Natural history of opportunistic disease in an HIV-infected urban clinical cohort.
To determine the effect of contemporary clinical care on the natural history of opportunistic disease in an urban population infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Urban university HIV clinic. Retrospective and prospective observational study. 1246 HIV-infected patients with CD4+ counts of 300 cells/mm3 or less. Incidence rates and Kaplan-Meier estimates of the probability of developing opportunistic disease with time, distribution of the CD4+ counts at which opportunistic disease develops, survival after the development of opportunistic disease, and the association between preventive drug therapies and the occurrence of opportunistic infection. The most common opportunistic disease was Candida esophagitis, which had an incidence of 13.3 events per 100 person-years and a 3-year Kaplan-Meier probability of 0.30. Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, Mycobacterium avium complex bacteremia, cytomegalovirus, and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome dementia complex occurred at rates of 5 to 9 events per 100 person-years and 3-year Kaplan-Meier probabilities of 0.15 to 0.22. Toxoplasmosis, cryptococcal meningitis, herpes zoster, the wasting syndrome, and Kaposi sarcoma occurred at rates of about 2 to 4 events per 100 person-years and with 3-year Kaplan-Meier probabilities of 0.05 to 0.10. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, M. tuberculosis infection, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, and cryptosporidiosis were the least common disorders, with an incidence of about 1 to 2 events per 100 person-years and a 3-year Kaplan-Meier probability less than 0.05. Only the incidences of cryptococcal meningitis, secondary P. carinii pneumonia, and herpes zoster decreased (P < 0.05) between 1989-1992 and 1993-1995. Fluconazole use was associated with a decreased relative rate of 0.49 (P = 0.06) for cryptococcal meningitis and a decreased relative rate of 0.61 (P = 0.005) for esophageal candidiasis. Rifabutin use was associated with a decreased relative rate of 0.37 (P = 0.002) for M. avium complex bacteremia, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole use was associated with decreased relative rates of 0.33 (P = 0.02) for secondary P. carinii pneumonia and 0.55 (P = 0.08) for primary P. carinii pneumonia. Candidiasis, herpes zoster, and M. tuberculosis infection first occurred at a median CD4+ count greater than 100 cells/mm3, but all other opportunistic diseases first occurred at a median CD4+ count less than 50 cells/mm3. Median survival after diagnosis varied from 35 days for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma to 680 days for herpes zoster. In the patients studied, the incidences of secondary P. carinii pneumonia, cryptococcal meningitis, and herpes zoster have declined in the past 5 years. The incidences of primary P. carinii pneumonia and Kaposi sarcoma appear to be declining compared with historical estimates. However, although these and other opportunistic diseases continue to be relatively frequent complications of HIV infection, they are first occurring at more advanced immunosuppression than in the past. Continued efforts are needed to develop effective strategies for preventing opportunistic disease in very advanced HIV infection.


[Differential diagnosis of neutropenia in large granulated lymphocyte syndrome and in rheumatoid arthritis].
The paper reports a case of leukemia from large granulated lymphocytes (LGL) in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis and neutropenia, describes current aspects of this leukemia diagnosis including morphological, immunological and molecular-genetic methods, demonstrates other variants of neutropenia development in rheumatoid arthritis.


Health disparities among vulnerable populations: evolution of knowledge over five decades in Nursing Research publications.
Considerable attention has been focused recently on conducting research on the health disparities experienced by some Americans as the result of poverty, ethnicity, and/or marginalized social status. Nursing research has a major role to play in developing this body of knowledge. The purpose of this paper is to review the contributions that Nursing Research made through its publications over the last five decades in developing the body of tested knowledge about health disparities in vulnerable groups and to analyze the progress made. Criteria for reviewing the literature were established. All Nursing Research publications between 1952 and 2000 were searched manually, indexes of each year's bound volumes were reviewed, and computer searches were conducted. Included in the review were research reports, research briefs, and methodology articles. Seventy-nine papers were found that met basic criteria for inclusion. The number of relevant publications increased each decade, with a sizable increase in numbers since 1990, and may be related to the social, political, and economic climate of each decade. The research questions asked and the methods used became more complex over time. Nursing Research has made a significant contribution in disseminating the body of tested knowledge related to the health disparities experienced by vulnerable populations and the methodologies associated with vulnerable populations research. Areas for future research are community-based studies, intervention studies that provide tangible resources, and methodologic approaches that involve participants in the research process.


[A new leak test of anesthetic machine].
A case of the inspired PCO2 increase secondary to the malfunction of expiratory valve due to a defected edge of creator is presented. In this case, we could not detect the malfunction of expiratory valve using the preanesthetic routine leak test but found it by observing the expiratory phase of the capnometric curve. Therefore, we devised a new leak test for checking the malfunction of inspiratory and expiratory valves. This test is simple and effective. The test consists of the following procedures.: 1. Connecting yokes to the oxygen piping system. 2. Connecting the breathing bag. 3. Occluding the inspiratory terminal. Closing the semiclosed valve completely. 4. Flushing the O2 gas and increasing the pressure of breathing circuit to 30 cmH2O. 5. Monitoring the pressure gauge of the anesthesia system. If the function of valves is normal, the system pressure decreases slowly. If either of the valves works wrong, it decreases rapidly. We checked anesthesia machines in our facilities using the new leak test, and found some cases of the expiratory valve malfunctions.


[Isolation of a purified theta-hemolysin from C1. perfingens type A and its use for titrating toxins and sera].
Purified Cl. perfringens theta-hemolysin with a specific activity of 15-16 X 10(5) HU per mg of protein nitrogen, toxic for mice when injected intravenously, has been obtained by precipitation with zinc chloride, gel filtration through Sephadex G-100 and ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE Sephadex A-50. 1 Dcl of the toxin is 0.2-0.4 mg. The yield of theta-hemolysin amounting to 20-25% has been achieved, the degree of its purification reaching 80- to 120-fold. Equine anti-theta hemolytic serum has been obtained. The method for the determination of the anti-theta toxin-binding properties of Cl. perfringens toxins and the quantitative content of anti-theta-hemolysin in sera has been developed.


[Status of the clinical laboratory in the mandatory postgraduate medical training system. (1) Report from a laboratory technologist].
According to a new system for postgraduate clinical training, 33 medical trainees have been accepted for the past two years at Osaka General Medical Center. Before practicing clinical medicine in each division by a super-rotated table, orientation is scheduled for 5 days to master the basic systems indispensable to the hospital. In this orientation, training in laboratory medicine is performed for 7 hours (3.5 hours for 2 days). Trainees are divided into 4 groups and learn emergency tests of chemistry, hematology and urinalysis, blood transfusion, physiology and microbiology for 60 min each. Laboratory technologists instruct the trainees to gain the basic skills. The main contents are blood gas measuring in chemistry, sample preparation in hematology and urinalysis, taking each other's ECG, ordering blood products for transfusion, serologic study of infectious diseases, and Gram stain in microbiology. Although it is difficult to find time for routine analysis and instructing trainees in the clinical laboratory, it is a suitable opportunity for revision, also for laboratory technologists, and for communication to discuss clinical matters.


Relations between delay discounting and low to moderate gambling, cannabis, and alcohol problems among university students.
Research has generally demonstrated that the discounting of delayed rewards is associated with severity of addictive behaviour. Less clear, however, is the relative strength of the relation for specific addictive behaviours. University students (N=218) completed a computerized delay discounting task for hypothetical monetary rewards, and gambling, cannabis, and alcohol problem severity was assessed. A multiple regression analysis revealed that while the overall model was significant, only gambling problem severity accounted for delay discounting scores above and beyond cannabis and alcohol problem severity. The results support the hypothesis that delay discounting of hypothetical monetary rewards is more associated with gambling than other addictive behaviour problems, including substance use problems.


ram1 gene, encoding a subunit of farnesyltransferase, contributes to growth, antifungal susceptibility to amphotericin B of Aspergillus fumigatus.
Farnesylation, which is catalyzed by farnesyltransferase, is an important posttranslational process. The function of farnesyltransferase has been previously explored in Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans. Aspergillus fumigatus is an important human opportunistic fungal pathogen in immunocompromised patients. Here we discover the role of the ram1 gene, encoding the β-subunit of farnesyltransferase in A. fumigatus, in the fungal growth and antifungal susceptibility. In this study the ram1 gene was disrupted using A. tumefaciens-mediated transformation. The morphology and radial growth of Δram1 were observed. Assays of disk diffusion and broth microdilution were used to determine the susceptibility of Δram1 mutant to commonly clinical used antifungals and the farnesyltransferase inhibitor manumycin A. Deletion of ram1 resulted in a reduced radial growth of A. fumigatus but did not affect the microscopic morphology. Δram1 showed increased susceptibility to the antifungal amphotericin B; however, its susceptibility to azoles and caspofungin was the same to that to the parental strain. Our data indicate that farnesyltransferase is a potential target for design new antifungal agents.


Existence of feline morbillivirus infection in Japanese cat populations.
Feline morbillivirus (FmoPV) is a member of a new virus species that has only been found in the Hong Kong cat population. For the first time, however, we have now detected nucleotide sequences similar to FmoPV in samples from Japanese cat populations. The positive rates for urine and blood samples from Japanese cats were 6.1 % (5/82) and 10 % (1/10), respectively. These sequences are similar to the previously reported FmoPV, with 92-94 % identity, and substantially different from all other morbilliviruses. Phylogenetic analysis of the identified Japanese FmoPVs and other morbilliviruses demonstrated a pattern similar to those previously published for the FmoPV viruses isolated in Hong Kong. FmoPV RNA was also detected from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) kidney tissues of cats with nephritis, with a positive rate of 40 % (4/10). By using nested-set primers based on the FmoPV sequence and RNA from FFPE tissues, we demonstrated the existence of FmoPV infection in Japanese cats and established the method for detection of the FmoPV RNA from kidney tissues prepared for pathology examinations, which is useful for studies on the pathogenicity of the virus.


Bone morphogenetic protein-2 inhibits the synthesis of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-5 in bone cell cultures.
Previous work from our laboratory indicated that bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) enhances the synthesis of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF-II by skeletal cells. The activity of IGF-I and -II is regulated by six known IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs). Although most IGFBP's inhibit the actions of IGF on bone growth, IGFBP-5 is stimulatory, and its synthesis correlates with changes in osteoblast cell growth. We tested the effects of BMP-2 on IGFBP-5 expression in cultures of osteoblast-enriched cells from 22-day-old fetal rat calvariae (Ob cells). Treatment of Ob cells with BMP-2 caused a time- and dose-dependent decrease in IGFBP-5 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels, as determined by Northern blot analysis. The effect was maximal after 24 h of treatment and occurred at BMP-2 concentrations of 0.03-3.3 nM. Treatment with BMP-2 for 24 h also decreased IGFBP-5 polypeptide levels in the extracellular matrix, as determined by Western blot analysis. The effects of BMP-2 on IGFBP-5 transcripts were independent of cell division, as they were observed in the presence and absence of hydroxyurea (1 mM). IGFBP-5 transcripts were barely detectable in the presence of the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide at 3.6 microM, and further suppressive effects of BMP-2 on IGFBP-5 mRNA could not be determined. BMP-2 did not modify the decay of IGFBP-5 mRNA in transcriptionally arrested Ob cells. In addition, BMP-2 inhibited IGFBP-5 heterogeneous nuclear RNA, determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, after 2-6 h of treatment, suggesting an inhibition of IGFBP-5 transcription or processing. In conclusion, BMP-2 inhibits IGFBP-5 expression in Ob cells through pathways that are independent of its mitogenic activity and through mechanisms that may involve decreased transcription or altered RNA processing.


Rehabilitation of Caisson's disease with spinal cord involvement.
Fifteen cases of Caisson's Disease or Decompression Sickness with spinal cord involvement treated at the Department of Rehabilitation Tan Tock Seng Hospital, from 1973 to 1978 are described. All the cases had bladder and bowel function involvement. Five cases developed bone complications, one of whom was referred to us primarily for rehabilitation after he had an operation for collapsed right femoral head which occurred two years after the incident.


[Trends in the incidence of uterine cancer in Nagasaki city, with special reference to previous atomic bomb exposure, 1973-1982].
An epidemiological study has been conducted to elucidate the trend in the incidence of uterine cancer, a with a reference also to previous A-bomb exposure. Studied were 783 cases (345 exposed and 438 nonexposed) of uterine cancer that were handled from 1973 to 1982. The incidence rate of cervical cancer was significantly higher among the population who came into Nagasaki city within two weeks after exposure. A comparison between the incidence rate of '73-'77 and '78-'82 revealed a decreasing trend of cervical cancer and an increasing trend of corpus cancer. The increasing rate of corpus cancer was higher in the younger group of a-bomb survivors (less than 59 years old) than in the other survivors.


Environmentally conscious manufacturing and product recovery (ECMPRO): A review of the state of the art.
Gungor and Gupta [1999, Issues in environmentally conscious manufacturing and product recovery: a survey. Computers and Industrial Engineering, 36(4), 811-853] presented an important review of the development of research in Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing and Product Recovery (ECMPRO) and provided a state of the art survey of published work. However, that survey covered most papers published through 1998. Since then, a lot of activity has taken place in EMCPRO and several areas have become richer. Many new areas also have emerged. In this paper we primarily discuss the evolution of ECMPRO that has taken place in the last decade and discuss the new areas that have come into focus during this time. After presenting some background information, the paper systematically investigates the literature by classifying over 540 published references into four major categories, viz., environmentally conscious product design, reverse and closed-loop supply chains, remanufacturing, and disassembly. Finally, we conclude by summarizing the evolution of ECMPRO over the past decade together with the avenues for future research.


Vitamin C plasma level and response to erythropoietin in patients on maintenance haemodialysis.
Intravenous vitamin C supplementation to haemodialysis patients might ameliorate responsiveness to recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo). This study was performed to analyse the relation between vitamin C plasma concentration and response to rHuEpo. In a cross-sectional, single-centre observational study including all haemodialysis patients, pre-dialysis plasma vitamin C concentrations were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography and response to rHuEpo (haemoglobin concentration/international units rHuEpo/kg/week) was recorded together with baseline laboratory data. Univariate analysis yielded a significant correlation between vitamin C plasma levels and response to rHuEpo (n = 130, r = 0.25, P = 0.004), which still persisted after adjustment for transferrin saturation, C-reactive protein, malondialdehyde, parathyroid hormone, route of rHuEpo administration, residual renal function and diabetes mellitus (adjusted r = 0.23, P = 0.014). Analysis per quartiles of vitamin C plasma level revealed a significantly lower response to rHuEpo with decreasing vitamin C values (P = 0.026). In unselected haemodialysis patients, vitamin C plasma levels account, at least partially, for the response to rHuEpo. Larger-sized interventional studies are needed to find out whether vitamin C plasma levels may or may not appropriately reflect the potential beneficial effect of vitamin C supplements on rHuEpo responsiveness.


Immunorestorative properties of thymostimulin (TS) in patients with Hodgkin's disease in clinical remission.
Fifteen Hodgkin's disease patients (8 male, 7 female) aged 19-72 years, who had been in complete unmaintained remission for 1 year or more when the study was initiated, were given 50 mg thymostimulin (TS) IM daily for 60 consecutive days. When compared with 26-30 age- and sex-matched controls, as a group the patients' circulating ENR+, OKT+3, and OKT+4 cells were depressed (0.001 less than or equal to P less than or equal to 0.06), whereas their OKT+8 cell population was not. Low (greater than 1 SD or greater than 2 SD below mean in controls) or borderline (mean value of two subsequent tests greater than 1 SD below mean in controls) values of ENR+, OKT+3, and OKT+4 cells were seen in nine (group I) of the 15 patients tested, while the remaining six patients (group II) had normal T-cell proportions. Following TS treatment, the proportions of ENR+, OKT+3, and OKT+4 cells increased to normal in all group I patients. The T-cell levels, however, decreased to pretreatment values 60-70 days after completion of TS therapy. TS had no effect on the group II patients whose T-cell percentages had initially been normal. Spontaneous cell-mediated cytotoxicity (SCMC) was assessed in 11 patients, and irrespective of the baseline values, there was a significant enhancement (P less than 0.005) by day 15 of TS administration, which was maintained during treatment. SCMC, however, returned to pretreatment levels 60-70 days after TS was discontinued. The delayed skin test reactivity to DNCB was significantly depressed in all cases. Although TS restored the T-cell proportions, it failed to reverse DNCB reactivity from negative to positive in any of the patients tested. TS can thus restore defective T-cell frequencies and can enhance cytolytic functions that are potentially important in host immunosurveillance, but it apparently failed to improve the skin reactivity to neoantigen.


Calibration of phoswich-based lung counting system using realistic chest phantom.
A phoswich detector, housed inside a low background steel room, coupled with a state-of-art pulse shape discrimination (PSD) electronics is recently established at Radiological Safety Division of IGCAR for in vivo monitoring of actinides. The various parameters of PSD electronics were optimised to achieve efficient background reduction in low-energy regions. The PSD with optimised parameters has reduced steel room background from 9.5 to 0.28 cps in the 17 keV region and 5.8 to 0.3 cps in the 60 keV region. The Figure of Merit for the timing spectrum of the system is 3.0. The true signal loss due to PSD was found to be less than 2 %. The phoswich system was calibrated with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory realistic chest phantom loaded with (241)Am activity tagged lung set. Calibration factors for varying chest wall composition and chest wall thickness in terms of muscle equivalent chest wall thickness were established. (241)Am activity in the JAERI phantom which was received as a part of IAEA inter-comparison exercise was estimated. This paper presents the optimisation of PSD electronics and the salient results of the calibration.


Role of diagnostic ultrasound in patient selection for stroke intervention.
Ultrasonography provides a unique diagnostic perspective in cerebrovascular disorders, with extremely high temporal resolution and excellent spatial display of extracranial as well as intracranial arteries. Unlike other imaging modalities, cerebrovascular ultrasound provides real-time information about the blood flow in addition to the hemodynamic changes as a result of various physiological as well as pathological states. The information obtained from cerebrovascular ultrasound has diagnostic, therapeutic as well as prognostic value in various disease states. Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD) is the only non-invasive examination that provides a reliable evaluation of intracranial blood flow patterns in real-time, adding physiological information to the anatomical information obtained from other neuroimaging modalities. Cerebrovascular ultrasonography is relatively cheap, can be performed bedside, and allows monitoring both in acute emergency settings as well as for prolonged periods with a high temporal resolution. Extended applications of TCD provide important information about the pathophysiology of cerebrovascular ischemia. Advanced applications of cerebrovascular ultrasonography have become an integral part of the armamentarium of stroke neurologists for evaluating stroke mechanisms, plan and monitor treatment and determine prognosis. It has been suggested as an essential component of a comprehensive stroke center. We have reviewed various recent patents in addition to the established applications of cerebrovascular ultrasonography in patient selection for various stroke interventions.


EndothelinB receptor on guinea pig small intestinal smooth muscle cells.
We investigated the binding characteristics of the endothelin (ET) receptor and the mechanism by which ET induces contraction of longitudinal smooth muscle cells of the guinea pig small intestine by using vasoactive intestinal contractor (VIC), a mouse variant of ET-2. A functional receptor for VIC was found to exist on longitudinal smooth muscle cells. These cells showed a similar binding of and contractile response to ET-1, ET-2, and ET-3. Inhibitors of both intracellular and extracellular Ca2+ movement attenuated the VIC-induced contraction of longitudinal smooth muscle cells. These results suggest that smooth muscle cells of the guinea pig small intestine express the ETB receptor that primarily mediates the contractile effect on smooth muscle cells. In addition, ET-induced contraction depends on intracellular as well as extracellular Ca2+.


Deposition kinetics of bacteriophage MS2 to natural organic matter: role of divalent cations.
The role of divalent cations (i.e. Ca(2+) and Mg(2+)) in the deposition kinetics of the bacteriophage MS2 onto flat bare silica surfaces and Suwannee River Natural Organic Matter (SRNOM)-coated silica surfaces was investigated using a Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) coupled with a radial stagnation point flow (RSPF) system. Experimental results demonstrated that attachment efficiencies of MS2 onto the SRNOM surface were seven to seventeen times higher in the presence of Ca(2+) than in the presence of Mg(2+). A similar trend was observed for the adsorption of polyglutamic acid, which is one of the carboxylate-containing amino acid residues found on the surface of MS2 capsids present on SRNOM-coated surfaces. The difference in attachment rates in a solution containing either Ca(2+) or Mg(2+) can be explained by a stronger tendency of Ca(2+) compared to Mg(2+) to form cation bridges by binding to carboxylate groups of both the SRNOM and the MS2 capsids. Moreover, higher attachment efficiencies of MS2 onto the SRNOM-coated silica surfaces compared to those on bare silica surfaces in the presence of either Ca(2+) or Mg(2+) at concentrations higher than 0.3 mM emphasized the important role of SRNOM carboxylate groups. Experimental data also showed reduced attachment efficiency of MS2 to SRNOM-coated surfaces in solution containing 1 mg/L SRNOM.


Peripheral blood mononuclear cell production of TNF-alpha in response to North American ginseng stimulation.
North American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium) root extract (NAGE) with known ginsenosides composition was examined for its affinity to stimulate human tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) production in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Case studies were conducted in three donors, one that was diagnosed with an atopic allergy and two that were normal, healthy subjects. Cultured mononuclear cells were incubated with varying concentrations of NAGE for up to 72 h and culture media were tested for TNF-alpha concentration. Direct stimulation of mononuclear cell TNF-alpha production in vitro by NAGE occurred as early as 6 h with 200 microg NAGE/mL. The stimulation of TNF-alpha production was confirmed by TNF-alpha mRNA gene expression. These interesting results show the immunostimulating activity of NAGE components in reference to TNF-alpha production. This observation requires further investigation with more subjects to determine the affinity of ginseng in stimulating the human immune system. Moreover, the method of evaluating this response is very useful for standardizing ginseng extracts to a known bioactivity.


Highly selective solid phase extraction and preconcentration of Azathioprine with nano-sized imprinted polymer based on multivariate optimization and its trace determination in biological and pharmaceutical samples.
In this research, for first time selective separation and determination of Azathioprine is demonstrated using molecularly imprinted polymer as the solid-phase extraction adsorbent, measured by spectrophotometry at λmax 286nm. The selective molecularly imprinted polymer was produced using Azathioprine and methacrylic acid as a template molecule and monomer, respectively. A molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction procedure was performed in column for the analyte from pharmaceutical and serum samples. The synthesized polymers were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). In order to investigate the effect of independent variables on the extraction efficiency, the response surface methodology (RSM) based on Box-Behnken design (BBD) was employed. The analytical parameters such as precision, accuracy and linear working range were also determined in optimal experimental conditions and the proposed method was applied to analysis of Azathioprine. The linear dynamic range and limits of detection were 2.5-0.01 and 0.008mgL-1 respectively. The recoveries for analyte were higher than 95% and relative standard deviation values were found to be in the range of 0.83-4.15%. This method was successfully applied for the determination of Azathioprine in biological and pharmaceutical samples.


Enzymatic redox cofactor regeneration in organic media: functionalization and application of glycerol dehydrogenase and soluble transhydrogenase in reverse micelles.
An enzymatic system for the regeneration of redox cofactors NADH and NADPH was investigated in nanostructural reverse micelles using bacterial glycerol dehydrogenase (GLD) and soluble transhydrogenase (STH). Catalytic conversion of NAD+ to NADH was realized in the sodium dioctylsulfosuccinate (AOT)/isooctane reverse micellar system harboring GLD and a sacrificial substrate, glycerol. The initial rate of NADH regeneration was enhanced by exogenous addition of ammonium sulfate into the reverse micelles, suggesting that NH4+ acts as a monovalent cationic activator. STH was successfully entrapped in the AOT/isooctane reverse micelles as well as GLD and was revealed to be capable of catalyzing the stoichiometric hydrogen transfer reaction between NADP+ and NADPH in reverse micelles. These results indicate that GLD and STH have potential for use in redox cofactor recycling in reverse micelles, which allows the use of catalytic quantities of NAD(P)H in organic media.


The effects of increasing the reverse curve of Spee in a lower archwire examined using a dynamic photo-elastic gelatine model.
This paper describes the development and testing of a dynamic in vitro photo-elastic model for evaluating the effects of orthodontic mechanics on an entire arch of teeth. A model of a mandibular arch was made and the teeth were embedded in a gelatine material with a high level of mechanical creep which permitted tooth movement in response to orthodontic forces. The excellent photo-elastic properties of this material also facilitated the analysis of the stress distribution around the roots of the teeth. The model of a mandibular arch was used to investigate the tooth movements and stress distributions produced by increasing the reverse curve of Spee in a 0.018 x 0.025-inch stainless steel archwire. The results revealed that a 1-mm reverse curve of Spee increased the arch length by 1.6 mm, but increasing the reverse curve of Spee to 5 mm did not increase arch length further. Photo-elastic analysis showed an increased stress distribution around the roots of the incisors and molars as the reverse curve of Spee was increased in the archwire.


A.C. polarographic determination of unsaturation.
A wide range of olefins can be determined by a.c. polarography of their addition compounds with mercuric acetate. The first step in the reduction of these compounds is a reversible, one-electron process to form the organo-mercury radical and gives a well defined a.c. peak. The optimum conditions for the determination of a representative selection of olefins has been established.


Isolation and preliminary characterisation of active B-chain of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator.
Purified 2-chain recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) was reduced under mild conditions - 10 mM dithiothreitol/5 degrees C/1.5 h - and the two chains were separated by chromatography on lysine Sepharose. The t-PA B chain was fully active as determined by its activity towards the chromogenic substrate S-2288 (H-D-ile-pro-arg p-nitroanilide). Analysis by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under reducing or non-reducing conditions revealed a single polypeptide at Mr = 35,000 or 29,000 respectively. In addition, under non-reducing conditions a fibrinolytic band at apparent Mr = 29,000 was present after fibrin zymography. The N-terminal sequence was confirmed as ile-lys-gly. The t-PA B chain had a specific amidolytic activity, using S-2288, of 170,000 to 210,000 SU/mg protein. (This compares to a specific activity of the native 2-chain t-PA of 170,000 SU/mg). It resembles urokinase-type plasminogen activator in its inability to be stimulated by fibrin and its dose response on human fibrin plates. However, t-PA B-chain was stimulated to almost the same extent as t-PA by poly-D-lysine. The isoelectric points, at pH 5.6 and 5.7, fall outside the range generally quoted for t-PA preparations (pH 7.8-8.8).


Distribution of CoFe2O4 Nanoparticles Inside PNIPAM-Based Microgels of Different Cross-linker Distributions.
The aim of this study is to tailor the inner structure of positively charged poly-( N-isopropylacrylamid- co-allylamine) (P(NIPAM- co-AA)) microgels for a better control of the distribution of negatively charged magnetic cobaltferrite (CoFe2O4@CA) nanoparticles (MNPs) within the microgels. Therefore, two different strategies are followed for the microgel synthesis: the (one pot) batch method which leads to a higher cross-linker density in the microgel core and the feeding method which compensates different reaction kinetics of the cross-linker and the monomers. The latter one is expected to result in a homogeneous cross-linker distribution. Information about the cross-linker distribution is indirectly gained by measuring the elastic modulus via indentation experiments with an atomic force microscope. While the batch method results in a higher elastic modulus in the center of the microgel indicating a core/shell structure, the feeding method leads to a constant elastic modulus over the whole microgel. The loading with MNPs and their distribution are studied with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The TEM images show a large difference in the MNP distribution which is correlated to the cross-linker distribution of both types of microgels. The batch method microgel has a low MNP concentration in the core. The feeding method microgel shows a much more homogeneous distribution of MNPs across the microgel. The latter one also shows a stronger charge reversal which is a hint for a higher loading of the feeding method microgel. Dynamic light scattering and electrophoretic mobility measurements demonstrate that for both types of microgels, the temperature sensitivity is preserved after loading with MNPs.


Osteochondrolipoma: a subcutaneous lipoma with chondroid and bone differentiation of the chest wall.
Lipomas are the most common subtype of benign soft tissue neoplasms and can occur anywhere in the body. Differentiation into a diversity of mesenchymal elements, such as blood vessels, fibrous tissue or muscle, is a frequent event. However, the presence of bone or cartilage in these tumors is extraordinarily rare with very few cases reported in the head and neck area. We report a case of an 'osteochondrolipoma' of the chest wall, in a young individual, providing a rationale in support of this as a possible and distinctive histologic subtype of lipomas, as well as discussion in the differential diagnosis of this lesion.


Inhibition of factor XII in septic baboons attenuates the activation of complement and fibrinolytic systems and reduces the release of interleukin-6 and neutrophil elastase.
In previous studies, we have shown that administration of monoclonal antibody (MoAb) C6B7 against human factor XII to baboons challenged with a lethal dose of Escherichia coli abrogates activation of the contact system and modulates secondary hypotension. To evaluate the contribution of activated contact proteases to the appearance of other inflammatory mediators in this experimental model of sepsis, we studied the effect of administration of MoAb C6B7 on activation of complement and fibrinolytic cascades, stimulation of neutrophil degranulation, and release of the proinflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Activation of the complement system, as reflected by circulating C3b/c and C4b/c levels, was significantly reduced in five animals that had received MoAb C6B7 before a lethal dose of E coli as compared with five control animals that had been given a lethal challenge only. Inhibition of contact activation also modulated the fibrinolytic response, since the release of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and the appearance of plasmin-alpha2-antiplasmin (PAP) complexes into the circulation was significantly attenuated upon pretreatment with anti-factor XII MoAb. In contrast, plasma levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) were modestly enhanced in the treatment group. Degranulation of neutrophils, as assessed by circulating elastase-alpha1-protease inhibitor complexes, and release of IL-6 but not of TNF-alpha was decreased in anti-factor XII-treated animals. Observed differences in the inflammatory response between treatment and control groups were not likely due to different challenges, since the number of E coli that had been infused, as well as circulating levels of endotoxin after the challenge, were similar for both groups. These data suggest that activation of the contact system modulates directly or indirectly various mediator systems involved in the inflammatory response during severe sepsis in nonhuman primates.


A Cross-sectional Study of the Relationship Between Habitual Tea Consumption and Arterial Stiffness.
To explore the relationship between habitual tea consumption and arterial stiffness. This is a cross-sectional, epidemiological survey of 6589 male and female residents aged 40-75 in Wuyishan, Fujian Province, China. Tea consumption and other lifestyle characteristics were obtained by structured questionnaires. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI) were measured using an automated analyzer. Among the 5006 analyzed subjects, 1564 adults (31.2%) consumed tea once or more per week for at least one year. The levels of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) were lowest among subjects who consumed tea habitually for more than 10 years compared with the other 3 subgroups (nonhabitual, 1 to 5 years, and 6 to 10 years habitual tea drinkers), and the levels of ba-PWV were lower with subjects who consumed 10-20 and >20 g/d tea habitually compared to nonhabitual tea drinkers. As the duration and the daily amount of habitual tea consumption increased the average ba-PWV decreased. Multiple logistic regression models revealed that habitual tea consumption was a positive predictor for ba-PWV (odds ratio [OR] = 0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57-0.70). Habitual tea consumption may have a protective effect against arterial stiffness, especially for subjects who have habitually consumed tea for more than 6 years and >10 g daily.


[Peripheral vascular leiomyosarcomas. Apropos of 2 cases].
The authors report here two observations of leiomyosarcomas arising from peripheral blood vessels. The first case occurred in the pedious vein and infiltrated into tarsal bones. The second case was localized into leg muscles' tendons, near the knee. The topographical and histological characteristics of peripheral vascular leiomyosarcomas are noted, and compared, according to the review of literature, with those of the great central blood vessels, and of other classical leiomyosarcomas.


Pulmonary functions in patients with epidemic dropsy.
Pulmonary functions were performed in thirteen patients with epidemic dropsy. The epidemic occurred in Delhi in 1998 during which 102 patients with epidemic dropsy reported to our medical unit. Other investigations included chest radiograph, ECG, liver and renal function tests. There was a restrictive ventilatory defect with diminution of diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide in these patients. Echocardiogram was done in seven of these patients and was normal. The cause of breathlessness and restrictive ventilatory defect is likely to be non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema.


[Morphological signs of the blocking effect of immunoglobulins and immune complexes in breast cancer before and after radiotherapy].
Parenchyma of radiation-treated (48.0%) and untreated (47.9%) fibroadenomas, dysplasias, breast cancer (in 57.1%, 55.6% and 47.9% of cases, respectively) are shown to contain deposits of immune complexes (IC) and immunoglobulins (Ig) of the main classes. This may be an underlying cause of the blocked interaction between epithelial cells and lymphocytes supported by a significant reduction in the specific lymphocyte density observed for parenchyma of IC-positive fibroadenoma and dysplasia, breast cancer periphery occurring before radiation therapy. Poor long-term outcomes of IC-positive breast cancer irrespective of radiation treatment allow the author to refer IC and Ig deposits to criteria of unfavorable prognosis as well as indicators of breast cancer cells radioresistance.


[Identification of the central sulcus using the scanner and MRI].
Methods to directly and indirectly identify the central sulcus are presented. In the axial plan, direct method is remarkable but obviously requires good visualization of the sulci in the central region. Sulci are readily visible in 90% of the cases on CT scans and in 50% of the cases on MRI. The method can also be applied when tumoral development erases the cerebral sulci by direct lecture of the controlateral rolandic region and right-left transfer. Within the precision limits of the method, it can be considered that the central sulci are symmetrical. The main signs are: the relative morphologies of the superior frontal sulcus and the precentral sulcus, the hook-shaped aspect of the middle part of the central sulcus, the internal end of the central sulcus projection anteriorly to the pars marginalis, the bifid nature of the internal end of the posterior central sulcus contouring the pars marginalis, and the lesser thickness of the posterior central gyrus compared with the precentral gyrus. The indirect method is less precise and is used when the direct method is unsuccessful. The central sulcus is identified on the sagittal images and, using the lateral view of the skull as a reference image, the topographic information is transferred to the axial images.


[Infection control and hand hygiene in nursing homes in Oslo].
Nosocomial infections and transmission can be substantially reduced by good infection control. The laws and regulations for infection control in heath care institutions emphasize establishment of infection control programs and improved hand hygiene. Our study reviews some factors that are important for practicing adequate hand hygiene (knowledge about infection control and hand-washing facilities). Health care workers (HCW) in nursing homes in Oslo participated in this study in 2006-2007. A questionnaire was made and SPSS was used to analyse the data . 70.7% of 324 HCW (in 42 nursing homes) answered the questionnaires. Nearly all of the respondents (95.6%) knew about the written procedures for hygiene and infection control; 88.5% knew that an infection control program was in place and about 50% had received information through internal education. Three of four had read the National guidelines for hand hygiene, 77.5% thought that hand disinfection was more effective than hand washing, and 97% reported hand hygiene after contact with a patient having an infection. Dispensers for hand disinfection were situated at central work places. At the same time, 17.9% informed that they worked in more than one place at the same time. This study confirms that most nursing homes in Oslo have an infection control program and training that improves the knowledge and awareness of hand hygiene among HCWs. However, the fact that nursing homes in Oslo have the resources, knowledge and education, is not the same as compliance.


Design of antimicrobial peptides from a cuttlefish database.
No antimicrobial peptide has been identified in cephalopods to date. Annotation of transcriptomes or genomes using basic local alignment Search Tool failed to yield any from sequence identities. Therefore, we searched for antimicrobial sequences in the cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) database by in silico analysis of a transcriptomic database. Using an original approach based on the analysis of cysteine-free antimicrobial peptides selected from our Antimicrobial Peptide Database (APD3), the online prediction tool of the Collection of Anti-Microbial Peptides (CAMPR3), and a homemade software program, we identified potential antibacterial sequences. Nine peptides less than 25 amino acids long were synthesized. The hydrophobic content of all nine of them ranged from 30 to 70%, and they could form alpha-helices. Three peptides possessed similarities with piscidins, one with BMAP-27, and five were totally new. Their antibacterial activity was evaluated on eight bacteria including the aquatic pathogens Vibrio alginolyticus, Aeromonas salmonicida, or human pathogens such as Salmonella typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, or Staphylococcus aureus. Despite the prediction of an antimicrobial potential for eight of the peptides, only two-GR21 and KT19-inhibited more than one bacterial strain with minimal inhibitory concentrations below 25 µM. Some sequences like VA20 and FK19 were hemolytic, while GR21 induced less than 10% of hemolysis on human blood cells at a concentration of 200 µM. GR21 was the only peptide derived from a precursor with a signal peptide, suggesting a real role in cuttlefish immune defense.


Chemical composition of the essential oil of the flowering aerial Parts of Pimpinella monoica.
The essential oil composition of the flowering aerial parts of Pimpinella monoica Dalzell was analyzed by gas chromatography equipped with flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Fifty four compounds were identified, representing 94.7% of the total oil. The main constituents were bornyl acetate (26.2%), beta-caryophyllene (24.0%), limonene (6.7%) and amorpha-4, 11-dien (4.9%). The oil was dominated by sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (40.7%), followed by oxygenated monoterpenes (27.2%), monoterpene hydrocarbons (15.6%), oxygenated sesquiterpenes (7.6%) and others (3.6%).


Exocellular hydrolases from Penicillium ulaiense.
Penicillium ulaiense exhibited carboxymethylcellulase, pectinase, protease, amylase and phenolase activities, while no xylanase, cellulase, lipase or ligninase activities were found. Pectinolytic action was studied in liquid medium, showing low levels of pectinesterase and pectinase production. No mycotoxins were detected by thin-layer-chromatography.


Thyroid function during pregnancy with special reference to hydatidiform mole and hyperemesis.
The thyroid function tests, serum protein-bound iodine (PBI), serum triiodothyronine reaction (T3-test) and serum cholesterol were measured in three groups of pregnant women: 1) 57 with normal pregnancy, 2) 35 with hyperemesis and 3) 14 with hydatidiform mole. A pattern of high values of PBI and T3-test and relatively low values of cholesterol in most of the patients with hydatidiform mole, and in almost one third of the patients with hyperemesis was found. A positive correlation of the volume of molar tissue and the values of PBI was observed. The treatment of patients with hyperemesis mostly resulted in normalisation of the thyroid function tests, while this was not the case in patients with mole. It is suggested that there might be a common cause of the thyroid stimulation in patients with mole and hyperemesis.


Safety and efficacy of etanercept in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis below the age of 2 years.
Etanercept is approved for the treatment of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) above the age of 2 years. Experience with younger children is limited. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of treatment with etanercept in children with JIA younger than 2 years. The prospective long-term observational BIKER registry documents baseline demographics, clinical characteristics, disease activity parameters and safety issues. Efficacy was determined using the PedACR response criteria, the JADAS-10 and the proposed criteria for inactive disease and remission after 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. Safety assessments were based on adverse events (AE) and serious adverse events (SAEs) reports. Between January 2001 and June 2013, a total of 13 patients including four patients with systemic JIA (sJIA), four patients with extended oligoarthritis, one patient with persistent oligoarthritis and four patients with RF negative polyarthritis were treated with etanercept. Eleven patients with follow-up assessments were analysed in our study. Prior to etanercept, all patients have been exposed to methotrexate. At last observation, 6/11 patients reached a PedACR 70 response. Two patients with sJIA and 1 with nonsystemic JIA achieved inactive disease. Tolerability was good in most of the patients. Eight AE and one SAE occurred. One patient with sJIA was affected by Hodgkin's disease 18 months after discontinuation of etanercept. New onset uveitis occurred in two patients. Reasons for discontinuation were inefficacy in three (2 sJIA), intolerance in two, remission in three (2 sJIA) and the parents' request in one patient. Etanercept seems to improve JIA patients younger than 2 years including some of the patients with sJIA. Attention should be paid to the development of malignancies and autoimmune disorders.


[Enkephalins as regulators of physiological functions].
The problem of the regulation of the different physiological functions by enkephalines is discussed. A cite as an example the data about the regulatory action of the enkephalines on the secretory function of the stomach, pancreas and liver are discussed. The mechanisms of the enkephalines action on the secretory processes are discussed too.


Retinal vascular changes associated with transpupillary thermotherapy for choroidal melanomas.
To define retinal vascular changes after transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) for choroidal melanomas and assess their clinical impact. Stereoscopic fluorescein angiogram pairs of 29 patients pre- and post-treatment with TTT were examined for patterns of vascular damage, and the patients were studied for ensuing complications. Widespread retinal capillary loss was confined within the treatment margins except in cases of coexisting large retinal artery or vein occlusions. Artery occlusions occurred in 83%, involving a large artery in 23%. Venous occlusions occurred in 69%, involving large veins in 10%. Subretinal choroidal neovascularization occurred in four cases, in one causing hemorrhage that broke through into the vitreous. No retinal neovascularization occurred. Choroidal vasculature was relatively preserved at the periphery of the treated area. Foveal vascular damage caused visual loss in six cases. Vascular changes beyond the treatment margins did not affect the fovea in any case. Retinal fibrosis affected two cases. Diabetic patients fared no worse than healthy counterparts. Transpupillary thermotherapy produces characteristic retinal vascular changes that may reduce vision when affecting the fovea. Vascular changes are confined within the treatment margins except in cases of associated large vessel occlusion. There is a small risk of neovascularization, both retinal and choroidal.


Coagulation by multivalent counterions and the Schulze-Hardy rule.
Starting from a number of empirical papers by Matijević et al., the issue of coagulation of hydrophobic colloids by multivalent inorganic counterions is revisited. More recent information is also considered, and some important trends are confirmed and made more quantitative. It can be concluded that the high coagulating power of multivalent ions is mostly not a direct result of their high valence but caused by their propensity of building complexes with water that adsorb specifically. This mechanism requires a revision of the Schulze-Hardy rule interpretations. In addition, this finding helps to define conditions where overcharging by multivalent counterions can be attributed to ion correlations.


The geography of Medicare: explaining differences in payment and costs.
This issue brief examines the sources of variation in Medicare payment and costs across different geographic areas and different sites of care. It discusses payment policies that address variation in the cost of providing care, such as input price adjustments and special payments to hospitals. It also considers differences due to beneficiaries' health status and physicians' practice patterns. Finally, it explores policy options to address Medicare geographic variation.


Uptake of chloroform by skin during short exposures to contaminated water.
Uptake of chloroform into hairless rat stratum corneum from dilute aqueous solutions was studied using tape-stripping to determine amounts deposited in the skin under various environmental exposure scenarios. The length of exposure of sedated animals to the chloroform-containing medium, the frequency and duration of tape-stripping, and the number of tape-strips per location were varied to map the stratum corneum substantivity of chloroform. Eight minutes immersion of the rat within a well-stirred solution at 36 degrees C was found to be adequate time for the gradient to be established fully across the stratum corneum. Penetration was progressively deeper as the exposure time increased. Substantial evaporative loss of chloroform from the aqueous medium of application seem to be responsible for lower cumulative amounts taken up when the same solution was held on the rat's skin within a stainless steel template of fixed area. Of the total uptake (29 mg) from a dilute stirred solution of chloroform (0.44 mg/ml) at 36 degrees C, about 95% was systematically absorbed after a 30 min exposure as determined by residuals (measurement of bath concentrations).


AGEs in foods: do they play a role in uremia?
The so-called Maillard reaction, or nonenzymatic glycation between proteins and carbohydrates, is of particular importance for the flavor, color, and shelf life of food. Despite the great variety of possible AGEs, which can be formed during heating processes, only a few have unequivocally been identified and quantified in foods. From the quantitative point of view, the amount of AGEs ingested with a conventional diet is much higher than the total amount of AGEs in the plasma and tissue. To date, however, only preliminary studies concerning digestion, resorption, and elimination of AGE-modified food proteins can be found in the literature, indicating that for patients with impaired kidney function, dietary AGEs might contribute significantly to the total AGE load of the body. To date, however, no conclusive answers or recommendations can be given regarding a possible role of AGEs as uremic toxins in general, and of dietary AGEs in particular.


Necessity for surgery in children with gastrooesophageal reflux and supraoesophageal symptoms.
The majority of gastrooesophageal reflux (GER) manifestations in children are supraoesophageal, and "spitting/posseting" is "the tip of the iceberg" because most reflux episodes are not regurgitated. Aim of the present study was to prospectively evaluate the incidence of gastrooesophageal reflux and the incidence of antireflux surgery in patients with difficult-to-treat respiratory symptoms. Five hundred and ninety-five children with difficult-to-treat respiratory symptoms were prospectively enrolled in a blind study looking for the correlation between clinical presentation (asthma or non-asthma), oesophageal pH monitoring, X-ray barium meal, broncho-alveolar lavage, necessity for surgery, and outcome. pH monitoring was anomalous in 47% of patients with asthma (group A) and in 43% of those who did not have asthma as main symptom (group B). Overall, 48 patients finally underwent anti-reflux surgery (8%) as anti-reflux medical treatment did not ensure stable benefits. No major surgical complications were experienced. Postoperatively, respiratory symptoms improved strongly (Visick 1) in 69% of cases, moderately (Visick 2) in 27%, while clinical worsening (Visick 4) was observed in 4%. The results of this study stress the importance of symptoms, clinical response to anti-reflux medical treatment and broncho-alveolar lavage compared to classical pH parameters in the decision-making process for patients with difficult-to-treat supraoesophageal symptoms. To date no single tool alone has proved to be diagnostic in these patients. Fundoplication is recommended only when a relationship between supraoesophageal symptoms and gastrooesophageal reflux is strongly suspected.


Transcranial midbrain sonography and depressive symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease.
Transcranial sonography (TCS) appeared to be a promising marker associated with depression: hypo/anechogenicity of the brainstem raphe (BR) was found in 50-70 % of patients with unipolar depression, in 40-60 % of depressed patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), but also in 8-28 % of healthy controls. Our study included 120 consecutive PD outpatients. Abnormal BR echogenicity was found in 51 (43 %), while normal findings were present in 67 PD patients (57 %). Patients with abnormal BR echogenicity had higher scores on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) items of apparent sadness (p = 0.03), reported sadness (p = 0.01), and pessimistic thoughts (p = 0.049), when compared to those with normal BR. In the second part of the study, previously suggested cut-off value at 14/15 on the MADRS was used to dichotomize patients into depressed (dPD) (46 patients; 39 %) and non-depressed PD patients (ndPD) (72 patients; 61 %). Abnormal TCS BR findings were obtained in 27 dPD (58.7 %) and in only 24 ndPD patients (33.3 %) (p = 0.007): the risk that PD patients with the TCS BR abnormality would display depressive symptoms was about 3.5 times higher when compared to PD patients with intact BR, controlling for the effect of motor difficulties (cross-odds ratio; OR = 3.48). Therefore, at least in a subgroup of dPD patients, TCS of the midbrain midline structure may potentially be a useful tool for depressive symptoms prediction.


Regional structuring of genetic variation in short-lived rock pool populations of Branchipodopsis wolfi (Crustacea: Anostraca).
The genetic structure of three metapopulations of the southern African anostracan Branchipodopsis wolfi was compared by analysing allozyme variation at four loci (PGM, GPI, APK, AAT). In total, 17 local populations from three sites (metapopulations) were analysed from rock pools in south-eastern Botswana ranging from 0.2 to 21 m2 in surface area. In three populations we found significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg (H-W) equilibrium at one or more loci due to heterozygote deficiencies. Genetic variability at one site was significantly lower than at the other sites, which may be linked to a greater incidence of extinction and recolonisation, as the basins at this site are shallower and have shorter hydrocycles. Across all local populations, a significant level of population differentiation was revealed. More than 90% of this variation was explained by differentiation among sites (metapopulations), although this differentiation did not correlate with geographic distance, or with environmental variables. Genetic differentiation among populations within metapopulations was low, but significant at all sites. At only one of the sites was a significantly positive association measured between genetic and geographic distance among local populations. Our data suggest that persistent stochastic events and limited effective long-range dispersal appear to dominate genetic differentiation among populations of B. wolfi inhabiting desert rock pools. The lack of association between geographic distance and genetic or ecological differences between rock pool sites is indicative of historical stochastic events. Low heterozygosity, the significant deviations from H-W equilibrium, and the large inter- but low intra-site differentiation are suggestive of the importance of short-range dispersal. Gene flow between metapopulations of B. wolfi appears to be seriously constrained by distances of 2 km or even less.


Left prefrontal activation during episodic remembering: an event-related fMRI study.
The major current theory relating brain mechanisms in prefrontal cortex (PFC) to memory for discrete events (episodic memory) emphasizes the role of right PFC during retrieval. Using event-related fMRI, we found both right and left PFC activity during episodic remembering, but only the left PFC activity was related to the amount of episodic detail required at test. We suggest that right PFC subserves relatively simple, heuristic, cognitive processes and that left PFC is recruited for more reflectively demanding, systematic, processes. Episodic remembering often requires such systematic processes and, under those circumstances, recruits left, as well as right, PFC.


Reduced platelet MAO activity in healthy male students with blood group O.
The association between the two genetic markers of affective disorders, ABO blood group system and platelet MAO (monoamine oxidase) activity was studied in 70 healthy young males. The platelet MAO activity of subjects with blood type O was significantly lower than that of subjects with blood type A and with blood types A + B AB + B together. This finding could constitute a "bridge" between the two genetic approaches to affective disorders.


Influence of pulse configuration and direction of coil current on excitatory effects of magnetic motor cortex and nerve stimulation.
This paper describes the influence of pulse configuration and current direction on the excitation of the hand-associated motor cortex and the median nerve by magnetic stimulation. Monophasic and biphasic current pulses with the same peak rise time of 80 micros and a maximum rate of current change (dI/dt) were discharged through an eight-shaped coil of the stimulator used (Dantec MagPro). Two current directions with opposite orientation in the coil axis were studied. (1) for both, cortex and nerve stimulation, biphasic stimuli were more effective and elicited compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) with lower thresholds and larger amplitudes. (2) Using biphasic pulses the direction of the currents in the first phase of the pulse did not influence the CMAP amplitude. (3) Using monophasic pulses induced currents oriented postero-anteriorly in the motor cortex or orthodromically along the nerve axis elicited larger CMAPs than currents in the opposite orientation. (4) Pulse configuration did not influence the CMAP-latencies and by this the stimulation site (cortex, nerve). Monophasic stimuli are useful to investigate excitation effects which are dependent on the current direction. The application of biphasic stimuli with their stronger excitation effects might be advantageous when patients with high cortical thresholds or deep lying nerves shall be investigated.


Genomic analysis of the appearance of testicular oocytes in MRL/MpJ mice.
Mammals produce sperm or oocytes depending on their sex; however, newborn MRL/MpJ (MRL) male mice produce oocytes within their testes. We previously reported that one of the genes responsible for this phenotype is present on the MRL-type Y chromosome (Y(MRL)), and that multiple genes, probably autosomal, are also required for the development of this phenotype. In this study we focused on the autosomal genes and examined their relationship with this phenotype by analyzing the progeny from crosses between MRL mice and other strains. We first observed the male F1 progeny from the crosses between female A/J, C57BL/6 (B6), BALB/c, C3H/He, or DBA/2 mice and male MRL mice, and two consomic strains, male B6-Y(MRL) and MRL-Y(B6). Testicular oocytes that were morphologically similar to those of MRL mice were detected in all mouse strains except BALBMRLF1; however, the incidence of testicular oocytes was significantly lower than that in MRL mice. The appearance of testicular oocytes in MRL-Y(B6) mice indicates that this phenotype is strongly affected by genomic factors present on autosomes, and that there is at least one other causative gene on the MRL-type autosomes (MRL testicular oocyte production, mtop) other than that on Y(MRL). Furthermore, a quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis using N2 backcross progeny from crosses between female MRLB6F1 and male MRL mice revealed the presence of susceptibility loci for the appearance of testicular oocytes at 8-17 cM on Chr 15. These findings demonstrate that the appearance of testicular oocytes is regulated by the genetic factors on Chr 15 and on Y(MRL).


Prognostic factors for walking attainment in very low-birthweight preterm infants.
The purpose of this study was to compare the age of walking attainment between very low-birthweight (VLBW) preterm infants and normal term infants, and to determine the variables that affect the walking attainment in VLBW infants. Ninety-six VLBW preterm infants and 82 normal term infants were prospectively followed to determine their age of walking attainment and to monitor gross motor development with sequential clinic visits at 6, 9, 12 and 18 months corrected age. Perinatal and sociodemographic data were collected through review of medical records. The VLBW infants were significantly older at attainment of walking (median 14 months) than the term infants (median 12 months) after correction for prematurity. By the age of 18 months, all term infants had attained walking ability; while 11% of VLBW infants were still unable to walk. Multivariate proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that low gestational age was significantly associated with late attainment of walking in VLBW infants. With the adjustment for gestational age, prolonged ventilation (or oxygen therapy) and severe retinopathy of prematurity were significant predictors of late walking attainment. Our findings indicate that VLBW preterm infants have an increased risk of delayed attainment of walking. Furthermore, the contribution of low gestational age to the delayed walking attainment in VLBW infants may occur via the plausible pathways of neonatal respiratory distress and severe retinopathy of prematurity.


Effects of 1.5% glycine solution with and without 1% ethanol on the fluid balance in elderly men.
Ten male patients scheduled for transurethral prostatic resection (aged 57-79) were given irrigating fluid by intravenous infusion at 50 ml.min-1 over 20 min. Each patient was subjected to two infusions: 1.5% glycine in water on one occasion, and the same solution but with 1% ethanol added on the other. Urine and blood samples were collected at regular intervals for up to 2 h after infusion, and the changes in the distribution of water and electrolytes between fluid compartments were calculated. Transient prickling skin sensations were frequently reported effects of the infusions. Two patients experienced visual disturbances. There were no changes in the blood ammonia and plasma vasopressin levels. During the infusions, the estimated blood volume and the total plasma sodium and potassium content increased. The solutions produced osmotic diuresis with increased urinary excretion of water and electrolytes. After ending the fluid administration, blood volume was rapidly restored. Over the following 120 min the irrigant water was redistributed intracellularly or removed by urinary excretion. The addition of ethanol did not alter the overall effects of glycine solution on the fluid balance.


Myosin binding protein C mutations and compound heterozygosity in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
We sought to determine the frequency and phenotype of mutations in myosin binding protein C (MYBPC3) in a large outpatient cohort of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) seen at our tertiary referral center. Mutations in MYBPC3 are one of the most frequent genetic causes of HCM and have been associated with variable onset of disease and prognosis. However, the frequency of mutations and associated clinical presentation have not been established in a large, unrelated cohort of patients. Using deoxyribonucleic acid from 389 unrelated patients with HCM, each protein coding exon of MYBPC3 was analyzed for mutations by polymerase chain reaction, denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography, and direct deoxyribonucleic acid sequencing. Clinical data were extracted from patient records blinded to patient genotype. Of 389 patients with HCM, 71 (18%) had mutations in MYBPC3. In all, 46 mutations were identified, 33 of which were novel (72%). Patients with MYBPC3 mutations did not differ significantly from patients with thick filament-HCM, thin filament-HCM, or genotype-negative HCM with respect to age at diagnosis, degree of hypertrophy, incidence of myectomy, or family history of HCM or sudden death. Patients with multiple mutations (n = 10, 2.6%) had the most severe disease presentation. This study defines the frequency and associated phenotype for MYBPC3 and/or multiple mutations in HCM in the largest cohort to date. In this cohort, unrelated patients with MYBPC3-HCM virtually mimicked the phenotype of those with mutations in the beta-myosin heavy chain. Patients with multiple mutations had the most severe phenotype.


[NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 inflammasome and myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury].
Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MI/RI) is an inflammatory cascade process involving the interaction of multiple factors. In recent years, more and more evidence suggests that NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, an important component of the innate immune system, is closely associated with the inflammatory damage of MI/RI. Furthermore, blockage of NLRP3 inflammasome or the release of its downstream pro-inflammatory cytokines may provide new therapeutic targets for this disorder.


Early attentional deficits in an attention-to-prepulse paradigm in ADHD adults.
Adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were examined for early and late attentional processes as a function of controlled attention. The test paradigm was the attentional modulation of prepulse inhibition (PPI; early controlled attentional processing) and prepulse facilitation (PPF; late controlled attentional processing). In 49 patients and 49 controls, the authors measured acoustic startle responses to 96-dB startle pulses preceded 120, 240 (for PPI), 2,000, and 4,500 (for PPF) ms by a 68-dB prepulse noise. Geometric figures signaled that prepulses were to be ignored or attended to (automatic vs. controlled attention). ADHD patients exhibited deficits in prepulse modulation, but these reflected an interaction of controlled attention and time of information processing. Normal PPI and PPF occurred under all conditions except for controlled attentional modulation of PPI. Attention deficits in ADHD patients may reflect not general derangements in information processing or ability to attend but, rather, selective disturbances of controlled attention during early information processing.


pH-sensitive polymeric nanoparticles for co-delivery of doxorubicin and curcumin to treat cancer via enhanced pro-apoptotic and anti-angiogenic activities.
Co-delivery of multiple drugs with complementary anticancer mechanisms by nano-carriers offers an effective strategy to treat cancer. The combination of drugs with pro-apoptotic and anti-angiogenic activities is potentially effective in treating human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, we developed a co-delivery system for doxorubicin (Dox), a pro-apoptotic drug, and curcumin (Cur), a potent drug for antiangiogenesis, in pH-sensitive nanoparticles (NPs) constituted with amphiphilic poly(β-amino ester) copolymer. Dox & Cur co-loaded NPs ((D+C)/NPs) were prepared with optimized drug ratio, showing low polydispersity, high encapsulation efficiency, and enhanced release in the acidic environment of cancer cells. Furthermore, enhanced cellular internalization of cargoes delivered from (D+C)/NPs were observed in human liver cancer SMMC 7721 cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) compared to the use of free drugs. The (D+C)/NPs induced a high rate of apoptosis in SMMC 7721 cells through decreased mitochondrial membrane potential. Additionally, (D+C)/NPs exhibited stronger anti-angiogenic effects including inhibition of HUVEC proliferation, migration, invasion, and tube formation mediated VEGF pathway modulation in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, encapsulation of the pro-apoptotic drug Dox and antiangiogenic agent Cur in pH-sensitive NPs provides a promising strategy to effectively inhibit HCC progression in a synergistic manner. The combination of multiple drugs has been demonstrated to be more effective than single treatment. However, the different physicochemical and pharmacokinetic profiles of each drug render optimal delivery challenging. In view of the great delivery advantage of nanocarriers to unify the multiple drugs in vivo, stimulus-responsive nano-carriers are more crucial to increase efficacy and reduce toxicity from off-target exposure. Therefore, herein the pH-sensitive nanoparticles, composed by d-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000-block-poly (β-amino ester) (TPGS-PAE) polymers, have been fabricated for doxorubicin (Dox) and curcumin (Cur) co-delivery, which exhibited diverse anticancer approaches, i.e. pro-apoptosis and antiangiogenesis. The precise intracellular target site and effective drug combination concentration result in the enhanced antitumor efficiency and the reduced systematic toxicity of Dox. The co-encapsulation of the pro-apoptotic drug and antiangiogenic agent in pH-sensitive NPs provides a promising strategy to effectively inhibit malignant neoplasm progression in a synergistic manner.


[Differential expression of microRNAs in serum of severe burn patients and analysis of the signaling pathway at early stage].
Objective: To explore differential expression of microRNAs in serum of patients with severe burn and analysis of the signaling pathway at early stage. Methods: In this study, we included three healthy adult volunteers and three patients with severe burn, conforming to the inclusion criteria and hospitalized in Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University & Wuhan Third Hospital in July 2015. Venous whole blood of 6 mL of each burn patient and healthy volunteer was collected at 24 to 48 h post injury of burn patients. The whole blood was divided into burn group and healthy control group. Whole blood of 2 mL of each one was used to determine white blood cell count and neutrophile granulocyte content. Serum was separated from the other whole blood of 4 mL of each one. Half of serum was used to determine content of blood glucose, total protein, and albumin; another half of serum was used to extract total RNA with Trizol method. The differentially expressed microRNA, with differential expression ratio larger than or equal to 1.500 between 2 groups, were screened by microRNA chip technique. Then cluster analysis and functional enrichment analysis of Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) signaling pathway were performed on the differentially expressed microRNAs. Data were processed with t test. Results: (1) Content of white blood cell count, neutrophile granulocyte of whole blood, and blood glucose of serum of patients in burn group was obviously higher than that in healthy control group (with t values from 4.27 to 7.83, P<0.05 or P<0.01). Content of total protein and albumin of serum of patients in burn group was significantly lower than that in healthy control group (with t values respectively -12.80 and -12.36, P values below 0.01). (2)Compared with those in serum of healthy control group, differential expression ratios of 48 microRNAs in serum of burn group were larger than 1.500, with 22 up-regulated microRNAs and 26 down-regulated microRNAs. MicroRNA expression profile in serum of burn group was different from that of healthy control group. (3)Functional enrichment analysis of KEGG signaling pathway showed that compared with those in serum of healthy control group, microRNAs of differential expression in serum of burn group took part in tumor transcription misregulation signaling pathway, tumor proteoglycan signaling pathway, long-term potentiation signaling pathway, tumor associated microRNAs signaling pathway, citrate cycle signaling pathway, tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, focal adhesion signaling pathway, endocytosis signaling pathway, insulin secretion signaling pathway, and estrogen signaling pathway. Conclusions: MicroRNA expression profile in serum of patients with severe burn is different from that in serum of healthy adults. MicroRNAs of differential expression may take part in important pathophysiological process of energy metabolism, inflammatory response, and regulation of blood glucose at early stage of severe burn.


Influence of prosthetic heart valve sound on a patient's quality of life.
To elucidate the effects of prosthetic valve sound on a patient's quality of life (QOL). We compared the valve sounds of ATS, SJM, and Carbomedics (CM) based on assessments by 248 patients who underwent mechanical valve replacements from January 2000 to August 2003 at seven facilities in Japan. We used a self-administered questionnaire for evaluating patients' assessments of valve sounds and the Japanese version of SF-36 for measuring their health-related QOL. With respect to the valve-sound level perceived immediately after surgery, we considered the ATS and SJM valves quieter than the CM valve, but others have considered the ATS valve quieter than the SJM and CM valves. Regarding the time when the valve sound stopped bothering patients, a significant difference was observed between the ATS and CM valves and between the SJM and CM valves. The logistic regression analysis on patients' perceptions of valve sounds indicated that the influences of age, gender, and valve position are significant. Furthermore, a survey with SF-36 indicated that a long valve sound will affect a patient's health-related QOL. The present study suggested that the ATS valve surpassed the other two valves on the whole in audibility of valve sound and patient health-related QOL. However, further studies, including the ongoing prospective study, are necessary for a more comprehensive and accurate evaluation of the ATS valve.


Hyperthermia and hypoxia: new developments in anticancer chemotherapy.
It has been demonstrated in vitro and in vivo that hyperthermia can enhance the cytotoxicity of some chemotherapeutic agents. The in vivo studies have demonstrated that the thermal advantage is maximized at mild temperatures such as at 40.5--43 degrees C. Thermo-chemotherapy is widely applied in limb perfusion and intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Hypoxia in solid tumours leads to resistance to most anticancer drugs and appears to accelerate malignant progression and increase metastasis. The recent development of new drugs highly toxic to hypoxic cells may bring new strategies in anticancer treatments and move this condition from being a problem to a new tool in cancer control.


Nurse's role in controlling cancer pain.
Nurses spend more time with patients than any other member of the healthcare team. They play a critical, active and very important part in controlling cancer patients' pain and alleviating suffering. In controlling cancer pain the nurse needs to understand the psychological state of the cancer patient, cancer pain, cancer pain treatment, deleterious effects of unrelieved cancer pain and patient's socio cultural background. She needs to understand that there are two types of pain, nociceptive and neuropathic pains and that 80% of the cancer patients in pain could have 2 or more than 4 different pains at the same time. Nurses' role in controlling cancer pain include believing the patient, assessing pain, identifying the root of the problem, planning the care, administering medication, evaluating effectiveness, ensuring good pain control and individualizing treatment. It also includes nursing interventions such as giving tender nursing care, preventing pain, educating, advocating, communicating, comforting, supporting, and counseling the patient. The nurse must use both pharmacological and non pharmacological treatments to individualize treatment, know all the drugs that are used for the treatment of Cancer Pain, how these drugs relieve pain and what their side effects are. She must use the WHO guidelines to treat pain and must choose the right drug, right dose, given at the right times, with the right intervals and to the right patient. She must evaluate effectiveness of treatment, give PRN doses for breakthrough pain and recommend for specific changes. The role of the nurse is to anticipate the patient's pain needs, advocate for the patient for what feels appropriate for him within his cultural context and incorporate the patient's belief. The nurse can physically relieve pain by promoting comfort, support painful area, gentleness in handling the patient and use nursing treatments. The nurse can recommend physiotherapy, (TENS)/Acupuncture, Occupational therapy, spiritual support, social worker, psychologist, and psychiatrist to address different types of pain. She must relieve both pain and other symptoms. and ensure that the patient has good sleep. She must show kindness, compassion and empathize with him. Each patient is unique the process of controlling cancer pain develops differently each time. The nurse's role is challenging, she must demonstrate that she is not only clinically proficient but culturally competent. She has to use creative assessment skills, clinical judgment, psychological support, advocacy and good communication skills in such a way that the contribution of drugs, nursing care, nursing and other non pharmacological treatments are maximized to the patient's benefit. When evaluating the overall care the nurse must find out what is the total effect of all approaches taken to relieve pain. Nurses can make a difference between a patient who suffers until the last breath of his/her life and a patient who is comfortable and dies pain free and in dignity.


Sequestration of priority pollutant PAHs from sediment pore water employing semipermeable membrane devices.
Semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) were employed to sample sediment pore water in static exposure studies under controlled laboratory conditions using (control pond and formulated) sediments fortified with 15 priority pollutant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PPPAHs). The sediment fortification level of 750 ng/g was selected on the basis of what might be detected in a sediment sample from a contaminated area. The sampling interval consisted of 0, 4, 7, 14, and 28 days for each study. The analytical methodologies, as well as the extraction and sample cleanup procedures used in the isolation, characterization, and quantitation of 15 PPPAHs at different fortification levels in SPMDs, water, and sediment were reported previously (Williamson, M.S. Thesis, University of Missouri-Columbia, USA; Williamson et al., Chemosphere (This issue--PII: S0045-6535(02)00394-6)) and used for this project. Average (mean) extraction recoveries for each PPPAH congener in each matrix are reported and discussed. No procedural blank extracts (controls) were found to contain any PPPAH residues above the method quantitation limit, therefore, no matrix interferences were detected. The focus of this publication is to demonstrate the ability to sequester environmental contaminants, specifically PPPAHs, from sediment pore water using SPMDs and two different types of fortified sediment.


[Management of Fournier's gangrene in HIV-positive patients: report of 29 cases].
To review the clinical characteristics and treatment strategies of Fournier's gangrene in HIV-positive patients. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical characteristics and therapeutic methods of 29 HIV-positive cases of Fournier's gangrene. The patients were aged 21-81 (mean 34.2) years, 27 < or = 47 years and the other two 79 and 81 years old, respectively. All the patients were HIV positive and diagnosed as having Fournier's gangrene, with CD4+ T lymphocyte count < 320/mm3, and none had received any antiretroviral therapy. The two aged patients were complicated by diabetes mellitus. All the cases originated in scrotal or penile infection, with later involvement of the surrounding skin soft tissues. Aggressive surgical debridement, incision-drainage and broad-spectrum antibiotic medication were initiated right after admission, and scrotoplasty was performed for 4 cases. Twenty-six of the patients were recovered and the other 3 (10.3%) died after surgery, 1 from infectious shock and 2 from diabetes mellitus complicated by pulmonary infection and renal failure. Timely aggressive surgical debridement, incision-drainage and broad-spectrum antibiotic medication are essential for the treatment of Fournier's gangrene in HIV-positive patients. We did not find any direct adverse impact of HIV infection on the prognosis of Fournier's gangrene.


[Habitats for Candida in medical and hygienic respects].
The at present acknowledged 163 species of the genus Candida are living in different habitats. Agents of human candidosis have a comparatively restricted natural distribution, and have been discovered primarily in association with men and animals. Candida albicans holds an exceptional position opposite to the nearly 20 non-C. albicans-species with medical importance. Primary habitat is the digestive tract of men and warm-blooded animals. C. albicans is not ubiquitously distributed in the nature. Carriers of Candida may contaminate their immediate environment with yeasts, but that contamination does not usually spread far. C. albicans survives poorly on dry surfaces, a little bit longer in moist materials. Some non-C. albicans-species have their habitat also in the digestive tracts of men and animals, but different to C. albicans they are also ubiquitously distributed in the surroundings (soil, plants, foods, forages) and are much more resistant to environmental influences. The most important source of Candida species in human diseases is endogenous. The via exogen contamination arising mycoses are involved above all by non-C. albicans-species. The different habitats of the Candida species are decisive for the direct and indirect transmission of yeasts to humans and also for the preventive measures against endogenous and exogenous nosocomial Candida mycoses.


[Sling procedures to treat urinary incontinence in the Russian Federation].
Surgical treatment of urinary incontinence using synthetic slings is one of the most frequently used procedures in modern urogynecology. The availability of almost identical surgical sets manufactured by different companies can at times significantly hamper the choice of a synthetic sling for a particular patient. This article presents a brief overview of the literature on the efficacy and safety of sub-urethral synthetic slings registered in the Russian market.


Amyloid in the corpora amylacea of the rat mammary gland.
Histochemical and electron microscope studies indicated there was amyloid in corpora amylacea in tumors, duct ectasias and lobular hyperplasias of rat mammary glands. Electron microscopy showed fibrils that closely resembled amyloid fibrils in human and bovine amyloid and in bovine corpora amylacea. Amyloid deposition may be more common in rats than is generally thought.


Experimental fluence-modulated proton computed tomography by pencil beam scanning.
This experimental study is aimed at demonstrating, using a simple cylindrical water phantom, the feasibility of fluence-modulated proton computed tomography (FMpCT) by pencil beam scanning (PBS) proton computed tomography (pCT). The phase II pCT prototype of the Loma Linda U. and U. C. Santa Cruz was operated using the PBS beam line of the Northwestern Medicine Chicago Proton Center. A 20 × 10 grid of 1.37 cm full width half maximum pencil beams (PB) equally spaced by 1 cm was used to acquire 45 projections in step and shoot mode. The PB pattern's fluence was modified to allow FMpCT scans with fluence modulation factors (FMF) of 50% and 20%. A central FMpCT region of interest (FMpCT-ROI) was used to define a high image quality region. Reconstructed images were evaluated in terms of relative stopping power (RSP) accuracy and noise using annular ROIs. The FMpCT dose savings were estimated by Monte Carlo (MC) simulation of the pCT acquisitions using beam phase space distributions. PBS pCT results with homogeneous fluence were additionally compared to broad beam results in terms of RSP accuracy and noise. PBS pCT scans with acceptable pileup were possible, and images were comparable to previously acquired broad beam pCT images in terms of both noise and accuracy. In the FMpCT-ROI, the noise and accuracy from full fluence (FF) scans were preserved. Dose savings of up to 60% were achieved at the object's edge when using FMF of 20%. In this study, we have demonstrated that PBS pCT scans can achieve equivalent accuracy as those obtained from broad beams. The feasibility of FMpCT scans was demonstrated; image accuracy and noise were successfully preserved in the central FMpCT-ROI chosen for this study, and dose reduction of up to 60% at the object's edge was realized.


Design, synthesis, and enzymatic property of a sulfur-substituted analogue of trigalacturonic acid.
A sulfur-substituted analogue of trigalacturonic acid (3) was synthesized. The synthesis features the application of 3-cyano-3-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)oxypropylthioether (CSP) as a novel protective group for thiols. This analogue was designed with the expectation that it would be a stable analogous substrate for endo-polygalacturonase isolated from Stereum purpureum based on computer modeling experiments. Surface plasmon resonance experiments revealed that 3 forms a stable complex with the target enzyme.


Predicting language outcomes for internationally adopted children.
Language and speech are difficult to assess in newly arrived internationally adopted children. The purpose of this study was to determine if assessments completed when toddlers were first adopted could predict language outcomes at age 2. Local norms were used to develop early intervention guidelines that were evaluated against age 2 outcomes. Patterns of language emergence were also analyzed. Twenty-seven children between 11 and 23 months of age adopted from Eastern Europe were followed from adoption through the 1st year home. Results from initial assessments using the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales-Developmental Profile (CSBS-DP; A. Wetherby & B. Prizant, 2002) and MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory-Words and Gestures (MCDI-WG; L. Fenson et al., 1993) were compared against speech and language outcomes 1 year later when the children were 2 years of age. By age 2, receptive language and articulation were developing well; expressive language was still emerging. Initial assessment using the CSBS-DP Behavior Sample and MCDI-WG Words Understood Developmental Quotient predicted age 2 language outcomes. Early intervention guidelines based on these 2 measures had strong positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR) when using age 2 outcomes as the criteria (LR+ = 21.00; LR- = .00). Six of the 27 children (22%) had slow language development in comparison to their peers. Newly adopted children with delays on prelinguistic and vocabulary comprehension measures were highly likely to have slow language development at age 2. Initial assessments of these abilities should be used to make early intervention decisions.


A systems biology approach for the study of cumulative oncogenes with applications to the MAPK signal transduction pathway.
The Extracellular signal Regulated Kinase (ERK) pathway is one of the most well-studied signaling pathways in cell cycle regulation. Disruption in the normal functioning of this pathway is linked to many forms of cancer. In a previous study [D.K. Pant, A. Ghosh, Automated oncogene detection in complex protein networks, with applications to the MAPK signal transduction pathway, Biophys. Chem. 113 (2005) 275-288.], we developed a novel approach to predict single point mutations that are likely to cause cellular transformation in signaling transduction networks. We have extended this method to study disparate pair mutation in enzyme/protein interactions and in expression levels in signal transduction pathway and have applied it to the MAPK signaling pathway to study how synergistic or cooperative mutation within signaling networks acts in unison to cause malignant transformation. The method provides a quantitative ranking of the modifier pair of ERK activation. It is seen that the highest ranking single point mutations comprise the highest ranking pair mutations. We validate some of our results with experimental literature on multiple mutations. A second order sensitivity analysis scheme is additionally used to determine the effect of correlations among mutations at different sites in the pathways.


Paeoniflorin protects RAW 264.7 macrophages from LPS-induced cytotoxicity and genotoxicity.
LPS is one of the major constituents of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. LPS-induced activation of macrophage results in the nitrite (NO) production and the secretion of a pro-inflammatory mediator such as PGE(2). Excessive NO reacts with the superoxide anion to generate a selective oxidant and nitrating agent, peroxynitrite, which interacts with biological molecules and damages the cell membranes of them, being able to result in the cell death. We evaluated the protective effects of paeoniflorin (PF) against LPS-induced toxicity by measuring its dose-dependent effects on cell viability in MTT assay, NO production in NO assay, PGE(2) production in prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) assay, and DNA damage in comet assay in LPS-treated RAW 264.7 macrophages. In the comet assay, we also analyzed tail length, tail DNA, and tail moment as the markers of DNA strand breaks. PF-treatment significantly protected RAW 264.7 macrophages against LPS-induced toxicity with the increase of viable cells, the decrease of NO and PGE(2), and the repair of DNA damage.


Screening and identification of T helper 1 and linear immunodominant antibody-binding epitopes in spike 1 domain and membrane protein of feline infectious peritonitis virus.
Feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIP virus: FIPV) causes a fatal disease in wild and domestic cats. The development of an FIP-preventive vaccine requires an antigen that does not induce antibody-dependent enhancement, and T helper (Th)1 activity plays an important role in protect against FIPV infection. In the present study, we identified synthetic peptides including Th1 and a linear immunodominant antibody-binding epitope in the S1 domain and M protein of FIPV. We also identified peptides that strongly induce Th1 activity from those derived from the structural proteins (S, M, and N proteins) of FIPV based on this and previous studies (Satoh et al. [19]). No Th1 epitope-containing peptide was identified in the peptides derived from the S1 domain of type I FIPV. In contrast, 7 Th1 epitope-containing peptides were identified in the S1 domain of type II FIPV, and no linear immunodominant antibody-binding epitope was contained in any of these peptides. Eleven Th1 epitope-containing peptides common to each serotype were identified in the M protein-derived peptides, and 2 peptides (M-11 and M-12) contained the linear immunodominant antibody-binding epitope. Of the peptides derived from the S, M, and N proteins of FIPV, those that induced significantly stronger Th1 activity than that of the FIPV antigen were rescreened, and 4 peptides were identified. When 3 of these peptides (M-9, I-S2-15, and II-S1-24) were selected and administered with CpG-ODNs to SPF cats, M-9 and II-S1-24 induced Th1 activity. Our results may provide important information for the development of a peptide-based vaccine against FIPV infection.


Anthracycline induced inconsistent left ventricular segmental systolic function variation in patients with lymphoma detected by three-dimensional speckle tracking imaging.
Chemotherapy contained anthracycline inevitably cause declines of cardiac function. This study evaluated the deterioration of left ventricular segmental systolic function in patients with lymphoma received anthracycline chemotherapy detected by echocardiographic three dimensional speckle tracking imaging (3D-STI). Sixty patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma who received R-CHOP chemotherapy were enrolled. Three dimensional left ventricular global longitudinal strain (3D-GLS), three dimensional left ventricular global circumferential strain (3D-GCS) and three dimensional left ventricular longitudinal strain of different left ventricular segments (3D-LS) were measured by 3D-STI at baseline, after the completion of two cycles and four cycles of the regimen respectively. Compared with baseline, 3D-GLS reduced significantly after four cycles of anthracycline therapy (P < 0.001), while 3D-GCS showed no significant variation during the whole procedure (all P > 0.05). For individual segment, LS of apical anterior and septal walls decreased significantly after two cycles of chemotherapy (all P < 0.05). After four cycles of treatment, 3D-LS of the mid-ventricular level (all P < 0.05), apical level (all P < 0.05) and apex (P < 0.05) worsened. Serum hs-cTnT levels increased after anthracycline exposure (P < 0.05) and Serum hs-cTnT levels were correlated with 3D-GLS at the end of four cycles (r = 0.12, P = 0.03). Mean values of involved segmental 3D-LS of two and four cycles were both correlated with serum hs-cTnT levels at the end of both two and four cycles (r = 0.368, P = 0.041; r = 0.79, p < 0.001). 3D-STI evaluation of the LV provides an understanding of the segmental impairment of LV wall and the possible process of LV impairment in lymphoma patients after anthracycline chemotherapy.


Rooted leaves for physiological experiments.
Rooted leaves provide convenient material for investigating various physiological processes. Details are given for producing rooted leaves of species with tuberous roots, e.g. Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) and Dahlia (Dahlia variabilis) and species with tap roots, e.g. Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) and Runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus). The storage root formed on a single sugar-beet leaf develops concentric cambia suggesting that their formation is not determined by particular leaves.


The effect of magnesium sulfate infusion on systemic and renal prostacyclin production.
Recent in vitro studies have suggested that magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) infusions may increase prostacyclin production. We studied the effect of MgSO4 infusion on prostacyclin (PGI2) metabolite excretion in women with either pregnancy induced hypertension or preterm labor. Excretion of renal and systemic metabolites of PGI2 was measured prior to and following the start of MgSO4 infusion in the two groups. An increased in renal PGI2 metabolite preterm labor excretion was noted in the hypertension group but no change was noted in systemic PGI2 excretion in either group. These data fail to support a generalized, short term increase in endothelial cell PGI2 production as the basis for the beneficial effect of MgSO4.