Self-reported collision risk associated with cannabis use and driving after cannabis use among Ontario adults.
This study examined the effects of cannabis use and driving after cannabis use on self-reported collision involvement within the previous 12 months while controlling for demographics, driving exposure, binge drinking, and driving after drinking based on a large representative sample of adults in Ontario. Data are based on the CAMH Monitor, an ongoing cross-sectional telephone survey of Ontario adults aged 18 and older, conducted by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Data on drivers who reported driving at least one kilometer per week and who responded to the collision item from 2002 to 2007 were merged into one data set (n = 8481). Logistic regression analysis of self-reported collision risk posed by cannabis use (lifetime and past 12 months), driving after cannabis use (past 12 months), and driving after drinking among drinkers (past 12 months) was implemented, controlling for the effects of gender, age, region, income, education, marital status, kilometers driven in a typical week, and consuming five or more drinks of alcohol on one occasion (past 12 months). Due to list-wise deletion of cases the logistic regression sample was reduced (n = 6907). Several demographic factors were found to be significantly associated with self-reported collision involvement. The logistic regression model revealed that age, region, income, marital status, and number of kilometers driven in a typical week, were all significantly related to collision involvement, after adjusting for other factors. Respondents who reported having driven after cannabis use within the past 12 months had increased risk of collision involvement (odds ratio [OR] = 1.84) compared to those who never drove after using cannabis, a greater risk than that associated with having reported driving after drinking within the past 12 months (OR = 1.34). Further investigation of the impact of driving after cannabis use on collision risk and factors that may modify that relationship is warranted.


Recruitment of participants through community pharmacies for a pharmacogenetic study of antihypertensive drug treatment.
To describe the design, recruitment and baseline characteristics of participants in a community pharmacy based pharmacogenetic study of antihypertensive drug treatment. Participants enrolled from the population-based Pharmaco-Morbidity Record Linkage System. We designed a nested case-control study in which we will assess whether specific genetic polymorphisms modify the effect of antihypertensive drugs on the risk of myocardial infarction. In this study, cases (myocardial infarction) and controls were recruited through community pharmacies that participate in PHARMO. The PHARMO database comprises drug dispensing histories of about 2,000,000 subjects from a representative sample of Dutch community pharmacies linked to the national registrations of hospital discharges. In total we selected 31010 patients (2777 cases and 28233 controls) from the PHARMO database, of whom 15973 (1871 cases, 14102 controls) were approached through their community pharmacy. Overall response rate was 36.3% (n = 5791, 794 cases, 4997 controls), whereas 32.1% (n = 5126, 701 cases, 4425 controls) gave informed consent to genotype their DNA. As expected, several cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking, body mass index, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes mellitus were more common in cases than in controls. Furthermore, cases more often used beta-blockers and calcium-antagonists, whereas controls more often used thiazide diuretics, ACE-inhibitors, and angiotensin-II receptor blockers. We have demonstrated that it is feasible to select patients from a coded database for a pharmacogenetic study and to approach them through community pharmacies, achieving reasonable response rates and without violating privacy rules.


Meroterpenoid-Rich Fraction of the Ethanolic Extract from Sargassum serratifolium Suppressed Oxidative Stress Induced by Tert-Butyl Hydroperoxide in HepG2 Cells.
Sargassum species have been reported to be a source of phytochemicals, with a wide range of biological activities. In this study, we evaluated the hepatoprotective effect of a meroterpenoid-rich fraction of the ethanolic extract from Sargassum serratifolium (MES) against tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-treated HepG2 cells. Treatment with MES recovered the cell viability from the t-BHP-induced oxidative damage in a dose-dependent manner. It suppressed the reactive oxygen species production, lipid peroxidation, and glutathione depletion in the t-BHP-treated HepG2 cells. The activity of the antioxidants induced by t-BHP, including superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase, was reduced by the MES treatment. Moreover, it increased the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, leading to the enhanced activity of glutathione S transferase, and the increased production of heme oxygenase-1 and NAD(P)H:quinine oxidoreductase 1 in t-BHP-treated HepG2 cells. These results demonstrate that the antioxidant activity of MES substituted the activity of the SOD and catalase, and induced the production of detoxifying enzymes, indicating that MES might be used as a hepatoprotectant against t-BHP-induced oxidative stress.


Prion disease causes less severe lesions in human hippocampus than other parts of brain.
The hippocampus can be very sensitive to damage in the scrapie-infected mouse, a well-established animal model of prion diseases. Terminally ill scrapie-infected animals exhibit nearly complete loss of cornu ammonis (CA) 1 pyramidal neurons, but few studies have focused on the neuropathological lesions of the human hippocampus in autopsied brain tissue; in particular, few findings on differences in severity of pathology between the hippocampal and parahippocampal formations have been obtained. The aim of the present paper is to evaluate the human hippocampus of prion disease through neuropathological examination. A systemic, detailed neuropathological study throughout the subdivisions of the hippocampus was carried out in 23 autopsied cases of prion diseases. Prion protein immunohistochemistry was performed in serial brain sections to determine the topography of prion deposits. Compared to lesions in other brain regions, hippocampal lesions were mild, despite numerous prion deposits. The distribution of prion deposits did not appear to be correlated with neuropathological changes. The present findings differed from the hippocampal pathology observed in scrapie-infected mice. In addition, differences in neuropathological severity were observed within the hippocampal formation. The human hippocampus may be protected from the neurotoxic effects of prion deposits.


Oriental nose occidentalization and perinasal shaping by augmentation of the underdeveloped anterior nasal spine.
Augmentation of an underdeveloped anterior nasal spine (ANS) occidentalizes the Oriental nasal shape. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of ANS augmentation using an injectable filler, assessing volumetric changes with 3-dimensional images and measuring 2-dimensional images. Forty Japanese patients were treated and evaluated before and after the augmentation. Local anesthetic was injected on the ANS for analgesia. To augment the underdeveloped ANS, approximately 0.5-1.0 ml of calcium hydroxylapatite filler was injected between the medial crura footplates and the ANS. Two-dimensional measurements and superimposable 3-dimensional volumetric assessments were performed pretreatment and 7 days posttreatment. Patients rated their satisfaction using a 5-point scale. A significant decrease in nasal width and nostril axis inclination and an increase in nasal tip projection and columellolabial angle were observed by 2-dimensional measurements. Superimposable 3-dimensional color images reinforced the results of the 2-dimensional measurements and showed volumetric soft-tissue changes in the nasal and perinasal areas and the lower cheeks. Ninety percent of the patients were either "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with the results. Posttreatment traction pain and edema resolved in 5 days. Side effects such as hematoma, nodules, and skin necrosis were not observed. Objective assessments showed significant effects of this treatment, with good patient satisfaction and minimal levels of discomfort and side effects. Together these results demonstrate that this treatment is safe and effective for Oriental nose occidentalization and perinasal shaping and is also useful for predicting rhinoplasty results.


[Differentiation of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells of bone marrow into cells of cartilage tissue by culturing in three-demential OPLA scaffolds].
Bone marrow multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells represent a perspective material for engineering of human three-dimensional transplants of cartilage tissue. We are demonstrated the opportunity of the directed differentiation of BM MMSC in cells of cartilage tissue by culturing them in three-dimensional scaffolds, presented by polymer OPLA in medium with inductors of chondrogenesis. For loading cells in porous scaffolds used method which essence consist in saturation of polymeric blocks by cellular suspension with the subsequent centrifugal force of cells in scaffolds and culturing of engineering constructs for 28 days in chondrogenic medium. Histological analysis derived in vitro of three-dimensional transplants showed uniform distribution of cells in the matrix with morphologically distinct chondrocytes-like cells of hyaline cartilage. Immunohistochemical analysis detected aggrecan and collagen type II within the extracellular matrix. Preclinical the researches lead on a livestock of immunodeficient mice have shown not toxicity of the engineering constructs.


Novel mutations of the endothelin B receptor gene in patients with Hirschsprung's disease and their characterization.
Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR) is a congenital intestinal disease, characterized by the absence of ganglion cells in the distal portion of the intestinal tract. Recently, three susceptibility genes have been identified in HSCR, namely the RET protooncogene, the endothelin B (ETB) receptor gene (EDNRB), and the endothelin-3 (ET-3) gene (EDN3). To investigate whether mutations in EDNRB could be related with HSCR in non-inbred populations in Japan, we examined alterations of the gene in 31 isolated patients. Three novel mutations were detected as follows: two transversions, A to T and C to A at nucleotides 311 (N104I) and 1170 (S390R), respectively, and a transition, T to C at nucleotide 325 (C109R). To analyze functions of these mutant receptors, they were expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. S390R mutation did not change the binding affinities but caused the decreases in the ligand-induced increment of intracellular calcium and in the inhibition of adenylyl cyclase activity, showing the impairment of the intracellular signaling. C109R receptors were proved to be localized near the nuclei as an unusual 44-kDa protein with the extremely low affinity to endothelin-1 (ET-1) and not to be translocated into the plasma membrane. On the other hand, N104I receptors showed almost the same binding affinities and functional properties as those of the wild type. Therefore, we conclude that S390R and C109R mutations could cause HSCR but that N104I mutation might be polymorphous.


[Continuous thoracic drainage and suction. Comparative study of the performance and price of multiple-use systems (separate bottles) and single-use (compact systems) disposable systems on the market].
A study of 12 pleural drainage systems has been conducted. The system was disposable in 8 instances and allowed multiple use in 4. Each system was analyzed in relation to 15 performance criteria and 15 safety criteria. The cost of use per patient was compared. In conclusion, compact and disposable pleural drainage units can be recommended since they (a) offer superior technical performance, (b) are more reliable, (c) offer increased safety, (d) are easier to monitor, (e) are much safer with respect to cross-infection, (f) are less noisy in some cases, (g) are more useful in apportioning responsibility between surgeons and nursing staff, and (h) are less costly.


Cloning and promoter analysis of palladin 90-kDa, 140-kDa, and 200-kDa isoforms involved in skeletal muscle cell maturation.
Palladin is a ubiquitous phosphoprotein expressed in vertebrate cells that works as a scaffolding protein. Several isoforms deriving from alternative splicing are originated from the palladin gene and involved in mesenchymal and muscle cells formation, maturation, migration, and contraction. Recent studies have linked palladin to the invasive spread of cancer and myogenesis. However, since its discovery, the promoter region of the palladin gene has never been studied. The objective of this study was to predict, identify, and measure the activity of the promoter regions of palladin gene. By using promoter prediction programs, we successfully identified the transcription start sites for the Palld isoforms and revealed the presence of a variety of transcriptional regulatory elements including TATA box, GATA, MyoD, myogenin, MEF, Nkx2-5, and Tcf3 upstream promoter regions. The transcriptome profiling approach confirmed the active role of predicted transcription factors in the mouse genome. This study complements the missing piece in the characterization of palladin gene and certainly contributes to understanding the complexity and enrollment of palladin regulatory factors in gene transcription.


In vitro vs. ex vivo platelet deposition on polymer surfaces.
The initial adherence and activation of platelets on a surface may be a major determinant of the thrombogenicity of that surface. The response of platelets to four polymers: polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), silicone rubber (SIL), and oxidized polyethylene (OX-PE) was studied in vitro with scanning electron microscopy. Platelets from mongrel canines and rhesus monkeys were obtained just prior to cannulation of the donor animal with an ex vivo arteriovenous series shunt evaluating the same four polymers. Thus, the in vivo response of circulating platelets could be compared to the in vitro response of purified platelets from the same animal. In the canine the in vitro response of individual platelets deposited on the four polymers studied was nearly the same as the ex vivo response although the extent of shape-change was usually somewhat greater ex vivo. Large numbers of fully spread platelets were seen on OX-PE and fewer numbers on PE both in vitro and ex vivo. Mixtures of platelets in all degrees of shape-change/activation wer characteristic on PVC, while platelets on SIL showed little shape-change over all time intervals. Rhesus platelet response was similar to the canines' except that fewer attached or shape-changed, and differences in responses to the four polymers were less pronounced. The similarity of the in vitro to the ex vivo response in each of the species suggests that this simple in vitro model can be informative in studying platelet shape-change/activation as a precursor to surface induced thrombosis with less complexity and expense than in vivo methods.


Personalized Respiratory Support in ARDS: A Physiology-to-Bedside Review.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide, and while no specific etiologic interventions have been shown to improve outcomes, noninvasive and invasive respiratory support strategies are life-saving interventions that allow time for lung recovery. However, the inappropriate management of these strategies, which neglects the unique features of respiratory, lung, and chest wall mechanics may result in disease progression, such as patient self-inflicted lung injury during spontaneous breathing or by ventilator-induced lung injury during invasive mechanical ventilation. ARDS characteristics are highly heterogeneous; therefore, a physiology-based approach is strongly advocated to titrate the delivery and management of respiratory support strategies to match patient characteristics and needs to limit ARDS progression. Several tools have been implemented in clinical practice to aid the clinician in identifying the ARDS sub-phenotypes based on physiological peculiarities (inspiratory effort, respiratory mechanics, and recruitability), thus allowing for the appropriate application of personalized supportive care. In this narrative review, we provide an overview of noninvasive and invasive respiratory support strategies, as well as discuss how identifying ARDS sub-phenotypes in daily practice can help clinicians to deliver personalized respiratory support and potentially improve patient outcomes.


[Maternal serum screening for Down syndrome and neural tube defects].
Evaluation of maternal serum screening for Down's syndrome (DS) and neural tube defects (NTDs). Longitudinal study. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital Utrecht, the Netherlands. 6362 pregnant women underwent serum screening for DS and (or) NTD between the 15th and 21st weeks of pregnancy between March 1991 and March 1996. Screening was performed using alpha-foetoprotein, unconjugated oestriol, human chorionic gonadotrophin and maternal age. The result of each individual test was a calculated risk for delivering a child with DS and (or) NTD. Nine out of 12 singleton pregnancies of a foetus with DS were detected. To this purpose, 573 women who, according to the serum screening had an increased risk of a child with the abnormality, were offered amniocentesis, which was performed in 471 of them. Two twin pregnancies with a total of 3 DS affected foetuses were also detected; one twin pregnancy of a DS foetus was screen-negative. The one case of spina bifida was screen-positive. The proportion of women eligible for invasive prenatal diagnosis because of maternal age increased from 9% to 25% in the course of the study. Of 1118 women aged > or = 36 years 913 (82%) declined invasive investigation compared with 40% in the general population. The results of the maternal serum screening program in Utrecht were comparable with other studies. Maternal serum screening is accepted as an alternative by women above 36 years, and allows to decrease the need for amniocentesis without a significant loss in detection rate.


A novel therapeutic approach for rectal varices: a case report of rectal varices treated with double balloon-occluded embolotherapy.
We present a patient with continuous melena, diagnosed as rectal varices bleeding. She had a history of esophageal varices, which was treated by endoscopic ligation therapy. Eight years after the treatment of esophageal varices, the continuous melena began. Colonoscopic examination showed that the melena was caused by rectal varices, which were so severe that they could not be treated by either endoscopic sclerotherapy or surgical devascularization. Taking into considering the overall risk of treating rectal varices, we chose the approach of double balloon-occluded embolotherapy (DBOE) with 5% ethanolamine oleate with iopamodol as a liquid embolic material. DBOE is one of the interventional radiology techniques (Morita et al., Acta Hepatol Jpn 1994;35:109-120), but in this case was a completely new and novel clinical procedure for rectal varices. After the DBOE therapy, the condition of rectal varices was markedly improved. Thus, DBOE might be a new tool for treating inoperable rectal varices.


[Surgical treatment of type A acute aortic dissection--experience of hypothermic circulatory arrest associated with the cerebroplegia].
From 1992 to July 1996, 19 patients (aged 39 to 78 years) were operated on for type A acute aortic dissection. Our operative strategy is that all patients in whom aortic dissection involves the segment of transverse aortic arch should undergo simultaneous replacement or repair of the aortic arch and ascending aorta. Among these 19 patients, 17 were operated on within 24 hours after onset. In 13 patients, graft replacement extended from the ascending aorta to the transverse portion of the arch. The aortic stumps were prepared with the Teflon left both inside and outside of the aortic wall. Recently these were reconstructed with the aid of the Gelatin-Resorcin-Formaling glue, instilled into the false lumen. Cerebral protection was achieved by hypothermic circulatory arrest associated with the cerebroplegia (thiopental, nicradipine and mannitol). In one patient associated with severe aortic regurgitation, a valved conduit was implanted and the coronary arteries were reimplanted. CABG was performed concomitantly in two patients for involvement of the proximal coronary arteries by the dissection process. The hospital mortality rate was 26% (5/19). However, in two of them, death was not directly related to the operative procedure. One patient died of graft versus host disease (GVHD), another patient died of acute epidural hemorrhage which was undetected until the repair was completed. During the postoperative course, in all but two patients, the false lumens of the aortic arch and/or descending thoracic aorta were confirmed to be totally thrombosed by the examination of CT scan and/or aortography. It is concluded that the surgical treatment of type A acute aortic dissection can be successfully performed, even if the graft replacement extended to the transverse aortic arch.


Wettability of Complex Fluids and Surfactant Capped Nanoparticle-Induced Quasi-Universal Wetting Behavior.
Even though there are quite large studies on wettability of aqueous surfactants and a few studies on effects of nanoparticles on wettability of colloids, to the best of authors' knowledge, there is no study reported on the combined effect of surfactant and nanoparticles in altering the wettability. The present study, for the first time, reports an extensive experimental and theoretical study on the combined effect of surfactants and nanoparticles on the wettability of complex fluids such as nanocolloids on different substrates, ranging from hydrophilic with a predominantly polar surface energy component (silicon wafer and glass) to near hydrophobic range with a predominantly dispersive component of surface energy (aluminum and copper substrates). Systematically planned experiments are carried out to segregate the contributing effects of surfactants, particles, and combined particle and surfactants in modulating the wettability. The mechanisms and the governing parameters behind the interactions of nanocolloids alone and of surfactant capped nanocolloids with different surfaces are found to be grossly different. The article, for the first time, also analyzes the interplay of the nature of surfaces, surfactant and particle concentrations on contact angle, and contact angle hysteresis (CAH) of particle and surfactant impregnated colloidal suspensions. In the case of nanoparticle suspensions, the contact angle is observed to decrease for the hydrophobic system and increase for the hydrophilic systems considered. On the contrary, the combined particle and surfactant colloidal system shows a quasi-unique wetting behavior of decreasing contact angle with particle concentration on all substrates. Also interestingly, the combined particle surfactant system at all particle concentrations shows a wetting angle much lower than that of the only-surfactant case at the same surfactant concentration. Such counterintuitive observations have been explained based on the near-surface interactivity of the particle, fluid, and surfactant molecules based on effective slip length considerations. The CAH analyses of colloidal suspensions at varying surfactant and particle concentrations reveal in-depth physical insight into contact line pinning, and a unique novel relationship is established between the contact angle and differential energy for distorting the instantaneous contact angle for a pinned sessile droplet. A detailed theoretical analysis of the governing parameters influencing the wettability has been presented invoking the principles of DLVO (Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek), surface energy and interaction parameters influencing at the molecular scale, and the theoretical framework is found to support the experimental observations.


Phylogeny of pteromalid parasitic wasps (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae): initial evidence from four protein-coding nuclear genes.
Chalcidoidea (approximately 22,000 described species) is the most ecologically diverse superfamily of parasitic Hymenoptera and plays a major role in the biological control of insect pests. However, phylogenetic relationships both within and between chalcidoid families have been poorly understood, particularly for the large family Pteromalidae and relatives. Forty-two taxa, broadly representing Chalcidoidea but concentrated in the 'pteromalid lineage,' were sequenced for 4620 bp of protein-coding sequence from four nuclear genes for which we present new primers. These are: CAD (1719 bp) DDC (708 bp), enolase (1149 bp), and PEPCK (1044 bp). The combined data set was analyzed using parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian methods. Statistical significance of the apparent non-monophyly of some taxonomic groups on our trees was evaluated using the approximately unbiased test of Shimodaira [Shimodaira, H. 2002. An approximately unbiased test of phylogenetic tree selection. Syst. Biol. 51(3), 492-508]. In accord with previous studies, we find moderate to strong support for monophyly of Chalcidoidea, a sister-group relationship of Mymaridae to the remainder of Chalcidoidea, and a relatively basal placement of Encarsia (Aphelinidae) within the latter. The 'pteromalid lineage' of families is generally recovered as monophyletic, but the hypothesis of monophyly for Pteromalidae, which appear paraphyletic with respect to all other families sampled in that lineage, is decisively rejected (P < 10(-14)). Within Pteromalidae, monophyly was strongly supported for nearly all tribes represented by multiple exemplars, and for two subfamilies. All other multiply-represented subfamilies appeared para- or polyphyletic in our trees, although monophyly was significantly rejected only for Miscogasterinae, Ormocerinae, and Colotrechninae. The limited resolution obtained in the analyses presented here reinforces the idea that reconstruction of pteromalid phylogeny is a difficult problem, possibly due to rapid radiation of many chalcidoid taxa. Initial phylogenetic comparisons of life history traits suggest that the ancestral chalcidoid was small-bodied and parasitized insect eggs.


Helicobacter pylori Antigens Inducing Early Immune Response in Infants.
To identify the Helicobacter pylori antigens operating during early infection in sera from infected infants using proteomics and immunoblot analysis. Two-dimensional (2D) large and small gel electrophoresis was performed using H. pylori strain 51. We performed 2D immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin A (IgA), and immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody immunoblotting using small gels on sera collected at the Gyeongsang National University Hospital from 4-11-month-old infants confirmed with H. pylori infection by pre-embedding immunoelectron microscopy. Immunoblot spots appearing to represent early infection markers in infant sera were compared to those of the large 2D gel for H. pylori strain 51. Corresponding spots were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). The peptide fingerprints obtained were searched in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. Eight infant patients were confirmed with H. pylori infection based on urease tests, histopathologic examinations, and pre-embedding immunoelectron microscopy. One infant showed a 2D IgM immunoblot pattern that seemed to represent early infection. Immunoblot spots were compared with those from whole-cell extracts of H. pylori strain 51 and 18 spots were excised, digested in gel, and analyzed by MALDI-TOF-MS. Of the 10 peptide fingerprints obtained, the H. pylori proteins flagellin A (FlaA), urease β subunit (UreB), pyruvate ferredoxin oxidoreductase (POR), and translation elongation factor Ts (EF-Ts) were identified and appeared to be active during the early infection periods. These results might aid identification of serological markers for the serodiagnosis of early H. pylori infection in infants.


Acute myocarditis in vivax malaria: an extremely rare complication.
We report on the occurrence of pulmonary oedema due to acute myocarditis in an adolescent girl, from the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, with Plasmodium vivax infection after parasite clearance. Apart from pancytopenia, there were no other features of severe malaria. With the emergence of literature about the complications encountered in P. vivax, especially from this region, a high index of suspicion for unusual cardiovascular manifestations is necessary in cases with acute malaria.


Why a Right to Health Makes No Sense, and What Does.
There is a widely held belief in a universal right to the highest attainable standard of health. This essay shows how this right is conceptually unclear, unattainable, and a distraction from a more concrete and attainable right: a right to equitable access to available resources for health (RARH), including equitable access to the social determinants of health. It clarifies conceptual and theoretical issues in the RARH: its underlying theory rooted in historical, economic, and axiological rationales; its concept of component resources and their availability, equity, sustainability; and the redistribution of wealth and power, metrics, and ethics. The advancement of global health equity requires explicit theorizing of what underlies a right to health. The right to the highest attainable standard of health fails in this regard. The RARH provides a desirable, actionable, and measurable foundation for global health equity.


A Near-Infrared Photoswitchable Protein-Fluorophore Tag for No-Wash Live Cell Imaging.
FR-1V, a fluorene-based aldehydic chromophore, binds its target protein as an imine to yield a highly bathochromic pigment, CF-2, a prototypic protein-dye tagging system whose NIR emission can be spatiotemporally switched ON by rapid UV-light activation. This is achieved through photoisomerization of the imine and its subsequent protonation. We demonstrate a no-wash protocol for live cell imaging of subcellular compartments in a variety of mammalian cell lines with minimal fluorescence background.


Ischemia/reperfusion injury: The role of immune cells.
Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is an inflammatory condition that is characterized by innate immunity and an adaptive immune response. This review is focused on the acute inflammatory response in I/R injury, and also the adaptive immunological mechanisms in chronic ischemic disease that lead to increased vulnerability during acute events, in relation to the cell types that have been shown to mediate innate immunity to an adaptive immune response in I/R, specifically myocardial infarction. Novel aspects are also highlighted in respect to the mechanisms within the cardiovascular system and cardiovascular risk factors that may be involved in the inflammatory response accompanying myocardial infarction. Experimental myocardial I/R has suggested that immune cells may mediate reperfusion injury. Specifically, monocytes, macrophages, T-cells, mast cells, platelets and endothelial cells are discussed with reference to the complement cascade, toll-like receptors, cytokines, oxidative stress, renin-angiotensin system, and in reference to the microvascular system in the signaling mechanisms of I/R. Finally, the findings of the data summarized in this review are most important for possible translation into clinical cardiology practice and possible avenues for drug development.


Perspectives on helping traumatized infants, young children, and their families.
Traumatized infants, toddlers, and young children can affect adults in different ways but most often pull extreme reactions ranging from empathy to anger. It is important for those who support, intervene, and provide therapeutic services for traumatized young children and their families to understand that various traumatization, compassion, fatigue, and burnout can be an integral part of the work. All interveners, including child welfare workers, clinicians, home visitors, teachers, and even nontraditional responders, such as those who supervise therapeutic visitation, must find their own ways to cope with the overwhelming feelings that may be aroused. Support or regularly scheduled reflective supervision as well as self-care is crucial for those who work with trauma. This paper describes helpful ways to intervene and provide support for infant mental health therapists and others working with traumatized young children who may experience vicarious traumatization.


Specification and use of a mouse monoclonal antibody raised against melanosomes for the histopathologic diagnosis of amelanotic malignant melanoma.
The positive reactivity and specificity of a mouse monoclonal antibody (MoAb) human melanosome-specific antigen (HMSA) 2 raised against the melanosomal protein with amelanotic malignant melanoma on routine paraffin sections is reported. MoAb HMSA-2 identified cytoplasmic antigen with the following specifications: (1) a sharp heterogeneous expression in melanoma cells (acral lentiginous melanoma [ALM], 11 of 14; superficial spreading melanoma [SSM], 13 of 14; nodular melanoma [NM], one of three; and lentigo maligna melanoma [LMM], zero of two), whereas a diffuse homogeneous expression in cells of benign pigmented melanocytic nevi; and (2) an intense expression on amelanotic melanoma cells as opposed to a weak or negative expression on highly melanotic cells. The positive reactivity of MoAb HMSA-2 with amelanotic melanomas was exemplified by two shave-biopsy specimens of amelanotic subungual and plantar lesions, and by two cases of axillary and cervical amelanotic nodes that were left undiagnosed on routine hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) sections because of lack of melanin pigments. These were found, after diagnosis with MoAb HMSA-2, to possess the regressed primary lesions (both ALM).


Clinical characteristics of Parkinson's disease among Inuit in Greenland and inhabitants of the Faroe Islands and Als (Denmark).
In earlier studies, we found high age-adjusted prevalences of Parkinson's disease (PD) in the Faroe Islands (209 per 100,000 inhabitants) and in Greenland (187.5 per 100,000 inhabitants) compared to the age-adjusted prevalence on the island of Als in the southern part of Denmark (98.3 per 100,000 inhabitants). We thoroughly examined patients with suspected parkinsonism using internationally accepted diagnostic criteria. In the present study, we found no significant clinical differences between patients with PD in the three areas, despite this high difference in prevalence. However, comparing the age at examination and age at treatment, the patients were younger in Greenland, a higher proportion of patients had cognitive decline, and they had a higher mean Hoehn and Yahr rating score, although they received a lower levodopa dose. A higher proportion of the patients in Greenland were newly diagnosed than in the other two areas.


Influence of wet fixation, staining techniques, and storage time on bull sperm morphology.
The influence on sperm morphology of different methods for preparation of semen and of storage in a fixative solution was examined in 27 beef bulls subjected to a regular breeding health examination. Sperm head morphology under light microscopy did not differ between smears of fresh semen stained with carbol-fuchsin-eosin (Williams staining) or Nigrosin-Eosin. Nor was there any difference between samples stained immediately after collection and those stained after 1 month of storage at + 4 degrees C in buffered formal-saline solution. Formol-saline fixed spermatozoa examined in wet preparations under phase contrast microscopy had a higher prevalence of acrosome defects and cytoplasmic droplets than stained smears of fresh semen under light microscopy. One month of storage in formol-saline did not affect the prevalence of acrosome defects or cytoplasmic droplets. There was no influence of fixation method (wet or dry), staining, examination technique, or storage time on midpiece or sperm tail morphology. The affinity of spermatozoa to eosin at staining with Nigrosin-Eosin ("live and dead count") did not differ between fresh semen and spermatozoa that had been stored in formol-saline for 1 month. It is concluded that bull semen can be stored for at least 1 month at + 4 degrees C in buffered formal-saline without major changes in sperm morphology. Furthermore, examination of wet preparations of fixed spermatozoa under phase contrast microscope is likely to yield the most accurate results for morphological characteristics like acrosome morphology and cytoplasmic droplets.


Platinum-bearing chromite layers are caused by pressure reduction during magma ascent.
Platinum-bearing chromitites in mafic-ultramafic intrusions such as the Bushveld Complex are key repositories of strategically important metals for human society. Basaltic melts saturated in chromite alone are crucial to their generation, but the origin of such melts is controversial. One concept holds that they are produced by processes operating within the magma chamber, whereas another argues that melts entering the chamber were already saturated in chromite. Here we address the problem by examining the pressure-related changes in the topology of a Mg2SiO4-CaAl2Si2O8-SiO2-MgCr2O4 quaternary system and by thermodynamic modelling of crystallisation sequences of basaltic melts at 1-10 kbar pressures. We show that basaltic melts located adjacent to a so-called chromite topological trough in deep-seated reservoirs become saturated in chromite alone upon their ascent towards the Earth's surface and subsequent cooling in shallow-level chambers. Large volumes of these chromite-only-saturated melts replenishing these chambers are responsible for monomineralic layers of massive chromitites with associated platinum-group elements.


Impacts of Sensation, Perception, and Motor Abilities of the Ipsilesional Upper Limb on Hand Functions in Unilateral Stroke: Quantifications From Biomechanical and Functional Perspectives.
The presence of subtle losses in hand dexterity after stroke affects the regaining of independence with regard to activities of daily living. Therefore, awareness of ipsilesional upper extremity (UE) function may be of importance when developing a comprehensive rehabilitation program. However, current hand function tests seem to be unable to identify asymptomatic UE impairments. To assess the motor coordination as well as the sensory perception of an ipsilesional UE using biomechanical analysis of performance-oriented tasks and conducting a Manual Tactile Test (MTT). Case-controlled study. A university hospital. A total of 21 patients with unilateral stroke, along with 21 matched healthy control subjects, were recruited. Each participant was requested to perform a pinch-holding-up activity (PHUA) test, object-transport task, and reach-to-grasp task via motion capture, as well as the MTT. The kinetic data of the PHUA test, kinematics analysis of functional movements, and time requirement of MTT were analyzed. Patients with ipsilesional UE had an inferior ability to scale and produce pinch force precisely when conducting the PHUA test compared to the healthy controls (P < .05). The movement time was statistically longer and peak velocity was significantly lower (P < .05) in the performance-oriented tasks for the ipsilesional UE patients. The longer time requirement in 3 MTT subtests showed that the ipsilesional UE patients experienced degradation in sensory perception (P < .001). Comprehensive sensorimotor assessments based on functional perspectives are valid tools to determine deficits in the sensation-perception-motor system in the ipsilesional UE. Integration of sensorimotor training programs for ipsilesional UE in future neuro-rehabilitation strategies may provide more beneficial effects to regain patients' motor recovery and to promote daily living activity independence than focusing on paretic arm motor training alone. III.


Mitragynine in the Orange County DUID population.
In recent years, mitragynine has been consistently detected in driving under the influence of drug (DUID) cases. In this paper, we evaluate 3 years (2017-2019) worth of DUID data from arrested drivers in Orange County, CA, USA. From the 25,398 DUID cases received in those 3 years, there were 60 (0.24%) cases with detectable concentrations, >10 ng/mL, of mitragynine. The majority of drivers were male (90%) and were stopped during the week (81%), considered Monday 0000 to Friday 1159. The concentration range for all mitragynine cases was 10.5-960 ng/mL, with a mean of 109 ng/mL and a median of 58 ng/mL. Forty four of the 60 cases were also screened for 7-hydroxymitragynine, and 27 (63%) were positive. The police reports and drug recognition expert evaluations were collected and evaluated. No case contained solely mitragynine, and the most common drugs detected in combination were central nervous system depressants (ethanol, followed by benzodiazepines), stimulants (methamphetamine and cocaine) and opioids (fentanyl and indication of heroin). Two cases containing only one other psychoactive substance are discussed more thoroughly to attempt to identify the contributions of mitragynine to driving impairment. Collected demographic, toxicological and field observations are presented for all cases.


Cortical folding alterations in fetuses with isolated non-severe ventriculomegaly.
Neuroimaging of brain diseases plays a crucial role in understanding brain abnormalities and early diagnosis. Of great importance is the study of brain abnormalities in utero and the assessment of deviations in case of maldevelopment. In this work, brain magnetic resonance images from 23 isolated non-severe ventriculomegaly (INSVM) fetuses and 25 healthy controls between 26 and 29 gestational weeks were used to identify INSVM-related cortical folding deviations from normative development. Since these alterations may reflect abnormal neurodevelopment, our working hypothesis is that markers of cortical folding can provide cues to improve the prediction of later neurodevelopmental problems in INSVM subjects. We analyzed the relationship of ventricular enlargement with cortical folding alterations in a regional basis using several curvature-based measures describing the folding of each cortical region. Statistical analysis (global and hemispheric) and sparse linear regression approaches were then used to find the cortical regions whose folding is associated with ventricular dilation. Results from both approaches were in great accordance, showing a significant cortical folding decrease in the insula, posterior part of the temporal lobe and occipital lobe. Moreover, compared to the global analysis, stronger ipsilateral associations of ventricular enlargement with reduced cortical folding were encountered by the hemispheric analysis. Our findings confirm and extend previous studies by identifying various cortical regions and emphasizing ipsilateral effects of ventricular enlargement in altered folding. This suggests that INSVM is an indicator of altered cortical development, and moreover, cortical regions with reduced folding constitute potential prognostic biomarkers to be used in follow-up studies to decipher the outcome of INSVM fetuses.


Comparison between controlled landfill reactor and conditioned landfill bioreactor.
Bioreactor landfills allow a more active landfill management that recognizes the biological, chemical and physical processes involved in a landfill environment. The laboratory-scale simulators of landfill reactors treating municipal solid wastes were studied, the effect of solid waste size, leachate recirculation, nutrient balance, pH value, moisture content and temperature on the rate of municipal solid waste (MSW) biodegradation were determined, and it indicated the optimum pH value, moisture content and temperature decomposing MSW. The results of waste biodegradation were compared with that of the leachate-recirculated landfill simulator and conservative sanitary landfill simulator. In the control experiment the antitheses of a decreasing trend of the organic load, measured as biological oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand, was shown. An obvious enhancement of effective disposal from conservative sanitary landfill (CSL) simulator, to the leachate-recirculated landfill (LRL) simulator and to the conditioned bioreactor landfill (CBL) simulator would be noted, through displaying the compared results of solid waste settlement, heavy metal concentration in leachate, methane production rate, biogas composition, BOD and COD as well as their ratio.


Value judgment in the Oregon Medicaid experiment.
Oregon proposed a unique social experiment in which combinations of medical conditions and treatments were prioritized. Under the proposed program, providers would not be reimbursed for services relevant to 17% of the condition-treatment pairs. The program was designed to expand access and allow significantly more residents to qualify for Medicaid. The original Oregon proposal used four levels of human judgment: community values assessed in town meetings; ratings of the desirability of health states; medical judgment of treatment efficacy; and subjective reordering of the list by Oregon Health Services Commissioners. In August 1992, the Department of Health and Human Services rejected Oregon's application to proceed with the experiment, objecting to the use of one of the four types of subjective data: ratings of the desirability of health states. A revised application that eliminated this one subjective component was approved in March 1993. This paper demonstrates that among the four levels of judgment, the ratings of health states were supported by the most evidence of reliability and validity. Implications for future prioritization experiments are discussed.


The critical role played by endotoxin-induced liver autophagy in the maintenance of lipid metabolism during sepsis.
Macroautophagy/autophagy is a central mechanism by which cells maintain integrity and homeostasis, and endotoxin-induced autophagy plays important roles in innate immunity. Although TLR4 stimulation mediated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) also upregulates autophagy in hepatocytes and liver, its physiological role remains elusive. The objective of this study was to determine the role of LPS-induced autophagy in the regulation of liver lipid metabolism. LPS treatment (5 mg/kg) increased autophagy, as detected by LC3 conversion and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis in C57BL6 mouse livers. AC2F hepatocytes also showed increased autophagic flux after LPS treatment (1 μg/ml). To investigate the role of LPS-induced autophagy further, liver lipid metabolism changes in LPS-treated mice and fasted controls were compared. Interestingly, LPS-treated mice showed less lipid accumulation in liver than fasted mice despite increased fatty acid uptake and lipid synthesis-associated genes. In vitro analysis using AC2F hepatocytes demonstrated LPS-induced autophagy influenced the degradation of lipid droplets. Inhibition of LPS-induced autophagy using bafilomycin A1 or Atg7 knockdown significantly increased lipid accumulation in AC2F hepatocytes. In addition, pretreatment with chloroquine aggravated LPS-induced lipid accumulation and inflammation in C57BL6 mouse livers. The physiological importance of autophagy was verified in LPS-treated young and aged rats. Autophagic response was diminished in LPS-treated aged rats and lipid metabolism was impaired during sepsis, indicating autophagy response is important for regulating lipid metabolism after endotoxin challenge. Our findings demonstrate endotoxin-induced autophagy is important for the regulation of lipid metabolism, and suggest that autophagy helps maintain lipid metabolism homeostasis during sepsis.


Maintaining Integrity: How Nurses Navigate Boundaries in Pediatric Palliative Care.
To explore how nurses manage personal and professional boundaries in caring for seriously ill children and their families. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, a convenience sample of 18 registered nurses from four practice sites was interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. Nurses across the sites engaged in a process of maintaining integrity whereby they integrated two competing, yet essential, aspects of their nursing role - behaving professionally and connecting personally. When skillful in both aspects, nurses were satisfied that they provided high-quality, family-centered care to children and families within a clearly defined therapeutic relationship. At times, tension existed between these two aspects and nurses attempted to mitigate the tension. Unsuccessful mitigation attempts led to compromised integrity characterized by specific behavioral and emotional indicators. Successfully mitigating the tension with strategies that prioritized their own needs and healing, nurses eventually restored integrity. Maintaining integrity involved a continuous effort to preserve completeness of both oneself and one's nursing practice. Study findings provide a theoretical conceptualization to describe the process nurses use in navigating boundaries and contribute to an understanding for how this specialized area of care impacts health care providers. Work environments can better address the challenges of navigating boundaries through offering resources and support for nurses' emotional responses to caring for seriously ill children. Future research can further refine and expand the theoretical conceptualization of maintaining integrity presented in this paper and its potential applicability to other nursing specialties.


[New ophthalmic insert].
Controlled release of drugs on ocular level is an important care for modern pharmacology. New studies targets are medical ophthalmic products with prolonged action (controlled release, target release). The hydrogel is an important segment in these studies. The purpose of this study is to assess a monolithic thermosensible hydrogel for releasing a certain medical product. We used several materials for making thermosensible ophthalmic inserts that were processed (hydrogel synthesis, establish the inflation degree, hydrogel drug inclusion, establish the kinetics of in vitro drug releasing, in vivo studies). The study show that MA-G and PNIPAm basis hydrogel is a smart one that have the ability to collapse on a temperature closed to the physiological one, the result is the drug release in a desired doses. The hydrogel is perfectly tolerated, an experimental study prove that. Controlled release of active drug that are highly adequate to have a clinical response is based on small doses, without adverse effects. Is a target release.


Molecular characterization and assessment of zoonotic transmission of Cryptosporidium from dairy cattle in West Bengal, India.
Few studies in the past have examined the genetic diversity and zoonotic potential of Cryptosporidium in dairy cattle in India. To assess the importance of these animals as a source of human Cryptosporidium infections, fecal samples from 180 calves, heifers and adults and 51 farm workers on two dairy farms in West Bengal, India were genotyped by PCR-RFLP analysis of the 18S rRNA gene of Cryptosporidium followed by DNA sequencing of the PCR products. Phylogenetic analysis was carried out on the DNA sequences obtained in the study and those available in GenBank. The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium in cattle was 11.7% though the infection was more prevalent in younger calves than in adult cattle. The occurrence of Cryptosporidium parvum, Cryptosporidium bovis, Cryptosporidium ryanae and Cryptosporidium andersoni in cattle followed an age-related pattern. A Cryptosporidium suis-like genotype was also detected in a calf. Farm workers were infected with Cryptosporidium hominis, C. parvum and a novel C. bovis genotype. These findings clearly suggest that there is a potential risk of zoonotic transmission of Cryptosporidium infections between cattle and humans on dairy farms in India.


Moderation of relation between psychological risk factors and alcohol use by sex.
Alcohol consumption is a significant public health concern among young adults, with most recent research suggesting that the sex gap in alcohol consumption among young adults is closing. Thus, the present study tested sex as a moderator for known risk factors for alcohol use (impulsivity, sensation seeking, mindfulness). We examined sex differences by surveying young adults (n = 1,437) from across Washington state between 2011 and 2013 on alcohol risk factors (impulsivity, sensation seeking, mindfulness), alcohol consumption (quantity and frequency), and alcohol related negative consequences. Zero inflated Poisson and Zero inflated Negative Binomial models revealed that sex moderated the relationship between Peak Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) and impulsivity such that higher impulsivity was more strongly related to higher Peak BAC for women than for men. Overall, these results suggest that very few sex differences exist in alcohol consumption and alcohol-related negative consequences. Future research should look beyond the risk factors studied here to identify other important mechanisms that vary by sex that may be important targets for clinical or prevention efforts related to alcohol consumption.


Recent performance of the Photon Factory gratingcrystal monochromator station BL-1A in the soft X-ray region.
This paper describes the recent performance of the Photon Factory beamline 1A with InSb(111) crystals used as the diffracting elements of the grating/crystal monochromator for monochromatizing soft X-rays. Pt-coated collimating and focusing mirrors located upstream and downstream of the monochromator have recently been replaced with Ni-coated mirrors in order to remove absorption structures at the Pt M-edges from output spectra in the soft X-ray region. Output spectra without the absorption structures and with higher intensity in the range 2000-3400 eV were obtained by using the Ni-coated collimating and focusing mirrors.


A detailed characterization of the proestrous luteinizing hormone surge.
Four-day cycling rats were kept in a room with the light on from 0500-1900 h. Plasma LH concentrations in blood withdrawn through atrial cannulas at hourly intervals from 1400-2000 h on proestrus were very similar to serum LH concentrations in blood collected from uncannulated rats by decapitation at these times. Additional cannulated rats were bled (0.1 ml) at 5 min intervals from 1400-1600, 1600-1800, or 1800-2000 h. After each bleeding, 0.1 ml of heparinized saline was injected through the cannula. Following a rise (rate unknown) to detectable levels of about 200 ng/ml, plasma LH displayed a rapid linear increase to 1538 +/- 118 ng/ml, starting between 1445 and 1650 h and lasting 20 to 50 min. Over the next 110 min plasma LH at first rose erratically by about another 200 ng/ml and then fluctuated around an apparent plateu. It then dropped rapidly but the declines were commonly interrupted by one or more rapid increases in plasma LH. A generalized pattern of the proestrous LH surge has been constructed from the data.


Supersensitivity and changes in the active population of beta adrenoceptors in rat right atria in early sepsis.
We have investigated the effect of sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture on the chronotropic actions of beta adrenoceptor agonists on isolated right atria. The present findings show that right atria obtained from rats in an early stage of sepsis were supersensitive to the chronotropic actions of the beta-agonists, isoproterenol (ISO), fenoterol (FEN) and prenalterol (PREN). The supersensitivity to the chronotropic actions of ISO and FEN was much greater than that which developed to PREN. The positive chronotropic actions of isobutylmethylxanthine and forskolin were not affected by sepsis. The receptor subtypes mediating the responses to ISO, FEN and PREN by control and septic right atria were characterized by functional assays using selective beta-1 and beta-2 antagonists. The results showed that the chronotropic response produced by all three agonists on right atria obtained from control rats were mediated by beta-1 receptors. In contrast, the chronotropic actions of ISO and FEN on atria from septic rats were mediated by what appears to be beta-2 receptors and those of PREN by beta-1 receptors.


Capture and coding of industry and occupation measures: Findings from eight National Program of Cancer Registries states.
Although data on industry and occupation (I&O) are important for understanding cancer risks, obtaining standardized data is challenging. This study describes the capture of specific I&O text and the ability of a web-based tool to translate text into standardized codes. Data on 62 525 cancers cases received from eight National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) states were submitted to a web-based coding tool developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health for translation into standardized I&O codes. We determined the percentage of sufficiently analyzable codes generated by the tool. Using the web-based coding tool on data obtained from chart abstraction, the NPCR cancer registries achieved between 48% and 75% autocoding, but only 12-57% sufficiently analyzable codes. The ability to explore associations between work-related exposures and cancer is limited by current capture and coding of I&O data. Increased training of providers and registrars, as well as software enhancements, will improve the utility of I&O data.


A comparative clinical trial of Chincha kshara and Kadali kshara on Amlapitta.
A clinical trial was carried out on 30 patients of Amlapitta aged between 20 to 35 years with complaints of Avipaka, hrit-kanthadaha, tikta-amlodgara, utklesa, udarasula, adhmana and aruchi, who were registered from OPD and IPD of Gopabandhu Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya, Puri. They were equally divided into three groups Chincha kshara, Kadali kshara and placebo (who were administered with fresh wheat powder) for 30 days in a dose of 500 mg thrice daily with water. Investigations was done in order to exclude upper gastrointestinal tract ulcer, carcinoma in stomach, cholecystitis, carcinoma gall bladder, and heart diseases. The clinical assessments were carried out on the 30(th) day by subjective and objective parameters and it was inferred that both Chincha kshara and Kadali kshara were effective and reduced the symptoms of amlapitta. Chincha kshara was found to be more effective than Kadali kshara. The study shows the effect of Chincha and Kadali kshara which led to cure in 4(40%) and 3(30%) patients respectively, and maximum improvement in 4(40%) and 5(50%) patients affected with amlapitta disease, respectively. No untoward effect was noticed due to administration of ksharas during the clinical trial period.


Perception of the difference between past and present stimulus: A rare orientation illusion may indicate incidental access to prediction error-like signals.
A popular model for sensory processing, known as predictive coding, proposes that incoming signals are iteratively compared with top-down predictions along a hierarchical processing scheme. At each step, error signals arising from differences between actual input and prediction are forwarded and recurrently minimized by updating internal models to finally be "explained away". However, the neuronal mechanisms underlying such computations and their limitations in processing speed are largely unknown. Further, it remains unclear at which step of cortical processing prediction errors are explained away, if at all. In the present study, human subjects briefly viewed the superposition of two orthogonally oriented gratings followed by abrupt removal of one orientation after either 33 or 200 milliseconds. Instead of strictly seeing the remaining orientation, observers report rarely but highly significantly an illusory percept of the arithmetic difference between previous and actual orientations. Previous findings in cats using the identical paradigm suggest that such difference signals are inherited from first steps of visual cortical processing. In light of early modeling accounts of predictive coding, in which visual neurons were interpreted as residual error detectors signaling the difference between actual input and its temporal prediction based on past input, our data may indicate continued access to residual errors. Such strategy permits time-critical perceptual decision making across a spectrum of competing internal signals up to the highest levels of processing. Thus, the occasional appearance of a prediction error-like illusory percept may uncover maintained flexibility at perceptual decision stages when subjects cope with highly dynamic and ambiguous visual stimuli.


Lumbopelvic-Hip Rhythm in People with Lumbar Flexion-with-Rotation Syndrome during Hip Internal Rotation.
According to previous research, hip internal rotation (HIR) aggravates low back pain (LBP) symptoms, especially in patients with lumbar flexion with rotation (F + R) syndrome. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the lumbopelvic-hip rhythm during the HIR test in patients with this syndrome. In this cross-sectional study, 20 men without LBP and 20 matched men with LBP, subcategorized in the F+R subgroup, participated. The participants performed the HIR test. Kinematics data were recorded using a motion analysis system. After processing the kinematics, a comparison was made in the hip and pelvic kinematics between the groups. A statistical analysis based on an independent t test revealed a significant increased (P < 0.05) pelvic rotation during the tests with the dominant ( P = 0.007) and nondominant limbs (P = 0.025) in those with LBP. The analysis also showed that during the test with the dominant lower limb, the pelvis and hip moved with a more synchronized pattern in patients with LBP (P = 0.001). In the patients with lumbar F + R syndrome, there was a tendency for early pelvic rotation during the dominant HIR test. Moreover, LBP people also exhibited a greater pelvic rotation range of motion in the first half and whole pathways of the test. These impairments could be a risk factor for the development of LBP symptoms in these patients.


Antegrade Cardioplegia Decannulation Using the COR-KNOT System in Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery.
A right mini-thoracotomy approach may be used for mitral valve repair without compromising clinical outcomes. Compared with conventional sternotomy, there is an increased distance to the cardiac structures from the mini-thoracotomy incision, which makes certain technical acts more demanding. One particular challenge is hemostasis at the antegrade cardioplegia cannula site. We propose a novel technique to remove an antegrade cardioplegia cannula using the COR-KNOT system. This technique negates the need for tying with a knot pusher and reduces the risk of aortic injury and troublesome bleeding.


Couple-stress moduli of a trabecular bone idealized as a 3D periodic cellular network.
Trabecular bone is modeled as a cellular material with an idealized periodic structure made of open cubic cells, which is effectively orthotropic. We evaluate apparent couple-stress moduli of such a periodic material; apparent moduli refer to the moduli obtained using a domain smaller than a Representative Volume Element and they depend on boundary conditions. We conduct this analysis computationally (using ANSYS) by subjecting a unit cell of this periodic cellular material to either displacement or traction boundary conditions. Cell walls, representing bone tissue, and void space, representing bone marrow, are both modeled and they are assumed to be linear elastic. The applied loadings include a uniaxial extension (or uniaxial stress), a hydrostatic deformation (or hydrostatic stress) and a shear deformation (or shear stress) to evaluate the first stiffness (or compliance) tensor, and an applied curvature (or bending moment), a uniaxial twist (or torsion), and a triaxial twist (or triaxial torsion) to evaluate the second couple-stress stiffness (or compliance) tensor. Apparent couple-stress moduli are computed by equating the total strain energy stored in the unit cell with the energy of an equivalent homogeneous orthotropic couple-stress material for each applied loading. The moduli computed using displacement boundary conditions give upper bound, while those obtained using traction boundary conditions give lower bound on effective couple-stress moduli. These bounds are very wide due to a large mismatch in elastic moduli of bone tissue and bone marrow. These results are in agreement with our studies on composite materials with very stiff or very compliant inclusions.


Correction: Laser printing of optically resonant hollow crystalline carbon nanostructures from 1D and 2D metal-organic frameworks.
Correction for 'Laser printing of optically resonant hollow crystalline carbon nanostructures from 1D and 2D metal-organic frameworks' by Leila R. Mingabudinova et al., Nanoscale, 2019, 11, 10155-10159.


Construction and analysis of a recombination-deficient (radA) mutant of Haloferax volcanii.
By deleting the radA open reading frame of an extreme halophile, Haloferax volcanii, we created and characterized a recombination-deficient archaeon. This strain, Hf. volcanii DS52, has no detectable DNA recombination, is more sensitive to DNA damage by UV light and ethylmethane sulfonate, and has a slower growth rate than the wild type. These characteristics are similar to those observed in recombination mutants of Eukarya and Bacteria, and show that the radA gene belongs in the recA/RAD51 family by function as well as sequence homology. In addition, strain DS52 was not transformable by plasmids pWL102 or pUBP2 (which contain pHV2 and pHH1 replicons, respectively), although it was readily transformed by plasmids containing a pHK2 replicon, indicating a role for radA in the maintenance or replication of some halobacterial plasmids. Despite its slower growth rate, Hf. volcanii DS52 was still easy to culture and transform, and should be suitable for use in studies where a recombination-deficient background is desired.


Effectiveness of topical gabapentin in the treatment of vulvodynia: a narrative synthesis.
Vulvodynia is a leading cause of dyspareunia in premenopausal women, causing considerable morbidity and sexual dysfunction. A multimodal approach is used to treat vulvodynia. Alongside psychosocial interventions and physiotherapy, pharmacological treatment such as oral gabapentin are used in the treatment of vulvodynia. Topical formulations of gabapentin have shown promise in animal models and case reports investigating its use in other pain conditions. The topical route also avoids the systemic complications of gabapentin such as somnolence, dizziness, and peripheral edema. This study aimed to perform a narrative synthesis of studies investigating the use of topical gabapentin in the treatment of vulvodynia. The primary outcome was a change in pain score following treatment with topical gabapentin. A broad literature search was performed, which identified four studies for inclusion. The included studies reported improved pain measures following treatment; however, conclusions cannot be made due to methodological heterogeneity and inherent limitations. These include lack of control arms, small sample sizes, lack of patient randomization, and use of combination treatments. Due to the paucity of evidence, this review supports the future implementation of double-blind randomized controlled trials to further investigate the efficacy of topical gabapentin in the treatment of vulvodynia.


Action of an algicide from a cyanobacterium, Oscillatoria laetevirens, on photosystem II.
Oscillatoria laetevirens produces an algicide, named oscillatorin (OS), which inhibits growth of higher plants. Effect of purified oscillatorin and some 'urea-triazine type' herbicides was studied on photosystem II activity and composition of pigment protein complex in spinach thylakoid membrane. For oscillatorin the I50 at 10 microg chlorophyll concentration, inhibitor constant (Ki), specific binding sites and Hill coefficient were calculated to be 1.45, 0.15, 2.3 and 0.2 microM respectively. Metribuzin and oscillatorin affected towards the donor side and brought about identical changes in polypeptide composition of PSII complex. Further, metribuzin and atrazine exerted antagonistic and synergistic responses on oscillatorin action. Some of these parameters were also studied on weed plants to assess upon the weedicidal potential of oscillatorin.


Pediatric Subtalar Joint Synovial Chondromatosis Report of a Case and an Up-to-date Review.
Synovial chondromatosis is a rare, usually benign disorder affecting the population predominantly in the third and fourth decades of life and mainly involving the large weightbearing joints of the lower limb-the knees and the hip. In this report, we highlight an unusual pediatric clinical presentation of synovial osteochondromatosis involving the subtalar joint and discuss its surgical management; we also provide a comprehensive up-to-date literature review of the disorder. This patient was successfully treated with en masse surgical excision. He has been doing well, with complete pain relief and improved range of motion at 1-year follow-up. An exceptional involvement of the subtalar joint and an unusual presentation in the pediatric age group makes this case unique.


Does it always feel good to get what you want? Young children differentiate between material and wicked desires.
One line of research on children's attributions of guilt suggests that 3-year-olds attribute negative emotion to self-serving victimizers, slightly older children attribute happiness, and with increasing age, attributions become negative again (i.e., a three-step model; Yuill et al., 1996, Br. J. Dev. Psychol., 14, 457). Another line of research provides reason to expect that 3-year-olds may be predisposed to view self-serving moral transgression as leading to positive emotion; this is a linear developmental model in which emotion attributions to transgressors become increasingly negative over the course of childhood (e.g., Nunner-Winkler & Sodian, 1988, Child Dev., 59, 1323). However, key differences in methodology make it difficult to compare across these findings. The present study was designed to address this problem. We asked how 3- to 9-year-old children (n = 111) reason about transgression scenarios that involve satisfying wicked desires (wanting to cause harm and doing so successfully) versus material desires (wanting an object and getting it successfully via harmful behaviour). Three-year-old children reasoned differently about desire and emotion across these two types of transgressions, attributing negative emotion in the case of wicked desires and positive emotion in the case of material desires. This pattern of emotion attribution by young children provides new information about how young children process information about desires and emotions in the moral domain, and it bridges a gap in the existing literature on this topic.


[Source-monitoring deficits in schizophrenia: review and pharmacotherapeutic implications].
The disturbance of source-monitoring is one of the various impairments in cognitive functioning observed in schizophrenic patients. The process of source-monitoring allows individuals to distinguish self generated thoughts and behaviours from those generated by others. The aim of the present study is to review the general psychological definition of source memory and source-monitoring and its neurological basis as well as the models for explanation of source-monitoring deficits. The relationship between source-monitoring-deficits and psychopathological symptoms as well as the effect of antipsychotic treatment on source-monitoring disturbances are introduced. There is evidence suggesting, that a selective source-monitoring deficit is in the occurrence of auditory hallucinations. The disturbance of prospective memory may influence unfavorably the compliance. Administration of antipsychotics in general can improve source-monitoring deficits. The neuropsychiatric perspective provides a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of schizophrenia.


Butyrate interferes with the differentiation and function of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells.
Dendritic cells (DCs) are specialized antigen-presenting cells that are uniquely capable of either inducing immune responses or maintaining a state of self-tolerance, depending on their stage of maturation. In the present study, we describe a way to interfere with DCs maturation. The compound butyrate can affect the differentiation of DCs generated from human monocytes and can inhibit T cell proliferation. We demonstrate that butyrate substantially down-regulates the expression of CD80, CD83, and MHC class II molecules; increases endocytic capability; reduces allostimulatory abilities; promote interleukin-10 (IL-10) production; and inhibits interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production. These results demonstrate a specific immune suppression property of butyrate and supports further investigation for butyrate as a new immunotherapeutic agent.


Control and power in supervision.
This article explores the dynamics of the supervisory process focusing on the factors effecting the balance of power between the supervisor and supervise. The assignment of inherent roles, issues of transference, countertransference, and the parallel process with all the risks involved for both parties are reviewed. Recent developments in the shifting supervisory equilibrium are analyzed and specific suggestions are offered to avoid the common pitfalls present in many contemporary supervisor situations.


Understanding cultural differences when advising mothers about feeding choices.
Cultural teachings and practices greatly influence a mother's feeding decisions. It is important for all health care professionals to understand the cultures within their community and how various beliefs impact infant nutrition. For example, studies have shown the African American and Hispanic mothers are more likely to gain feeding information from family members. There are significant misconceptions being passed down through the generations which can lead to serious nutritional problems, such as overfeeding and the early introduction of cow's milk and food.


[A study on medical examination items added to periodic health examination as a result of amendment of the Ordinance on Occupational Safety and Health].
In accordance with the recent amendment of the Ordinance on Occupational Safety and Health, anemia (Hb, RBC), liver function (GOT, GPT, gamma-GTP), serum lipid levels (T-Chol, TG) and ECG have become essential items of the general periodic health examination. Data on these items were examined on 86 employees on whom chest radiography, blood pressure, urinalysis and past history revealed no abnormalities in periodic health examination at their companies. The subjects were 58 males and 28 females, between 34 and 66 years old (47.6 years on average). Anemia was found in 3 (3.5%), liver dysfunction in 13 (15.1%), abnormal serum lipid levels in 24 (27.9%) and ECG abnormalities in 8 (9.3%). The new periodic health examination system is thus thought to be useful in the early detection and prevention of adult diseases. To enhance this utility, it appears important to instruct those found abnormal in any parameter to have extensive examination. In discussing liver function and serum lipid level abnormalities, obesity, drinking and food intake should be considered.


Repeatability of the efficiency of columns packed with sub-3μm core-shell particles: Part II. 2.7 μm Halo-ES-Peptide-C18 particles in 4.6mm and 2.1mm×100mm column formats.
The column-to-column repeatability of the mass transfer kinetics in columns packed with sub-3μm shell particles was investigated. The parameters of this kinetics were measured for twelve columns (six 2.1mm×100mm and six 4.6mm×100mm) packed with the same batch of 2.7μm Halo-ES-Peptide-C(18) particles (Advanced Material Technologies, Wilmington, DE, USA). For both series, the manufacturer provided columns at different positions in the efficiency distribution given by the quality test control. Three compounds were used, uracil, naphthalene and insulin. The reduced longitudinal diffusion term was measured with the peak parking (PP) method; the reduced solid-liquid mass transfer resistance term was given by a combination of the PP results and the most accurate model of effective diffusion in ternary composite materials (non-porous cores, concentric porous shell, and eluent matrix), validated previously. The overall eddy diffusion term was obtained by subtraction of these two HETP terms from the overall reduced HETP measured by numerical integration of the entire peak profiles. The results demonstrate that the dispersion of the column efficiencies is mostly due to the random nature of the packing process and the associated eddy diffusion term. At the highest reduced velocity achieved, the relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the eddy diffusion term for the 2.1mm I.D. columns were ca. 5 and 10% (with average values A(ν)=2.3 and 8.5) for naphthalene and uracil, respectively. For the 4.6mm I.D. columns, these RSDs were 3 and 5%, respectively, with average values A(ν)=1.5 and 2.7.


Comparison between Sialendoscopy and Conventional Methods in the Treatment of Sialolithiasis.
Sialendoscopy is gaining in popularity in treating calculus disease. The delicacy of the instrument and the diameter of the salivary ducts are factors that limit the ability to achieve complete success. There is also continued speculation regarding the utility of the procedure, especially among clinicians who are masters of conventional methods like sialadenectomy and sialodochotomy. To assess the efficacy of sialendoscopy over conventional methods in treating sialolithiasis. A prospective case control study was conducted in a tertiary care centre; this study involved 50 patients of sialolithiasis, and it extended over a 36-month period. All had undergone treatment, either by conventional methods or interventional sialendoscopy. All patients with nonpalpable calculi smaller than 6 mm underwent interventional sialendoscopy. Failed sialendoscopies and larger nonpalpable calculi were removed through sialadenectomy. The outcome variables studied included calculus removal, postoperative symptoms, and gland preservation. The success rate in terms of calculus removal by sialendoscopy was 88%, versus 100% by sialadenectomy. The salivary gland was preserved in 88% of the cases in the sialendoscopy group. Only 12% of patients were symptomatic. Sialendoscopy was effective in removing calculi of various sizes; it was definitely superior to conventional methods. Sialadenectomy should be reserved for cases either not suitable for sialendoscopy or in which there was an intervention failure.


Molecular docking studies of Traditional Chinese Medicinal compounds against known protein targets to treat non-small cell lung carcinomas.
In silico drug design using virtual screening, absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME)/Tox data analysis, automated docking and molecular dynamics simulations for the determination of lead compounds for further in vitro analysis is a cost effective strategy. The present study used this strategy to discover novel lead compounds from an in-house database of Traditional Chinese Medicinal (TCM) compounds against epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein for targeting non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). After virtual screening of an initial dataset of 2,242 TCM compounds, leads were identified based on binding energy and ADME/Tox data and subjected to automated docking followed by molecular dynamics simulation. Triptolide, a top compound identified by this vigorous in silico screening, was then tested in vitro on the H2347 cell line carrying wild-type EGFR, revealing an anti-proliferative potency similar to that of known drugs against NSCLC.


Analysis of MsTERT Gene Expression Profile in Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) Indicates Their Response to Abiotic Stress and Seed Aging.
Seed aging is always taken as a crucial factor for vigor loss due to delayed seed germination and seedling growth, which limits hay production. Many studies have found that telomeres are closely related to abiotic stress and seed vigor. However, the molecular mechanism of telomeres' response to abiotic stress, seed vigor, and the maintenance mechanism of plant telomere homeostasis still remain unclear. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) enjoys the title of "King of Forage", and is an important protein forage for the dairy industry as planted in the world. This comprehensive investigation was performed to explore the molecular characterization, phylogenetic relationship, and gene expression analysis of MsTERT under abiotic stress and during seed aging in alfalfa. In this study, MsTERT was identified from the 'Zhongmu 1' alfalfa genome and encoded a coding sequence (CDS) of 3615 bp in length, consisting of telomerase- RNA-Binding Domain (RBD) and Reverse Transcriptase (RT) domains, 1024 amino acids, an isoelectric point of 9.58, and a relative molecular mass of 138.94 kD. Subcellular localization showed that MsTERT was mainly localized in the nucleus and mitochondria. The results of the expression profile showed that MsTERT was observed to respond to various stress conditions such as salt (100 mmol/L NaCl) and drought (20% PEG 6000). Furthermore, exogenous hormones IAA, ABA, and GA3 showed the potential to affect MsTERT expression. Additionally, MsTERT also responded to seed aging. Our results revealed a marginal but significant association between relative telomere length, MsTERT expression, and seed germination percentage, suggesting that the length of telomeres was shortened, and expression of MsTERT decreased with alfalfa seed aged. These results provide some evidence for the hypothesis of relative telomere length and/or TERT expression serving as biomarkers of seed aging. Although this finding is helpful to offer a new way to elucidate the molecular mechanism of vigor loss in alfalfa seed, further investigation is required to elucidate the molecular mechanism by which the MsTERT gene regulates seed vigor.


A review of electron beam computed tomography: implications for coronary artery disease screening.
Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, thus the intense interest in a screening test that would allow early identification of coronary artery disease in its asymptomatic stage, allowing early aggressive targeted risk factor reduction. While office-based risk factor assessment is currently the reference standard for prediction of cardiac risk, several imaging tests are currently being investigated. Electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) can accurately identify calcium in the coronary tree noninvasively. Coronary calcium is clearly linked with coronary atherosclerosis. In population studies, populations with higher calcium scores have more calcium events. The predictive value of a calcium score for an individual is currently under investigation, as well as the incremental value of a calcium score over office-based risk assessment in cardiac risk prediction. This review looks at the current role of EBCT in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. It summarizes the current data for calcium as a screening tool, which is strongest in establishing that asymptomatic people undergo increased rates of revascularization after an EBCT test. Widespread clinical use of EBCT is not recommended, pending data to establish its efficacy in the role of risk factor reduction and prevention of cardiovascular disease.


An approach to tracheostomy in a patient with an expandable metallic tracheal stent.
With increasing use of expandable metallic stents to manage patients with a variety of endobronchial pathologies, some will have a subsequent need for tracheostomy insertion. We describe a successful technique to insert a tracheostomy using rigid and fibre-optic bronchoscopy in a patient who had an 8 cm expandable metallic tracheal stent deployed previously on account of tracheomalacia.


The efficacy and safety of meropenem and tobramycin vs ceftazidime and tobramycin in the treatment of acute pulmonary exacerbations in patients with cystic fibrosis.
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is characterized by chronic pulmonary infection with acute pulmonary exacerbations (APEs) requiring IV antibiotic treatment. We report on a blinded comparative trial of IV meropenem (40 mg/kg to 2 g q8h) or ceftazidime (5 mg/kg to 2 g q8h), each of which was administered with IV tobramycin (at a serum peak of > or = 8 microg/mL and a trough of < 2 microg/mL), as treatment for CF patients with APEs. Patients who were > or = 5 years of age who were infected with ceftazidime-susceptible Pseudomonas aeruginosa were stratified by lung function and randomized to treatment with meropenem/tobramycin or ceftazidime/tobramycin. Patients infected with Burkholderia cepacia complex or ceftazidime-resistant P aeruginosa were assigned to receive open-label meropenem/tobramycin. Clinical response was assessed by spirometry to determine the change in percent predicted FEV1 and by a clinical acute change score (ACS). One hundred two patients were randomized to meropenem/tobramycin (n = 50) or ceftazidime/tobramycin (n = 52). Nineteen patients received open-label meropenem/tobramycin. FEV1 was improved at the end of treatment (EOT) with meropenem/tobramycin (mean [+/- SD] increase, 38.8 +/- 52.3%) and with ceftazidime/tobramycin (mean increase, 29.4 +/- 35.1%; p < 0.0001 vs baseline values). The proportion of patients with > or = 15% relative increase from baseline FEV1 (satisfactory response) at day 7 was 62% for the meropenem/tobramycin group and 44% for the ceftazidime/tobramycin group (p = 0.04). The median time to FEV1 response was 4 days for meropenem/tobramycin therapy vs 6 days for ceftazidime/tobramycin therapy. Similarly, FEV1 improved in the open-label group (mean increase, 12.5 +/- 25.7%; p = 0.05). ACS improved in all three groups at EOT (p < 0.0001 vs baseline values). Therapy with both meropenem/tobramycin and ceftazidime/tobramycin improved pulmonary and clinical status and reduced sputum bacterial burden in CF patients with APEs. A larger proportion of patients receiving meropenem/tobramycin therapy demonstrated a satisfactory FEV1 response at day 7. Resistant P aeruginosa emerged infrequently during treatment with both regimens.


Selective inhibition of HER2 inhibits AKT signal transduction and prolongs disease-free survival in a micrometastasis model of ovarian carcinoma.
Although first-line chemotherapy induces complete clinical remission in many cases of epithelial ovarian cancer, relapse usually occurs 18-28 months from diagnosis owing to micrometastases. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of trastuzumab on disease-free and overall survival in a specially designed murine model of ovarian cancer (OVCAR-3), which mimicked the natural history of human micrometastatic disease. Trastuzumab can cure the mice if started soon after induction chemotherapy. It can modestly inhibit the proliferation through mitogen-activated protein kinase signal transduction and clearly inhibit AKT phosphorylation, which is involved in survival pathway. As OVCAR-3 cell lines show no HER2 amplification or overexpression, these results warrant further studies to assess the efficacy of trastuzumab in the early stage of relapse in cancer models other than those overexpressing HER2.


[Repair of chronic osteomyelitis of sternum after thoracotomy with greater pectoral muscle flap].
To explore a surgical method for chronic osteomyelitis of sternum after thoracotomy. From January 2006 to February 2009, 11 cases of chronic osteomyelitis after thoracotomy (2 cases of coronary bypass, 6 cases of mitral valve replacement, and 3 cases of ventricular defect repair) were admitted. Of them, there were 6 males and 5 females, aged from 6 to 62 years (median 34 years), including 6 cases of simple osteomyelitis of sternum, 2 cases of osteomyelitis of sternum with suppurative infection of mediastinum, and 3 cases osteomyelitis of sternum with costal chondritis. Necrotic sternum were excised and defect was from 4 cm x 3 cm to 7 cm x 4 cm. Greater pectoral muscle flap was designed from 8 cm x 5 cm to 10 cm x 6 cm on one side and was transferred to defect. Negative drainage and sensitive antibiotics were administered after operation. Healing by first intention was achieved in 10 patients except 1 patient who had a few discharge at the drainage outlet and whose incision healed 1 week later. The follow up was from 3 to 10 months with an average of 6 months. The formed scars were flat with soft texture in 8 patients and moderately hypertrophy in 3 patients. The wounds healed without pain, relapse or abnormal function of donor upper limb. Transplantation of greater pectoral muscle flap is an effective way to repair chronic osteomyelitis of sternum after thoracotomy.


Identification of early salt stress responsive proteins in seedling roots of upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) employing iTRAQ-based proteomic technique.
Soil salinity is a major abiotic stress that limits plant growth and agricultural productivity. Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is highly tolerant to salinity; however, large-scale proteomic data of cotton in response to salt stress are still scant. Here, an isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based proteomic technique was employed to identify the early differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) from salt-treated cotton roots. One hundred and twenty-eight DEPs were identified, 76 of which displayed increased abundance and 52 decreased under salt stress conditions. The majority of the proteins have functions related to carbohydrate and energy metabolism, transcription, protein metabolism, cell wall and cytoskeleton metabolism, membrane and transport, signal transduction, in addition to stress and defense. It is worth emphasizing that some novel salt-responsive proteins were identified, which are involved in cell cytoskeleton metabolism (actin-related protein2, ARP2, and fasciclin-like arabinogalactan proteins, FLAs), membrane transport (tonoplast intrinsic proteins, TIPs, and plasma membrane intrinsic proteins, PIPs), signal transduction (leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase encoding genes, LRR-RLKs) and stress responses (thaumatin-like protein, TLP, universal stress protein, USP, dirigent-like protein, DIR, desiccation-related protein PCC13-62). High positive correlation between the abundance of some altered proteins (superoxide dismutase, SOD, peroxidase, POD, glutathione S-transferase, GST, monodehydroascorbate reductase, MDAR, and malate dehydrogenase, MDH) and their enzyme activity was evaluated. The results demonstrate that the iTRAQ-based proteomic technique is reliable for identifying and quantifying a large number of cotton root proteins. qRT-PCR was used to study the gene expression levels of the five above-mentioned proteins; four patterns are consistent with those of induced protein. These results showed that the proteome of cotton roots under NaCl stress is complex. The comparative protein profiles of roots under salinity vs control improves the understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the tolerance of plants to salt stress. This work provides a good basis for further functional elucidation of these DEPs using genetic and/or other approaches, and, consequently, candidate genes for genetic engineering to improve crop salt tolerance.


Who receives drug education in our schools?: a paradox.
Data from a national survey by the United States Department of Justice of 47,000 households reveals a paradox regarding who receives drug education in primary and secondary schools. Those who would seem to need it the most are least likely to receive it. Thus, blacks receive drug education classes less often than whites, students in central city classes less often than those in other regions, and students who report that drugs are available are also less likely to receive drug education classes than students who report that drugs are not available. The results are paradoxical, but consistent with a study by Denson, Voight, and Eisenman which found that predominantly black schools in Louisiana provided less AIDS education than predominantly white schools.


Experimental porcine malignant hyperthermia: macromolecular characterization of muscle plasma membranes.
The purpose of this study was to examine muscle plasmalemma which is implicated as the site responsible for the appearance of malignant hyperthermia in human and susceptible strains of animals. In pigs with malignant hyperthermia (MH) the activity of Na+/K+, Mg2+-ATPase, p-nitrophenylphosphatase and Mg2+-ATPase fell significantly during anaesthesia. In the control group the contrary occurred. In both the groups tested there was a marginal rise in the levels of sialic acid. The levels of cholesterol and lysoderivatives were abnormal before the provoking agents were administered but they changed significantly after onset of the MH syndrome. Anaesthesia reduced the phospholipids level in both tested animal groups. Before and after the provoking agents an impoverishment in the polypeptide pattern in the range between 80,000 and 30,000 daltons of mol. wt. in MH susceptible animals occurred. It is postulated that in MH the macromolecular disorganization of the muscle plasma membranes means that defence mechanisms maintaining cell gradients do not work in the presence of provoking agents.


Nonenzymatic β-Carotene Degradation in Provitamin A-Biofortified Crop Plants.
Provitamin A biofortification, the provision of provitamin A carotenoids through agriculture, is regarded as an effective and sustainable intervention to defeat vitamin A deficiency, representing a global health problem. This food-based intervention has been questioned in conjunction with negative outcomes for smokers and asbestos-exposed populations of the CARET and ATBC trials in which very high doses of β-carotene were supplemented. The current notion that β-carotene cleavage products (apocarotenoids) represented the harmful agents is the basis of the here-presented research. We quantitatively analyzed numerous plant food items and concluded that neither the amounts of apocarotenoids nor β-carotene provided by plant tissues, be they conventional or provitamin A-biofortified, pose an increased risk. We also investigated β-carotene degradation pathways over time. This reveals a substantial nonenzymatic proportion of carotene decay and corroborates the quantitative relevance of highly oxidized β-carotene polymers that form in all plant tissues investigated.


HSP90 antagonist, geldanamycin, inhibits proliferation, induces apoptosis and blocks migration of rhabdomyosarcoma cells in vitro and seeding into bone marrow in vivo.
In this study, geldanamycin (GA) was found to have an antiproliferative effect on both embryonal and alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) cell lines. The maximum level of inhibition reached 80% for both embryonal and alveolar RMS. After GA treatment, cells also became apoptotic as judged by Annexin V-positive staining, activation of caspase-3 pathway and poly(ADP ribose) polymerase cleavage. GA was responsible for the arrest of RMS cells in both G1 and G2/M phases of the cell cycle. G1 blockade, however, was transient and was seen only in the first 24 h of GA treatment. RMS often gives distant metastases to various organs including bone marrow. RMS cells express high levels of MET receptor and respond to hepatocyte growth factor with increased motility. In our study, we found that GA decreased the level of MET expression and inhibited the chemotaxis of RMS cells toward the hepatocyte growth factor gradient. GA also blocked the homing of RMS cells into bone marrow of severe combined immune deficient mice. In all our experiments embryonal RMS cell lines were significantly more sensitive, and lower concentrations of GA were sufficient to block embryonal RMS cell proliferation, induce apoptosis and inhibit motility. Our data show that the HSP90 inhibitor GA has the potential to become a new drug in RMS treatment. It blocks RMS proliferation, decreases cell survival and inhibits motility of RMS cells.


Ionic liquid induced dehydration and domain closure in lysozyme: FCS and MD simulation.
Effect of a room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL, [pmim][Br]) on the structure and dynamics of the protein, lysozyme, is investigated by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and molecular dynamic (MD) simulation. The FCS data indicate that addition of the RTIL ([pmim][Br]) leads to reduction in size and faster conformational dynamics of the protein. The hydrodynamic radius (rH) of lysozyme decreases from 18 Å in 0 M [pmim][Br] to 11 Å in 1.5 M [pmim][Br] while the conformational relaxation time decreases from 65 μs to 5 μs. Molecular origin of the collapse (size reduction) of lysozyme in aqueous RTIL is analyzed by MD simulation. The radial distribution function of water, RTIL cation, and RTIL anion from protein clearly indicates that addition of RTIL causes replacement of interfacial water by RTIL cation ([pmim](+)) from the first solvation layer of the protein providing a comparatively dehydrated environment. This preferential solvation of the protein by the RTIL cation extends up to ∼30 Å from the protein surface giving rise to a nanoscopic cage of overall radius 42 Å. In the nanoscopic cage of the RTIL (42 Å), volume fraction of the protein (radius 12 Å) is only about 2%. RTIL anion does not show any preferential solvation near protein surface. Comparison of effective radius obtained from simulation and from FCS data suggests that the "dry" protein (radius 12 Å) alone diffuses in a nanoscopic cage of RTIL (radius 42 Å). MD simulation further reveals a decrease in distance ("domain closure") between the two domains (alpha and beta) of the protein leading to a more compact structure compared to that in the native state.