantages of the approach are that growth rates can be compared among growth curves with different turning point radiuses and different starting points, hidden outliers are easily detectable, the method is statistically robust, and heteroscedasticity of the residuals among time points is allowed. The model was implemented with dendrochronological data of 235 Pinus montezumae trees on ten Mexican volcano sites to calculate comparison intervals for the estimated initial relative growth A. One site (at the Popocatépetl volcano) stood out, with A being 3.9 times the value of the site with the slowest-growing trees. Calculating variance components for the initial relative growth, 34% of the growth variation was found among sites, 31% among trees, and 35% over time. Without the Popocatépetl site, the numbers changed to 7%, 42%, and 51%. Further explanation of differences in growth would need to focus on factors that vary within sites and over time.


A stationary phase protein in Escherichia coli with binding activity to the major sigma subunit of RNA polymerase.
Switching of the transcription pattern in Escherichia coli during the growth transition from exponential to stationary phase is accompanied by the replacement of the RNA polymerase-associated sigma70 subunit (sigmaD) with sigma38 (sigmaS). A fraction of the sigma70 subunit in stationary phase cell extracts was found to exist as a complex with a novel protein, designated Rsd (Regulator of sigma D). The intracellular level of Rsd starts to increase during the transition from growing to stationary phase. The rsd gene was identified at 90 min on the E. coli chromosome. Overexpressed and purified Rsd protein formed complexes in vitro with sigma70 but not with other sigma subunits, sigmaN, sigmaS, sigmaH, sigmaF, and sigmaE. Analysis of proteolytic fragments of sigma70 indicated that Rsd binds at or downstream of region 4, the promoter -35 recognition domain. The isolated Rsd inhibited transcription in vitro to various extents depending on the promoters used. We propose that Rsd is a stationary phase E. coli protein with regulatory activity of the sigma70 function.


High impact interventions to control infection.
High impact interventions can be undertaken to improve, and to monitor the effectiveness of, infection control procedures in emergency departments (EDs). Any member of a clinical team can lead on implementing these interventions, although motivating colleagues to take part is sometimes difficult. This article discusses non-compliance with infection control procedures and examines how ED staff can use high impact interventions.


Assessment of the classification abilities of the CNS multi-parametric optimization approach by the method of logistic regression.
Assessment of "CNS drugs/CNS candidates" classification abilities of the multi-parametric optimization (CNS MPO) approach was performed by logistic regression. It was found that the five out of the six separately used physical-chemical properties (topological polar surface area, number of hydrogen-bonded donor atoms, basicity, lipophilicity of compound in neutral form and at pH = 7.4) provided accuracy of recognition below 60%. Only the descriptor of molecular weight (MW) could correctly classify two-thirds of the studied compounds. Aggregation of all six properties in the MPOscore did not improve the classification, which was worse than the classification using only MW. The results of our study demonstrate the imperfection of the CNS MPO approach; in its current form it is not very useful for computer design of new, effective CNS drugs.


Noradrenergic β-Adrenoceptor-Mediated Intracellular Molecular Mechanism of Na-K ATPase Subunit Expression in C6 Cells.
Rapid eye movement sleep deprivation-associated elevated noradrenaline increases and decreases neuronal and glial Na-K ATPase activity, respectively. In this study, using C6 cell-line as a model, we investigated the possible intracellular molecular mechanism of noradrenaline-induced decreased glial Na-K ATPase activity. The cells were treated with noradrenaline in the presence or absence of adrenoceptor antagonists, modulators of extra- and intracellular Ca++ and modulators of intracellular signalling pathways. We observed that noradrenaline acting on β-adrenoceptor decreased Na-K ATPase activity and mRNA expression of the catalytic α2-Na-K ATPase subunit in the C6 cells. Further, cAMP and protein kinase-A mediated release of intracellular Ca++ played a critical role in such decreased α2-Na-K ATPase expression. In contrast, noradrenaline acting on β-adrenoceptor up-regulated the expression of regulatory β2-Na-K ATPase subunit, which although was cAMP and Ca++ dependent, was independent of protein kinase-A and protein kinase-C. Combining these with previous findings (including ours) we have proposed a working model for noradrenaline-induced suppression of glial Na-K ATPase activity and alteration in its subunit expression. The findings help understanding noradrenaline-associated maintenance of brain excitability during health and altered states, particularly in relation to rapid eye movement sleep and its deprivation when the noradrenaline level is naturally altered.


Uremic pruritus is associated with higher kt/V and serum calcium concentration.
The prevalence and characteristics of uremic pruritus have not recently been investigated in a US dialysis cohort. This study examined uremic pruritus and associated risk factors in hemodialysis patients treated in the year 2005. The prevalence and characteristics of pruritus (short version McGill pain questionnaire), severity (10 cm visual analogue scale), and effect on quality of life (Skindex-16) were determined in thrice weekly hemodialysis patients. Daugirdas single-pool Kt/V, clinical and laboratory data were recorded. 105 of 307 screened hemodialysis patients met inclusion criteria and were evaluated, 49% (151) were excluded due to advanced age, 3% (9) other skin diseases, and 14% (42) refused. Participants were 55% male (58/105) and 65% African-American (68) with a mean +/- SD age of 48 +/- 11 years. The overall prevalence of pruritus was 57% (60/105, 95% CI 47 - 67%) and a positive correlation was observed between the presence of uremic itch and serum calcium concentration (p = 0.04). Intact PTH and serum phosphorus concentration were not associated with either the presence or intensity of itch. Intensity of pruritus was positively correlated with increasing months on dialysis (64 +/- 63 vs. 51 +/- 46 months for itch and non-itch, respectively; p = 0.02), higher Kt/V (1.82 +/- 0.7 vs. 1.70 +/- 0.56 for itch and non-itch, respectively; p = 0.01) and skin dryness (p = 0.01). Patients receiving statins were significantly less likely to report pruritus (p = 0.02) and uremic itch adversely impacted several aspects of quality of life. Pruritus remains a common and significant symptom in adequately hemodialyzed patients. Higher serum calcium concentrations, longer durations of ESRD and higher Kt/V appear to be important factors associated with uremic pruritus.


Efficient Virus-Induced Gene Silencing in Solanum rostratum.
Solanum rostratum is a "super weed" that grows fast, is widespread, and produces the toxin solanine, which is harmful to both humans and other animals. To our knowledge, no study has focused on its molecular biology owing to the lack of available transgenic methods and sequence information for S. rostratum. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a powerful tool for the study of gene function in plants; therefore, in the present study, we aimed to establish tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-derived VIGS in S. rostratum. The genes for phytoene desaturase (PDS) and Chlorophyll H subunit (ChlH) of magnesium protoporphyrin chelatase were cloned from S. rostratum and used as reporters of gene silencing. It was shown that high-efficiency VIGS can be achieved in the leaves, flowers, and fruit of S. rostratum. Moreover, based on our comparison of three different types of infection methods, true leaf infection was found to be more efficient than cotyledon and sprout infiltration in long-term VIGS in multiple plant organs. In conclusion, the VIGS technology and tomato genomic sequences can be used in the future to study gene function in S. rostratum.


Intrinsic differences in various segments of the proximal convoluted tubule.
Until recently it has not been possible to compare directly the function of superficial and juxtamedullary nephrons. The present studies, using in vitro microperfusion, were designed to examine whether functional differences exist between proximal convoluted tubule segments of superficial and juxtamedullary nephrons. Electrophysiological studies showed that major differences exist between the relative chloride and sodium permeabilities of these segments. In the 1st mm of the superficial proximal convoluted tubule, the permeability to sodium was greater than that to chloride, whereas in the 2nd mm of the superficial proximal convoluted tubule and all later segments, the permeability to chloride was greater than that to sodium. The juxtamedullary proximal convoluted tubule was found to differ from the superficial proximal convoluted tubule in two respects: first, the relative permeabilities to chloride and sodium did not differ in the various segments of the juxtamedullary proximal convoluted tubule; second, the permeability to sodium was greater than to chloride throughout. When perfused with a solution lacking glucose and amino acids, the superficial and juxtamedullary convolutions exhibited the same transepithelial potential change, a reversible decrease to less than -- 1 mV. It thus appears that in both convolutions there exists electrogenic sodium transport coupled to the transport of these organic solutes. This differs from pars recta of both of these nephrons, which have been shown to exhibit electrogenic sodium transport independent of organic solutes. However, when perfused with a solution lacking glucose and amino acids but also containing high chloride and low bicarbonate concentrations, the superficial convolution developed a significantly more positive potential than the juxtamedullary. This difference reflects greater relative chloride permeability in the superficial proximal convolution. These studies show that intrinsic functional differences exist between proximal convoluted tubules obtained from the superficial and juxtamedullary nephron populations.


[Vectorial transmission of malaria in shrubby Savannah area at Ganse, Ivory Coast].
A longitudinal entomologic study was carried out in the village of Ganse located in the Northeastern Ivory Coast from July 2000 to July 2001. The threefold purpose of the study was to index Plasmodium-carrying Anopheles species by capturing mosquitoes on human volunteers, collecting larvae in different dwelling types, and evaluating the involvement each species in the malaria transmission. A total of 4 species belonging to the Anopheles genus were collected in the village. Identification of circumsporozoite protein using the ELISA technique demonstrated that three species were plasmodium vectors. These species belonged to the An. gambiae complex (An. gambiae s.s. 100%), to the An. funestus group (An. funestus s.s. 95.6%) and to the An. nill group (An. nili s.s. 100%). The estimated mean sporozoite index was 5.9% for An. gambiae s.l., 4.3% for the An. funestus group and 2.6% for the An. nili group. The main larva breeding sites were standing water such as puddles for An. gambiae s.l., streams with tall plants for the An. funestus group and the Comoe River for An. nili group. Because peak breeding of these three species occurs at three successive times; i.e., in May, September and July respectively, transmission of P. falciparum is continuous throughout the year. The transmission rate is high since we recorded up to up to 410 infected bites per person per year. In addition to showing the presence of An. rivulorum-like, our findings in the area demonstrates the important role of An. nili s.s. in the transmission and the complexity of the vectorial system.


Integrative Bioinformatics Analysis Revealed Mitochondrial Dysfunction-Related Genes Underlying Intervertebral Disc Degeneration.
Mitochondrial dysfunction plays an important role in intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). We aim to explore the pathways and key genes that cause mitochondrial dysfunction during IDD and to further reveal the pathogenesis of IDD based on bioinformatic analyses. Datasets GSE70362 and GSE124272 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of mitochondrial dysfunction between IDD patients and healthy controls were screened by package limma package. Critical genes were identified by adopting gene ontology (GO), Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathways, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks. We collected both degenerated and normal disc tissues obtained surgically, and we performed western blot and qPCR to verify the key DEGs identified in intervertebral disc tissues. In total, 40 cases of IDD and 24 healthy controls were included. We identified 152 DEGs, including 67 upregulated genes and 85 downregulated genes. Four genes related to mitochondrial dysfunction (SOX9, FLVCR1, NR5A1 and UCHL1) were screened out. Of them, SOX9, FLVCR1, and UCHL1 were down-regulated in peripheral blood and intervertebral disc tissues of IDD patients, while NR5A1 was up-regulated. The analysis of immune infiltration showed the concentrations of mast cells activated were significantly the highest in IDD patients. Compared with the control group, the level of T cells CD4 memory resting was the lowest in the patients. In addition, 24 cases of IDD tissues and 12 cases of normal disc tissues were obtained to verify the results of bioinformatics analysis. Both western blot and qPCR results were consistent with the results of bioinformatics analysis. We identified four genes (SOX9, FLVCR1, NR5A1 and UCHL1) associated with mitochondrial dysfunction that play an important role in the progress of disc degeneration. The identification of these differential genes may provide new insights for the diagnosis and treatment of IDD.


Outcome and risk factors for mortality in children with acute renal failure.
Acute renal failure (ARF) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in children. Here, we investigate etiology, comorbidities, outcome and risk factors associated with mortality in these children with ARF. We retrospectively reviewed the characteristics of 58 children with ARF diagnosed between January 1997 and December 2006 at a single institute. Factors including age, sex, clinical features and laboratory parameters were compared between survivors and non-survivors. ARF was secondary to extrarenal causes in 79.3% of cases. Sepsis (18.9%), hematooncologic disease (18.9%) and cardiovascular disease (18.9%), were the main causes of ARF. Primary renal disease due to acute glomerulonephritis, nephrotic syndrome, hemolytic uremic syndrome and obstructive uropathy accounted for 20.7% of the cases. The overall mortality rate was 51.7%. There were no significant differences between survivors and non-survivors in gender and changes in the peak levels of calcium, phosphorous and uric acid levels. The mortality rate was significantly higher when ARF occurred in younger children (p = 0.019), secondary to systemic disease (p = 0.038, odds ratio 4.3; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0, 17.9), sepsis (p < 0.001, odds ratio 19.7; 95% CI 5.1, 76.4), use of ventilator (p < 0.001, odds ratio 35; 95% CI 6.7, 182.7), multiple organ failure (p < 0.001) and non-use of renal replacement therapy (p = 0.018, odds ratio, 3.6; 95% CI interval 1.2, 10.6) on univariate analysis. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that sepsis (p = 0.011, odds ratio, 11.3; 95% CI 1.7, 73.0) and numbers of organ failures (p = 0.001, odds ratio 8.14; 95% CI 2.5, 26.7) were independently associated with mortality. This study found that sepsis and number of organ failures were independent predictors of mortality in children with ARF.


A note on salmonella excretion in the black headed gull (Larus ribibundus) feeding at sewage treatment works.
The range of salmonella serotypes found in sewage sludge and in the faeces of black headed gulls (Larus ribibundus) feeding on the sludge was investigated. A close association was demonstrated between the serotypes found in both types of sample. Salmonella takoradi (a serotype which is uncommon in Scotland) appeared in the sludge for two short periods during the twelve week study and on both occasions it was later found in the gull faeces. It was shown that gulls become infected after feeding on contaminated sewage sludge but that the infection is probably short-lived.


Floral longevity and autonomous selfing are altered by pollination and water availability in Collinsia heterophylla.
A plant investing in reproduction partitions resources between flowering and seed production. Under resource limitation, altered allocations may result in floral trait variations, leading to compromised fecundity. Floral longevity and timing of selfing are often the traits most likely to be affected. The duration of corolla retention determines whether fecundity results from outcrossing or by delayed selfing-mediated reproductive assurance. In this study, the role of pollination schedules and soil water availability on floral longevity and seed production is tested in Collinsia heterophylla (Plantaginaceae). Using three different watering regimes and pollination schedules, effects on floral longevity and seed production were studied in this protandrous, flowering annual. The results reveal that soil water status and pollination together influence floral longevity with low soil water and hand-pollinations early in the floral lifespan reducing longevity. However, early pollinations under excess water did not extend longevity, implying that resource surplus does not lengthen the outcrossing period. The results also indicate that pollen receipt, a reliable cue for fecundity, accelerates flower drop. Early corolla abscission under drought stress could potentially exacerbate sexual conflict in this protandrous, hermaphroditic species by ensuring self-pollen paternity and enabling male control of floral longevity. While pollination schedules did not affect fecundity, water stress reduced per-capita seed numbers. Unmanipulated flowers underwent delayed autonomous selfing, producing very few seeds, suggesting that inbreeding depression may limit benefits of selfing. In plants where herkogamy and dichogamy facilitate outcrossing, floral longevity determines reproductive success and mating system. Reduction in longevity under drought suggests a strong environmental effect that could potentially alter the preferred breeding mode in this mixed-mated species. Extrapolating the findings to unpredictable global drought cycles, it is suggested that in addition to reducing yield, water stress may influence the evolutionary trajectory of plant mating system.


Cultural aspects of disability.
This article describes cultural and social issues related to disability based on the authors' experiences as researchers, clinicians, and activists and personal experience. They address the complexity of the topic of disability subculture by arguing that there is not one disability subculture and then describe common themes that characterize the social context of people with disabilities and one highly visible disability subculture. Clinical and research implications are mentioned. The definition of culturally competent care should be broadened to include disability.


Fatty acids inhibit apical membrane chloride channels in airway epithelia.
Apical membrane Cl- channels control the rate of transepithelial Cl- secretion in airway epithelia. cAMP-dependent protein kinase and protein kinase C regulate Cl- channels by phosphorylation; in cystic fibrosis cells, phosphorylation-dependent activation of Cl- channels is defective. Another important signaling system involves arachidonic acid, which is released from cell membranes during receptor-mediated stimulation. Here we report that arachidonic acid reversibly inhibited apical membrane Cl- channels in cell-free patches of membrane. Arachidonic acid itself inhibited the channel and not a cyclooxygenase or lipoxygenase metabolite because (i) inhibitors of these enzymes did not block the response, (ii) fatty acids that are not substrates for the enzymes had the same effect as arachidonic acid, and (iii) metabolites of arachidonic acid did not inhibit the channel. Inhibition occurred only when fatty acids were added to the cytosolic surface of the membrane patch. Unsaturated fatty acids were more potent than saturated fatty acids. Arachidonic acid inhibited Cl- channels from both normal and cystic fibrosis cells. These results suggest that fatty acids directly inhibit apical membrane Cl- channels in airway epithelial cells.


A novel synaptic junction preparation for the identification and characterization of cleft proteins.
Identification of synaptic cleft components has been hampered by the lack of a suitable preparation enriched in synaptic junctions devoid of adjoining peripheral membranes. Prior strategies for the isolation of synaptic junctions, relying on detergents for the removal of peripheral membranes, resulted in substantial loss of membranes lining the cleft. Here, a novel, detergent-free method is described for the preparation of a synaptic junction (SJ) fraction, using phospholipase A2. Limited digestion of synaptic plasma membrane (SPM) fraction with phospholipase A2 followed by centrifugation over a sucrose cushion results in selective removal of membranes peripheral to the cleft while junctional membranes remain relatively intact as observed by electron microscopy. Enrichment in synaptic junctional structures and loss of membranes peripheral to the junctional area are further verified by demonstrating enrichment in PSD-95 and loss in mGluR5, respectively. The SJ fraction is enriched in neuroligins and neurexins, in agreement with immuno-electron microscopy data showing their selective localization to the junctional area. Among additional cell adhesion molecules tested, N-cadherin and specific isoforms of the SynCAM and SALM families also show marked enrichment in the SJ fraction, suggesting preferential localization at the synaptic cleft while others show little enrichment or decrease, suggesting that they are not restricted to or concentrated at the synaptic cleft. Treatment of the SJ fraction with glycosidases results in electrophoretic mobility shifts of all cell adhesion molecules tested, indicating glycosylation at the synaptic cleft. Biochemical and ultrastructural data presented indicate that the novel synaptic junction preparation can be used as a predictive tool for the identification and characterization of the components of the synaptic cleft.


APS (Age, Platelets, 2D Shear-Wave Elastography) Score Predicts Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Chronic Hepatitis B.
Background Two-dimensional (2D) shear-wave elastography (SWE) has been considered to be useful in predicting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Purpose To develop a risk model using 2D SWE to predict HCC in patients with CHB and to compare its predictive value with that of other models. Materials and Methods Patients with biopsy-proven CHB who underwent US and 2D SWE between April 2011 and December 2015 were enrolled in this study. After 2D SWE and biopsy were performed, the patients received regular follow-up for the detection of HCC. The scoring system was developed by dividing the parameters of the Cox proportional hazards model by the smallest parameter and simplifying the assigned points to integers. The predictive performance of the new score was compared with that of other scores. Results Among the 654 patients (mean age, 37 years; range, 30-43 years; 510 men), 26 developed HCC. The variables of age, platelet count, and liver stiffness measurement at 2D SWE were weighted to develop the so-called APS score, with a cutoff of 60 showing the best discrimination for HCC risk. The APS score (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC], 0.89) was superior to that of the Chinese University HCC prediction score constructed from age, albumin level, bilirubin level, hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA level, and cirrhosis (AUC, 0.70; P = .005) and slightly higher than that of the guide with age, gender, HBV DNA level, core promoter mutations, and cirrhosis, or GAG-HCC score (AUC, 0.82; P = .052). In patients who underwent transient elastography, the AUC of the APS score was 0.79, compared with 0.82 for the modified risk estimation for HCC in CHB, or mREACH-B, score (P = .05). The APS score performed better in patients regardless of whether antiviral treatment was used, inflammation grade was low or high, or alanine aminotransferase levels were normal or high (all P > .05). Conclusion The APS score based on only the patient's baseline liver stiffness measurement at two-dimensional shear-wave elastography, age, and platelet count is valuable for predicting hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis B. © RSNA, 2021 Online supplemental material is available for this article.


Complementary use of Fourier transform laser microprobe mass spectrometry and time-of-flight static secondary ion mass spectrometry for the study of the surface adsorption of organic dyes on silicate materials.
The adsorption of organic ionic dyes on different pore size engineered silica materials with potential application for industrial wastewater treatment has been investigated using Fourier transform laser microprobe mass spectrometry (FT-LMMS) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-S-SIMS). The complementary use of the two methods with different information depth allowed data on the subsurface distribution and pore penetration of the adsorbed organic compounds. Macroscopic methods were employed to determine the amount adsorbed on the particles and the specific external surface area. Local MS analysis allows identification of the organic dyes exclusively at the outer particle surface when the pore size is inferior to the size of the adsorbing molecule, or at the surface of the channels inside the material. Specifically, the monolayer information depth of TOF-S-SIMS causes a signal to refer essentially to the adsorbate at the outer particle surface, which is only a fraction of the total adsorption in mesoporous materials, while FT-LMMS allowed detection of the presence of adsorbates at the outer surface as well as inside the subsurface of 10 to 50 nm depending on the material under study. The observed data open perspectives for the molecular monitoring of the adsorption behaviour of different materials at the (sub) microm scale.


[Alveolar osteotomy and rapid orthodontic treatments].
When combined with orthodontics, selective periodontal decortication has been shown to be clinically effective in eliminating severe malocclusions three to four times more rapidly than conventional orthodontic treatment. Our technique combines surgical scarring of the cortical bone on both labial and lingual sides of the teeth to be moved, with an augmentation graft to increase alveolar volume. Alveolar spongiosa undergoes rapid transformation as the body attempts to heal the wounds to the cortices resulting in marked tissue turnover. The patient is seen every two weeks and most cases are completed within six months of orthodontic treatment. Moreover, this technique significantly expands the scope of treatment in resolving many skeletal problems such as openbites and severe maxillary constrictions, conditions typically relegated to orthognathic surgery. Clinical outcomes research has shown that the immediate post treatment results settle better during retention and that the long term results become more stable. These facts are likely due to the high tissue turnover induced by decortication as well as the thicker cortical bone resulting from the augmentation grafting.