[Epidemiologic characteristics of fall in the elderly in urban and rural areas in Shanghai].
Objective: To understand the epidemiologic characteristics of fall in the elderly in Shanghai, as well as the differences between urban and rural areas, and provide evidence for targeted fall prevention and intervention. Methods: From January to March in 2017, a questionnaire survey was conducted in the elderly aged 60 or above selected from 7 urban communities and 6 rural communities in Shanghai to understand the epidemiologic characteristics of fall in the elderly and analyze the gender and urban-rural differences. Results: In urban area, a total of 3 386 elderly people were surveyed, in whom 441 (13.0%) had fall and 261 (7.7%) were injured after fall. In rural area, a total of 2 826 elderly people were surveyed, in whom 320 (11.3%) had fall and 169 (6.0%) were injured after fall. Fall risk in women were higher than that in men in both urban and rural areas with OR of 1.62 (95%CI: 1.42-1.86) and 1.16 (95%CI: 1.38-1.98) respectively, but the differences of fall related injury were not significant. Compared with urban areas, fall risk and fall related injury risk were both lower in rural areas with OR of 0.86 (95%CI: 0.73-0.99) and 0.74 (95%CI: 0.56-0.99). Compared with urban areas, men had lower risk for fall, and women had lower risk for fall related injury with OR of 0.68 (95%CI: 0.51-0.90) and 0.66 (95%CI: 0.47-0.93) respectively. Fall mainly occurred at home. Fall in urban area more frequently occurred on stairs, and fall in rural area more frequently occurred during farming. More than 60% of the falls had environmental risk factors. Slippery ground and uneven ground were main reasons. The incidence of fracture resulted from fall was high indicated by 89 fracture cases in urban areas (28.2%) and 64 fracture cases in rural areas (36.1%). Conclusions: The risk for fall in Shanghai had gender and urban-rural differences. Targeted intervention should be conducted according to the characteristics of fall in the elderly.


Computer-delivered interventions for alcohol and tobacco use: a meta-analysis.
To quantify the overall effectiveness of computer-delivered interventions for alcohol and tobacco use. Meta-analysis of 42 effect sizes from randomized controlled trials, based on the responses of 10 632 individuals. The weighted average effect size (d) was 0.20, P < 0.001. While lower effect sizes were associated with studies addressing tobacco use (d = 0.14) this may well reflect differences in the types of outcome measure used. Effect sizes did not vary significantly as a function of treatment location, inclusion of entertaining elements, provision of normative feedback, availability of a discussion feature, number of treatment sessions, emphasis on relapse prevention, level of therapist involvement or follow-up period. Findings of the meta-analysis suggest that minimal contact computer-delivered treatments that can be accessed via the internet may represent a cost-effective means of treating uncomplicated substance use and related problems.


Characterization of metabolic pathway of linoleic acid 9-hydroperoxide in cytosolic fraction of potato tubers and identification of reaction products.
Potato tubers are shown to contain a unique lipoxygenase pathway to form 9-hydroperoxy-10,12-octadecadienoic acid (9-HPODE) from linoleic acid. Here, we report the metabolic pathway of 9-HPODE in the cytosolic fraction and the characterization of enzymes involved in the conversion of metabolites. The analysis of enzymatic reaction products at pH 5.5 revealed the formation of 9-keto-10,12-octadecadienoic acid, 9-hydroxy-10,12-octadecadienoic acid, 9,10-epoxy-11-hydroxy-12-octadecenoic acid, 9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecenoic acid, and 9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecenoic acid. The cytosolic enzymes were separated by anion-exchange chromatography into two fractions E1 and E2, having molecular masses of 66 and 54 kDa, respectively. The enzyme fraction E1 only produced 9-keto-10,12-octadecadienoic acid, whereas E2 formed other products. The enzyme E1 showed higher reactivity with 13- and 9-hydroperoxide of alpha-linolenic acid than 9-HPODE, but no reaction with hydroxy fatty acids. In contrast, the enzyme E2 showed the highest reactivity with 9-HPODE, followed by hydroperoxides of alpha-linolenic acid and arachidonic acid. We also evaluated the antibacterial activity of hydroxy fatty acids against Erwinia carotovora T-29, a bacterium infecting potato tubers. Growth of the bacteria was suppressed more potently with 9- or 13-hydroxy fatty acids than dihydroxy or trihydroxy fatty acids, suggesting a role for the metabolites in the resistance of bacterial infection.


Pain relief following vertebroplasty in patients with and without localizing tenderness on palpation.
Focal point tenderness over the fractured level is believed to be a necessary criterion for performing vertebroplasty. The purpose of this study was to explore whether the presence of focal-point tenderness over a fracture treated with vertebroplasty predicts superior clinical outcome as compared with outcomes in patients without such tenderness. In this retrospective study, we divided patients into 3 groups on the basis of pain patterns noted during history and physical examination before an initial vertebroplasty in 534 consecutive patients. Group 1 comprised 373 (70%) of 534 patients with focal-point tenderness over the treated fractures. Group 2 comprised 119 (22%) patients with focal-point tenderness over the treated fractures as well as subjective off-midline pain or focal tenderness to palpation over nontreated vertebrae. Group 3 comprised 42 (8%) patients without focal-point tenderness over the treated fractures but with subjective off-midline pain or tenderness to palpation over nontreated vertebrae. Outcomes included pain at rest and with activity as well as the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire score. Statistical tools included the 2-tailed t test with a Bonferroni adjustment. Baseline pain at rest and with activity was not different among groups, but the proportion of group 3 patients maintained on a narcotic anesthesia preprocedure was less than that of groups 1 and 2 (P = .02 compared with both groups). Group 3 achieved significantly lower pain scores at rest at 1 month (P < .0001 compared with group 1 and P < .001 compared with group 2). The presence of focal-point tenderness does not predict superior clinical response following vertebroplasty compared with the absence of focal tenderness. Even patients without focal tenderness may benefit from vertebroplasty.


Is there an increased risk of lymphoma and malignancies under anti-TNF therapy in IBD?
Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) inhibitors ensure valuable treatment advantages for patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) by offering a more targeted anti-inflammatory therapy. In contrast, there is concern that it might increase the risk of long-term complications including infections and the risk for malignancies and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Although the results from hospital- and population-based studies are conflictive, the results of a meta-analysis suggest that patients receiving purine analogues for the treatment of IBD have a lymphoma risk 4-fold higher than expected. Analyses of lymphoma risk in patients receiving biologic agents directed against tumor necrosis factor-alpha are confounded by concomitant use of immunosuppressive agents in most of these patients. Nevertheless, in a recent meta-analysis, a 3-fold increased risk of NHL was found in patients with previous immunomodulator exposure, while scattered case reports point to the potentially increased risk of a rare form of NHL (Hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma) with the use of azathioprine-anti-TNF combination. The absolute rate of these events remains, however, low and should be weighed against the substantial benefits associated with treatment. In contrast, data obtained from observational studies and registries did not show an increased risk for solid tumours or lymphoma in patients with anti-TNF exposure. The aim of this review is to summarize the available evidence on the association between malignancy and anti-TNF treatment in IBD.


Gaseous emissions from the combustion of a waste mixture containing a high concentration of N2O.
This paper is focused on reducing the emissions from the combustion of a waste mixture containing a high concentration of N2O. A rate model and an equilibrium model were used to predict gaseous emissions from the combustion of the mixture. The influences of temperature and methane were considered, and the experimental research was carried out in a tabular reactor and a pilot combustion furnace. The results showed that for the waste mixture, the combustion temperature should be in the range of 950-1100 degrees C and the gas residence time should be 2s or higher to reduce emissions.


Robust subspace discovery via relaxed rank minimization.
This letter examines the problem of robust subspace discovery from input data samples (instances) in the presence of overwhelming outliers and corruptions. A typical example is the case where we are given a set of images; each image contains, for example, a face at an unknown location of an unknown size; our goal is to identify or detect the face in the image and simultaneously learn its model. We employ a simple generative subspace model and propose a new formulation to simultaneously infer the label information and learn the model using low-rank optimization. Solving this problem enables us to simultaneously identify the ownership of instances to the subspace and learn the corresponding subspace model. We give an efficient and effective algorithm based on the alternating direction method of multipliers and provide extensive simulations and experiments to verify the effectiveness of our method. The proposed scheme can also be used to tackle many related high-dimensional combinatorial selection problems.


[Variation Characteristics and Sources Analysis of Atmospheric Volatile Organic Compounds in Changbai Mountain Station].
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play very important roles in the formation of ozone and secondary organic aerosols. The concentrations, compositions, and seasonal variation of VOCs were measured in 2012 at Changbai Mountain Forest Ecosystem Research Station, a remote station in Northeast China. Weekly samples were collected in the Changbai Mountain area and analyzed via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that the annual mean concentration of total VOCs (TVOCs) was 10.7×10-9±6.2×10-9. Halohydrocarbon was the most abundant component, accounting for 37% of the total VOCs, followed by alkanes and aromatics, accounting for 33% and 15% respectively, and alkenes accounted for 15%. The seasonal variation of TVOCs in this area was obvious, and the order was spring >autumn >summer >winter. TVOCs concentration in spring was very significantly higher than those in any other season (P<0.05). The principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify the sources of the VOCs. Five sources were resolved by the PCA, including traffic sources, LPG,biogenic sources, combustion sources, industrial sources and regional transportation. The HYSPLIT-4.0 model was used to analyze the effect of pollutant transport, and the results indicated that the transport of pollutants from southwest had a significant effect on the increase of VOCs concentration.


Self-reported satisfaction of enrollees in capitated and fee-for-service dental benefit plans.
This article examines the impact of capitated, or CAP, and fee-for-service, or FFS, dental benefit plans on the enrollees' satisfaction with their plans and their satisfaction with their dentists. The authors selected four dental markets: California, New Jersey, Michigan and North Carolina. Eight Fortune 500 companies participated. Enrollees were selected randomly and interviewed about their experiences with their dental plans. The sample consisted of 2,340 respondents, of whom 42.3 percent were enrolled in CAP plans and 57.7 percent in FFS plans. The major findings were that those enrolled in FFS plans were four times more likely to be very satisfied than dissatisfied with their dental plans than were those in CAP plans. The FFS plan enrollees were 16 times more likely to be very satisfied than dissatisfied with their dentists than were those in CAP plans. Enrollees generally were satisfied with their plans and their dentists but those in FFS plans were the most satisfied. The higher the premium paid, the higher the level of satisfaction. Enrollees with perceived unmet needs were less satisfied with their dental benefit plans and dentists. Taking care of needs is the most significant thing dentists can do to affect patients' satisfaction.


MyD88 modulates eosinophil and neutrophil recruitment as well as IL-17A production during allergic inflammation.
The contribution of dysregulated innate immune responses to the pathogenesis of allergic disease remains largely unknown. Herein, we addressed the role of Toll-like receptor signaling in airway inflammation by studying mice rendered deficient for the myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88-/-) which results in concurrent deficiencies in TLR and IL-1R1 signaling pathways. We show that the lack of MyD88 offers a partial protection from allergic disease evidenced by reduced airway eosinophilia and production of the Th17-associated effector cytokine IL-17A. By contrast, airway hyperreactivity and Th2 cytokine production, the cardinal features of allergic disease, remained unchanged. We found that the impaired IL-17A production in MyD88-/- mice was associated with defective CD4+ T cells, which failed to respond to IL-23 stimulation. The total number of Th17-associated effectors in lymph nodes was likewise decreased. Taken together, our results demonstrate that MyD88-dependent mechanisms are critical for orchestrating lung inflammatory responses, in terms of IL-17A production, as well as eosinophil and neutrophil recruitment.


Genetic fingerprinting and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of Pseudomonas aeruginosa hospital isolates in Malaysia.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the third most common pathogen causing nosocomial infections. The objective of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial resistance profiles and genetic diversity of hospital isolates of P. aeruginosa and to investigate the presence of several resistance genes and integrons. In this retrospective study, 48 clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa from 6 public hospitals in Malaysia were analyzed by antimicrobial susceptibility test and DNA fingerprinting techniques. Most of the P. aeruginosa isolates were resistant to tetracycline (73%) and chloramphenicol (60%) and, to a lesser extent, cefotaxime (40%), ceftriaxone (31%), cefoperazone (29%), ticarcillin (25%), piperacillin (23%), and imipenem (21%). Less than 20% of the isolates were resistant to ceftazidime, gentamicin, cefepime, ciprofloxacin, amikacin, piperacillin-tazobactam, and aztreonam (10%). Of the 48 isolates, 33 were multidrug resistant. Two isolates were extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producers using the double-disk synergy test. However, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) failed to detect any common ESBL-encoding genes in all isolates, except for bla(OXA-10) in PA7 that was found to be part of a class 1 integron-encoded aacA4-bla(IMP-9)-catB8-bla(OXA-10) gene cassette. Using PCR, class 1 integron-encoded integrases were detected in 19% of the P. aeruginosa isolates. Repetitive extragenic palindrome-PCR generated 40 different profiles (F = 0.50-1.0) and enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-PCR produced 46 profiles (F = 0.51-1.0). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis with SpeI-digested genomic DNA resulted in 45 different profiles (F = 0.50-1.00). Aztreonam appeared to be the most effective agent against multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa isolates. Sixty nine percent of the P. aeruginosa isolates analyzed were multidrug resistant and the isolates were genetically diverse.


Tissue, age, and sex distribution of thallium in shrews from Doñana, a protected area in SW Spain.
In 1998, the protected area of Doñana, an important natural region in SW Europe, was affected with great amount of acidic waters and sludge from a pyrite mine loaded with toxic metals such as thallium (Tl). Since this ecological catastrophe, several studies have addressed the effects of this pollution on the flora and fauna in this protected area. However, in contrast to other non-essential metals, scarce information on Tl was available after this disaster, especially in terrestrial environments. This study reported a 3- and 10-fold increase in Tl in liver and kidneys, respectively, of the greater white-toothed shrew, Crocidura russula, in the polluted site in comparison with reference animals. Kidneys showed the highest concentrations of this metal in the polluted site, whereas both organs analysed have similar concentrations in the reference site. Although no significant age-dependent variation was found, adults had higher concentrations than juveniles. Moreover, females showed higher concentrations than males. These results demonstrate the high entrance and transfer of Tl in terrestrial food-chains. To the best of my knowledge, these data constitute the first measurements of Tl in mammals from the protected area of Doñana and are among the few available for insectivorous mammals.


Delay time modulation induced oscillating synchronization and intermittent anticipatory/lag and complete synchronizations in time-delay nonlinear dynamical systems.
Existence of a new type of oscillating synchronization that oscillates between three different types of synchronizations (anticipatory, complete, and lag synchronizations) is identified in unidirectionally coupled nonlinear time-delay systems having two different time-delays, that is feedback delay with a periodic delay time modulation and a constant coupling delay. Intermittent anticipatory, intermittent lag, and complete synchronizations are shown to exist in the same system with identical delay time modulations in both the delays. The transition from anticipatory to complete synchronization and from complete to lag synchronization as a function of coupling delay with suitable stability condition is discussed. The intermittent anticipatory and lag synchronizations are characterized by the minimum of the similarity functions and the intermittent behavior is characterized by a universal asymptotic -32 power law distribution. It is also shown that the delay time carved out of the trajectories of the time-delay system with periodic delay time modulation cannot be estimated using conventional methods, thereby reducing the possibility of decoding the message by phase space reconstruction.


Effect of heat stress on milk production, rectal temperature, respiratory rate and blood chemistry in Holstein, Jersey and Australian Milking Zebu cows.
The effect of heat stress on changes in milk production, rectal temperature, respiratory rate and blood chemistry was evaluated in three groups of six mature Holstein, Jersey and Australian Milking Zebu (AMZ) dairy cows. These animals were subjected to a cool environment when the mean temperature-humidity index (THI) was 72+/-1.4 (dry bulb temperature of 22.2-24.4 degrees C and relative humidity of 100-60%) during the month of December. This experiment was repeated during the hotter month of July of the following year, when the mean THI was 93+/-3.1 (dry bulb temperature of 35.6-43.9 degrees C and relative humidity 95-35%). Holstein cows produced more (p <0.01) milk than AMZ and Jersey cows during the cooler months of the year and all the cows were dry during the hotter months from June until September. Heat stress increased (p<0.01) rectal temperature and respiratory rate in all three breeds. Heat stress had no effect on blood pH in Holstein and AMZ cows but lowered (p <0.01) blood pH from 7.42 to 7.34 in Jersey cows. In addition, heat stress lowered (p <0.01) blood pCO2 (kPa), bicarbonate (HCO3, mmol/L), base excess (BE, mmol/L) and plasma chloride (Cl-, mmol/L) in all three breeds. The total haemoglobin (THb, g/dl) was elevated (p <0.01) in all three breeds when they were subjected to heat stress. Heat stress increased (p<0.01) oxygen saturation (O2SAT, %) in Jersey and AMZ cows but lowered it (p <0.01) in Holstein cows. On the other hand, heat stress increased (p <0.01)pO2 (kPa) in Holstein and Jersey cows but lowered it (p <0.01) in AMZ cows. Heat stress increased (p <0.01) plasma potassium (K, mmol/L) and calcium (Ca, mmol/L) only in Holstein and Jersey cows but lowered them (p<0.01) in AMZ cows. The plasma glucose (GLU, mmol/L) increased (p<0.01) with heat stress in Holstein and AMZ cows but decreased (p <0.01) in Jersey cows. Heat stress increased (p<0.01) plasma creatinine (CR, (mol/L) but lowered (p<0.01) plasma creatinine phosphokinase (CPK, IU/L), aspartate aminotransferase (AST, IU/L) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN, mmol/L) in all three breeds. These results indicate that heat-stressed Holstein and AMZ cows were able to maintain their acid-base balance with a marginal change in their pH of 0.02 when their rectal temperatures increased by 0.47 and 0.38 degrees C, respectively. When heat stress increased the rectal temperature in Jersey cows by 0.70 degrees C, the pH decreased (p<0.01) from 7.42 to 7.34. However, even with this decrease 0.08 the pH is still within the lower physiological limit of 7.31.


The natural hosts for larvae and nymphs of Amblyomma neumanni and Amblyomma parvum (Acari: Ixodidae).
Based on the hypothesis that birds and rodents are important hosts for subadults of the Neotropical Amblyomma neumanni and Amblyomma parvum ticks, a survey of these type of hosts was carried out from July 2004 to March 2006, in Quilino (A. parvum) and Dean Funes (A. neumanni), Córdoba province, Argentina. Additionally, monthly tick counts were performed on cattle and goats with occasional tick search in other domestic hosts. Records of questing height of subadult ticks on vegetation were also carried out monthly. Rodents (n = 123) and birds (n = 122) captured in Dean Funes showed no infestation with A. neumanni. Apart of few nymphs found on horses, all larvae and nymphs of A. neumanni were on cattle with a larval prevalence and mean number of 22.2%, and 7.7 +/- 22.52, respectively, and a prevalence of nymphs of 47.8% with a mean of 7.9 +/- 18.49. The average questing height of larvae and nymphs of A. neumanni was 23.5 +/- 17.1 cm and 30.7 +/- 26.7 cm, respectively. A total of 138 rodents and 130 birds were captured in Quilino but the Caviidae rodent Galea musteloides carried 99.3% of larvae and 99.8% of nymphs of A. parvum, and no immature stages were detected on cattle, goat or vegetation. Tick counts on G. musteloides (n = 74) showed a prevalence of 42% and a mean number of 9.9 +/- 24.83 for larvae, while nymphal infestation had a prevalence of 56.5% and a mean of 8.7 +/- 11.31. Cattle appear to be suitable hosts to sustain the complete cycle of A. neumanni in nature (adult ticks infest cattle too) and questing height of subadults indicates that they are expecting to feed on medium and large-sized mammals, such as cattle and other ungulates. At least in the study site, G. musteloides is the principal host for the survival strategy of A. parvum subadults; adult ticks are common on cattle and goats. These hosts are introduced in the Neotropics but A. neumanni was able to develop a surrogate cycle independent of native hosts while A. parvum still depends on probably primeval hosts to sustain their larvae and nymphs.


Oncological Outcomes in Patients Treated with Radical Cystectomy for Bladder Cancer: Comparison Between Open, Laparoscopic, and Robot-Assisted Approaches.
To investigate oncological outcomes in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer who underwent open radical cystectomy (ORC), laparoscopic radical cystectomy (LRC), or robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC). A retrospective analysis was performed on 230 patients who underwent ORC (n = 150), LRC (n = 22), or RARC (n = 58) between September 2009 and June 2012. Perioperative outcomes were compared between the three surgical approaches. The influence of the type of surgical approach on recurrence-free survival (RFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and overall survival (OS) was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and differences were assessed with the log-rank test. Predictors of RFS, CSS, and OS were also analyzed with a Cox regression model. The median patient age for ORC, LRC, and RARC groups was 68.0 (interquartile range [IQR]: 60.0-73.0), 65.0 (IQR: 62.8-74.0), and 61.5 (IQR: 54.8-72.0) years, respectively (p = 0.017), and the median follow-up duration was 27.9 (IQR: 14.7-47.9), 28.8 (IQR: 15.7-41.8), and 32.0 (IQR: 15.5-45.4) months, respectively (p = 0.955). There was no significant difference in RFS, CSS, and OS according to the surgical approach (p = 0.253, p = 0.431, and p = 0.527, respectively). Subgroup analysis revealed that RFS, CSS, and OS were not significantly different in both subgroups with stage ≤pT2 or ≥pT3. Multivariable Cox regression analyses showed that the surgical approach was not a significant predictor of RFS, CSS, and OS. Our findings indicate that the type of surgical approach is not associated with RFS, CSS, and OS in patients with bladder cancer.


Early intervention in schizophrenia patients--rationale for its implementation and practice.
This review examines the clinical and theoretical evidence justifying early intervention in individuals with schizophrenia. Potential reasons for the previous lack of emphasis on early intervention are discussed. Interventions that target psychosis are distinguished from those that work on prodromal symptoms. It is suggested that early intervention programmes should try to reduce the duration of untreated psychosis. The relationship between this and outcome is discussed. Improving service accessibility alone may not be sufficient, and education and destigmatisation input may be required. Once a patient is identified, vigorous pharmacological and psychosocial interventions are important to improve the long-term clinical outcome. An effective early intervention programme for psychosis provides a basis for the future development of a prodrome intervention programme.


Excision, repair and corrective surgery for fronto-ethmoidal meningocoele.
This presentation deals with our experience of surgery on 8 patients with fronto-ethmoidal meningocoele. 7 of these patients had an intracranial repair of the meningocoele, coupled with or followed by an orbital osteotomy, to correct the associated hypertelorism. We feel that an orbital osteotomy done at the time of meningocoele repair improves the results of surgery, without adding to its risk. The osteotomy practised by the authors includes resection of a central wedge of bone and a medial shift of the roof and medial wall of the orbit.


[Ankylosing spondylarthritis, HLA B27 and the theory of crossed tolerance].
The association between HLA-B27 and ankylosing spondylitis could be explained by a theory of crossed tolerance, which proposes that Gram negative bacteria have antigens similar to HLA-B27. Experimental studies with human sera with anti-HLA specificity and rabbit sera with anti-Klebsiella specificity demonstrate a partial crossed reactivity between HLA-B27 and Klebsiella. Clinical studies have shown that Klebsiella can be isolated from patients with ankylosing spondylitis during relapses or active phases of the disease. The theory of crossed tolerance proposes that ankylosing spondylitis is a reactive arthritis which develops after infection with Gram negative bacteria. The agent directly involved in causing the disease is an anti-bacterial antibody which binds to self antigens with partial crossed reactivity, such as HLA-B27, and the inflammation develops as a result of triggering of the complement cascade by the antigen-antibody complex.


Mechanisms of site-specific photochemistry following core-shell ionization of chemically inequivalent carbon atoms in acetaldehyde (ethanal).
Site-specific fragmentation upon 1s photoionisation of acetaldehyde has been studied using synchrotron radiation and a multi-electron-ion coincidence technique based on a magnetic bottle. Experimental evidence is presented that bond rupture occurs with highest probability in the vicinity of the initial charge localisation and possible mechanisms are discussed. We find that a significant contribution to site-specific photochemistry is made by different fragmentation patterns of individual quantum states populated at identical ionisation energies.


Radioprotective effect of vitamin E on salivary glands after radioiodine therapy for differentiated thyroid cancer: a randomized-controlled trial.
This study aimed to examine the radioprotective effect of vitamin E on salivary glands after radioactive iodine (I) therapy in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. Eighty-two patients with differentiated thyroid cancer were enrolled in this study. They were divided randomly into four groups (control group: 22 cases, group A: 23 cases, group B: 22 cases, and group C: 15 cases) before postsurgical ablation therapy with 100 mCi I. The patients in groups A, B, and C received vitamin E 100, 200, and 300 mg/day orally, respectively, for a duration of 1 week before to 4 weeks after I therapy. Salivary gland function was assessed using salivary gland scintigraphy immediately before and 6 months after I therapy. Uptake fraction (UF), uptake index (UI), excretion fraction (EF), and excretion ratio (ER) of each salivary gland were measured and compared. On comparison between before and after I therapy in the control group, there was a significant decrease in UF of both right and left parotid glands (all P<0.01). In group A, a significant increase in EF of the right parotid gland (P<0.01) and UI of the right submandibular gland (P<0.05) was found. In group B, there was a significant increase in UI of the right parotid gland and both submandibular glands (all P<0.01). In group C, there was a significant increase in UF of the left parotid gland (P<0.05) and the right submandibular gland (P<0.01). Also, there was a statistical increase in UI in both submandibular glands (all P<0.01). However, on comparing the changes in the post-I therapy salivary scintigraphy parameters among the four groups, there was a significant difference in ΔUI of the right parotid gland (P<0.05) and both submandibular glands (all P<0.01), as well as ΔER of the left parotid gland (P<0.05) and ΔUF of the left submandibular gland (P<0.05). Vitamin E exerts significant protective effects on the parotid and submandibular glands after I therapy.


Effects of protease inhibitors and calmodulin inhibitors on Ca2+ influx and catecholamine secretion in isolated bovine adrenal medullary cells.
Acetylcholine (ACh) (10(-4) M) induced Ca2+ influx (21.2 nmol/mg cell protein/3 min) and catecholamine (CA) secretion (11.5% of total CA content) in isolated bovine adrenal medullary cells. Both excess K+ (56 mM KCl) and a calcium ionophore (A-23187: 10(-5) M) also induced CA secretion (9.7 and 7.5%, respectively, of total CA content). Protease inhibitors [gabexate mesilate (FOY), TLCK], a synthetic substrate of protease (TAME) and calmodulin inhibitors (W-7, trifluoperazine, promethazine, chlorpromazine) inhibited Ca2+ influx and CA secretion induced by ACh. Protease inhibitors and a substrate of protease had no effect on CA secretion induced by excess K+, and a high concentration of calmodulin inhibitors was required to inhibit excess K+-induced CA secretion. CA secretion induced by A-23187 was not inhibited by these inhibitors and the substrate.


Bioavailability of two oral suspension and two oral tablet formulations of nimesulide 100 mg in healthy Brazilian adult subjects.
A specific, fast and sensitive high performance liquid chromatography coupled to an electro spray tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS) assay was developed for the determination of nimesulide in human plasma using carbamazepine as the internal standard. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 50 ng/ml and the calibration curves were linear in the concentration range of 50 - 6,000 ng/ml. Method inter-batch precision and accuracy ranged from 2.78 to 10.80%, and 94.92 to 102.46%, respectively. Intra-batch precision ranged from 2.44 to 7.74%, while intra-batch accuracy ranged from 91.70 to 104.73%. The analytical method was applied to evaluate the pharmacokinetic and relative bioavailability of two different pharmaceutical formulations containing nimesulide, one tablet and one oral suspension, manufactured by the same pharmaceutical factory, comparing with two reference Nisulid formulations in 52 volunteers of both sexes previously divided in two groups of 26 subjects (13 men and 13 females each group). The test tablet formulation was not bioequivalent to the Nisulid 100 mg tablet with respect to the rate of absorption, but was bioequivalent according to the extent of drug absorption. On the other hand, since the 90% CI for Cmax, AUC0-t and AUCinf were within the 80 - 125% interval in the oral suspension study, it was concluded that test oral suspension were bioequivalent to Nisulid 50 mg/ml with respect to both the rate and extent of absorption.


The place of PRL in human lactation.
Plasma PRL levels were measured during an episode of breast feeding in fourteen women on the eighth and 42nd post-partum days. The results show that as lactation continues so the importance of absolute values of PRL diminishes, but the capability to secrete PRL in response to the suckling stimulus is maintained.


A method for repositioning the external ear.
The malposition of an otherwise normal-appearing external ear is not uncommon in certain craniofacial syndromes. This paper presents a 10-year experience of 14 patients who underwent external ear repositioning. In this technique, a posterior incision is used to mobilize surrounding soft tissues circumferentially around the external auditory canal, which then serves as an axis for anterior rotation and elevation. Elevation of up to 8 mm and rotation up to 30 degrees can be achieved. Further elevation is limited by the ensuing constriction and resistance of the external auditory canal. More rotation can be achieved with a Z-plasty transposition of an inferiorly based postauricular skin flap.


PCR bias toward the wild-type k-ras and p53 sequences: implications for PCR detection of mutations and cancer diagnosis.
PCR-based cancer diagnosis requires detection of rare mutations in k-ras, p53 or other genes. The assumption has been that mutant and wild-type sequences amplify with near equal efficiency, so that they are eventually present in proportions representative of the starting material. Work on factor IX suggests that this assumption is invalid for one case of near-sequence identity. To test the generality of this phenomenon and its relevance to cancer diagnosis, primers distant from point mutations in p53 and k-ras were used to amplify wild-type and mutant sequences from these genes. A substantial bias against PCR amplification of mutants was observed for two regions of the p53 gene and one region of k-ras. For k-ras and p53, bias was observed when the wild-type and mutant sequences were amplified separately or when mixed in equal proportions before PCR. Bias was present with proofreading and non-proofreading polymerases. Mutant and wild-type segments of the factor V, cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator and prothrombin genes were amplified and did not exhibit PCR bias. Therefore, the assumption of equal PCR efficiency for point mutant and wild-type sequences is invalid in several systems. Quantitative or diagnostic PCR will require validation for each locus, and enrichment strategies may be needed to optimize detection of mutants.


Progesterone effects upon dopamine release from the corpus striatum of female rats. II. Evidence for a membrane site of action and the role of albumin.
In the present experiment we used immobilized progesterone linked to bovine serum albumin (P4-3-BSA) as a probe to examine whether the effects of a direct in vitro infusion of progesterone upon dopamine (DA) release from corpus striatal (CS) tissue fragments from ovariectomized estrogen-treated rats may be attributable to a surface membrane site of action. In Expt. I, a direct in vitro pulsatile infusion of P4-3-BSA resulted in two discrete episodes of stimulated DA release which were not observed in superfusions receiving a continuous infusion of P4-3-BSA or compared to data of control superfusions. In contrast to that of a pulsatile administration, a continuous infusion of P4-3-BSA completely abolished the amphetamine-stimulated response from these tissue preparations with significantly lower DA release rates compared to the pulsatile P4-3-BSA (P less than 0.02) and control (P less than 0.04) conditions. In Expt. II, the addition of tetrodotoxin (TTX, 1 microM) to the superfusion medium abolished the discriminatory response between pulsatile and continuous administration of immobilized progesterone. These results indicate that the action of progesterone on DA release from the CS is mediated primarily through a surface membrane site of an interneuron(s) which can discriminately respond to a specific infusion mode of this steroid.


Inpatient care quality: analyzing Swedish hospitals with stroke as a tracer.
Mortality statistics are an important source of information concerning variations in time and place, identification of risk factors and the evaluation of treatment programs. In this study, a new death certificate was completed "blind" on the basis of hospital records from the last episode of care, across a random sample of 1,376 cases. The results showed that the overlap between the official register's underlying cause of death and that of a panel was 72 per cent at the three-digit level. The official underlying cause of death from cerebrovascular diseases (CVD) was 72 cases in this sample, while 93 were deemed to have CVD by a panel. Additionally, of the 1,233 cases originally reported as non-CVD, the panel deemed non-CVD to be the true underlying cause in 1,176 cases. The paper concludes that CVD was most often correctly reported as the underlying cause of death in the investigated ages up to 75 years but plain differences were found between specialities and in different hospital size.


alpha-Hypervalent iodine functionalized phosphonium and arsonium ylides and their tandem reaction as umpolung reagents.
alpha-Hypervalent iodine functionalized phosphonium and arsonium ylides 2 can be used as umpolung ylides to react with nucleophiles to give alpha-heteroatom substituted ylides 4 in good yields. The nucleophilic substitution-Wittig tandem reaction of 2 can occur smoothly to provide an efficient method for the synthesis of (Z)-alpha-halo-alpha,beta-unsaturated enoates or enones 6, stereoselectively.


Chimeric peptides as a vehicle for peptide pharmaceutical delivery through the blood-brain barrier.
A new strategy for peptide delivery through the brain capillary wall, i.e., the blood-brain barrier (BBB), is the synthesis of chimeric peptides which are formed by the covalent coupling of a non-transportable peptide (e.g., beta-endorphin) to a transportable peptide that undergoes receptor- or absorptive-mediated transcytosis at the BBB. beta-endorphin was covalently coupled via disulfide linkage to cationized albumin (pI greater than or equal to 9) which, owing to it's highly basic charge, undergoes rapid absorptive-mediated transport into brain from blood. The [3H]labeled beta-endorphin-cationized albumin chimera was rapidly taken up by isolated brain capillaries in vitro and by rat brain in vivo; conversely, the BBB uptake of native [3H]beta-endorphin was negligible. The synthesis of chimeric peptides is a new strategy for solving the problem of peptide delivery through the BBB.


[The point-of-care technologies in clinic of emergency states].
The article considers the issues of implementation of the point-of-care technology (diagnostic testing at treatment place) in modern clinic of emergency states. The economic practicability and advantages of point-of-care tests as compared with analyses in central laboratory is considered. The data concerning the characteristics of quality control under point-of-care are presented. Separately, the application of basic laboratory analyses using point-of-care technologies in case of emergency states is examined


Population aging, social security design, and early retirement.
"The aging of the industrialized countries will dramatically strain their social security systems. In Germany, for example, 100 employed persons now support about 40 elderly, but 85 elderly will have to be sustained by the same number of employed persons in the year 2030. This pressure is exacerbated by the observed trend towards earlier retirement ages. This paper presents cross-national evidence and an option value analysis of the retirement decision to argue that the distortions created by the actuarially unfair design of the social security systems in the United States and particularly in Germany have significantly contributed in this trend." (SUMMARY IN GER)


Improving cell adhesion: development of a biosensor for cell behaviour monitoring by surface grafting of sulfonic groups onto a thermoplastic polyurethane.
The surface properties of a material in combination with the mechanical properties are responsible for the material performance in a biological environment as well as the behaviour of the cells which contact with the material. Surface properties such as chemical, physical, biological play an important role in the biomaterials filed. In this work, the surface of a thermoplastic polyurethane film (Elastollan(®)1180A50) was tailored with sulfonic groups by grafting [2-(methacryloxyl)ethyl]-dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl)-ammonium hydroxide (SB) after a previous surface activation either by Argon plasma or by ultra-violet irradiation. This surface modification had the purpose of improving cell adhesion in order to develop a biosensor able to monitor cell behaviour. The surfaces were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, by atomic force microscopy and by contact angle measurements in order to evaluate the efficiency of the modification. Additionally, blood compatibility studies and cell adhesion tests with human bone marrow cells were performed. These methods allowed the grafting of SB and the results indicate that a higher density of grafting was achieved with previous surface plasma treatment than with UV irradiation. However, for both techniques, the presence of SB functional groups led to a decrease of hydrophobicity and roughness of the surface, together with an improvement of the materials biological performance.


Visibility, resilience, vulnerability in young migrants.
Young unaccompanied asylum seekers have been portrayed as vulnerable, resilient or both. Those granted residency in Europe are offered support by health and social care systems, but once they leave the care system to make independent lives, what part can these services play? Our review of research with migrants who have been in care in Sweden and the United Kingdom found evidence of unmet need, but little research describing their own views of services. The limited published evidence, supplemented by interviews with care leavers in a UK inner city, suggests that in defining health needs, young people emphasise housing, education, employment and friendship over clinical or preventative services. Some felt well supported while others described feeling vulnerable, anxious, angry or sad. These experiences, if linked with the insensitivity of even one professional, could lower young people's expectations of healthcare to the extent that they avoided contact with service providers. In supporting young migrants' resilience to meet everyday challenges, friendly support from peers, carers and professionals was important. They needed determined advocacy at key moments. The different challenges for the Swedish and UK health and welfare systems along with the resilience/vulnerability trajectory are described.


Result, error and uncertainty.
Several recent documents, from international standardization bodies, present the philosophical and statistical background for understanding the components of a measured value and its uncertainty, as well as the relevant nomenclature for their description. The value is the output of a function relating values from reading, calibrator, corrections and influence quantities. The corrected value may be regarded as the sum of a true value, bias of measurement procedure, laboratory deviation, and random error; in some cases there are also biases from aberrant sample and undetected mistakes. The contributions of laboratory deviation and random error vary with the precision conditions that must be specified. The uncertainty measures are no longer a sum of systematic errors and the positive square root of quadratically added random errors. Now, the measured corrected value is the best estimate and the components of its uncertainty, one from each input, are all expressed as statistically or non-statistically derived variances that are combined according to the function relating the input values. The positive square root of the outcome is the combined standard uncertainty that is regarded as a standard deviation from which an expanded uncertainty may be obtained by multiplying with a coverage factor.


Cambodia. MOE to introduce population education in three subjects.
Cambodia is currently undertaking reforms of its educational system both in structure and substance. Under these reforms, the Ministry of Education (MOE) is revising its curricula and textbooks in selective subjects. The government and UNFPA saw a timely opportunity to introduce population education concepts into three subjects, geography, home science, and moral education and civics from grades 7 to 12. To pave the way for this activity, the UNFPA and the government discussed the development of a pilot project that will concentrate first on the training of small numbers of professional educators and development of a first draft of curricula and textbooks including teacher's guides which could be tried out in this pilot stage and reproduced during the second phase. The project document has been prepared with the assistance of CST adviser on population education, Mr. Ansar Ali Khan, based in CST Bangkok, and is now under review.


Fatigue fractures of the femoral component of Charnley and Charnley-Müller type total hip prostheses.
A survey is given of the mechanical failures of the femoral component of Charnley and Charnley-Müller type total hip prostheses. Fractographic analysis reveals that all the prostheses have broken by metal fatigue. A review of the clinical data has been combined with a metallurgical and a mechanical study in order to assess the reasons of the mechanical failures. The following conclusions have been reached. The prosthesis should be inserted in varus position with regard to the axis of the intramedullary canal, and the prosthesis should be made of an alloy with appreciably higher yield stress and fatigue strength than the alloys of the investigated broken Charnley and Charnley-Müller type prostheses.


Invasive colorectal micropapillary carcinoma: an aggressive variant of adenocarcinoma.
Micropapillary carcinoma (MC) has been well described in other organs, including breast, urinary bladder, lung, ovary, and salivary gland, but has not been described in the large intestine. We compared the clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical findings of MC with those of conventional adenocarcinoma in the large intestine. Fifty-five cases of adenocarcinoma with an MC component were identified among 585 consecutive cases of colorectal cancer at the Asan Medical Center between January 2003 and June 2004 and were compared with 119 cases of conventional adenocarcinoma of colorectum without an MC component. Arrayed tissue blocks were constructed and immunostained for cytokeratin 7 and 20 and CDX2. We also compared the results of MLH-1, MSH-2, p53, and carcinoembryonic antigen immunostainings between the 2 groups. The grade of both MC and conventional adenocarcinoma was mostly moderately differentiated. The proportion of MC ranged from 5% to 80%. The presence but not extent of MC in the primary tumors was associated with more frequent lymphovascular invasion and lymph node (LN) metastases, a greater mean number of positive LNs, and a higher tumor stage with more frequent distant metastases, compared with conventional adenocarcinoma (P < .05). Cytokeratin 7 staining was occasionally observed in both MC (9.1%, 5/55 cases) and conventional adenocarcinoma (13.4%, 16/119 cases). Although MLH-1 and CDX2 expression tended to be lower in conventional adenocarcinoma, none of the immunohistochemical results was significantly different between 2 groups. Recognition of MC component is important as MC appeared to be an aggressive variant of colonic adenocarcinoma and presented at a higher stage, with frequent lymphovascular invasion, LN metastasis, and distant metastasis, compared with conventional adenocarcinoma. The proportion of MC component did not impact the prognosis, and the immunoprofiles of MC were not significantly different from those of conventional adenocarcinoma.


Abdominal aortic aneurysms and alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency.
The incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) has been reported to be increased in heterozygous (PiMZ) and homozygous (PiZZ) alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1 AT) deficiency. We report a further case of AAA in a PiSZ alpha 1AT-deficient female with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Moreover, to assess the risk of AAA in patients with PiZZ alpha 1AT deficiency, we conducted a retrospective study based on 30 consecutive autopsied adult cases of severe alpha 1AT deficiency identified during the period 1963-1993 in the city of Malmö, Sweden, during which autopsies were performed in 49,548, or 58.4%, of all residents in the city who died. From the homozygote frequency in the general population, 50 of these would be expected to have alpha 1AT deficiency. The disease had been diagnosed in 35, and autopsies had been performed in 30 adults. Each autopsied case was matched with four controls selected from the same autopsy register, and the Mantel-Haenszel odds ratio (ORmh) was calculated. We found one case of AAA amongst the 30 PiZZ individuals autopsied, and one case amongst 120 autopsied controls (ORmh = 2.65, 95% confidence limits, 0.47-15.0; P = 0.273). We found no significant evidence of the relationship between AAA and the PiZZ polymorphism, although previously reported by others. At least in severe alpha 1AT deficiency, any coexistence of the PiZZ phenotype and AAA would seem to be fortuitous.


Penetrating vestibular injury due to a twig entering via the external auditory meatus.
We report a patient in whom a twig entered the vestibule via the external auditory meatus and was removed surgically. The patient was an 11-year-old boy who sustained a penetrating injury to his ear when he was rock climbing. Vertigo and hearing loss developed immediately. The vertigo improved over time. As it recurred, however, exploratory tympanotomy was performed 17 days after the accident. A piece of wood about 8 mm long was found to have penetrated the vestibule from in front of the stapes. This foreign body was removed and the vestibular fistula was closed. Although the patient's vertigo resolved after the operation, his hearing did not improve.


Influence of hypoxia, high glucose, and low serum on the growth kinetics of mesenchymal stem cells from deciduous and permanent teeth.
The therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stromal cells depends on their ability to survive and proliferate under adverse in vivo scenarios in a particular disease. In most of the sites of injury, especially in diabetic wounds, there can be hypoxia, hyperglycemia, and ischemia, leading to a lack of nutrients. Hence, the aim of our present study was to investigate the influence of hypoxia, high glucose, and low serum concentrations on the growth kinetics and proliferative potential of human dental pulp stem cells from exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) and permanent teeth (DPSC). In this study we isolated two types of specialized stem cells from human dental pulp tissues, which were supposedly of neural crest origin, and cultured them in KO-DMEM medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). Both SHED and DPSC were characterized for standard CD surface markers, and their ability to differentiate into adipogenic and osteogenic lineages was tested. SHED and DPSC were exposed to either hypoxia or high glucose or low serum conditions, and their growth kinetics and differentiation potentials were compared with those of normal culture conditions. We found that SHED retained their phenotypic expression and differentiation potential under hypoxia, high-glucose, and low-serum conditions and exhibited a higher proliferation in terms of cell yield and a reduced doubling time compared to DPSC. Our findings clearly demonstrate for the first time that SHED are superior to DPSC as evidenced by their enhanced proliferation under adverse culture conditions.


[Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis].
Authors present a case history of pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis with free intraperitoneal gas mimicking abdominal hollow organ perforation. The illness occurred in old immunocompromised man. The diagnosis was based on exploratory laparotomy and supported by abdominal x-ray and ultrasound.


Quantitative determination of zwitterionic detergents using salt-induced phase separation of Triton X-100.
Zwitterionic detergents interfere with the salt-induced phase separation for nonionic detergents in a concentration-dependent manner by shifting the normal cloud point of nonionic detergents to a higher ionic strength at room temperature. This phenomenon was used to determine the concentration of the zwitterionic detergents CHAPS, CHAPSO, and sulfobetaine SB-12 in solution by titration with ammonium sulfate in the presence of Triton X-100. Among the ionic detergents tested, the method was only applicable to sodium cholate. The assay can be used to control the removal of zwitterionic detergents during the reconstitution of membrane proteins in liposomes. However, it cannot be used to determine the specific binding of zwitterionic detergents to highly diluted, pure membrane proteins because of the limited sensitivity. Neither proteins nor phospholipids interfered with this method at concentrations up to 20 mg/ml of test solution (human serum albumin) or 10 mg/ml (phospholipids), respectively. Since the assay is based on the competition between salts and nonionic detergents for water molecules, it is important to equalize the ionic strength of samples and calibration standards.


[Physical growth in stature of school children of Japanese ancestry in the city of São Paulo, Brazil]
This paper reports the results of a cross-sectional survey describing the growth in stature of a sample of school children of Japanese ancestry (three or four grandparents born in Japan) and of high socio-economic status living in São Paulo, Brazil. The sample comprises 124 individuals 7-10 years of age, of both sexes. The results show that the children present mean values of stature below the median values of the NCHS curves ("National Center for Health Statistics", U.S.A.). The values are similar to the medians of a sample of Japanese children and below those of well-to-do Brazilian children of non-Japanese ancestry studied by the PNSN ("Pesquisa Nacional sobre Saúde e Nutrição", Brazil). The findings do not support the hypothesis of uniformity of growth potential in stature, casting doubts on the utilization of a single anthropometric reference in the assessment of nutritional status.


Evodiamine exerts anti-tumor effects against hepatocellular carcinoma through inhibiting β-catenin-mediated angiogenesis.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly vascular tumor with high microvessel density and high levels of circulating vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Thus, the angiogenesis pathway is an attractive therapeutic target for HCC. The anti-tumor effects of evodiamine, a quinolone alkaloid isolated from Euodia rutaecarpa (Juss.) Benth. (Rutaceae), were investigated in a mouse xenograft model using BALB/c nude mice, various HCC cell lines (HepG2, SMMC-7721, H22), and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The effects of evodiamine on tumor volumes and weights, levels of tumor markers, angiogenesis in vivo and in vitro, cell viability, and cell migration and invasion were measured, and the mechanism through which its effects are achieved was investigated. Transcriptional regulation of VEGFa via interaction with β-catenin was established by luciferase activity assays and electrophoretic mobility shift assays. In a subcutaneous H22 xenograft model, evodiamine inhibited tumor growth and reduced serum tumor markers and the levels of β-catenin and VEGFa. It also blocked VEGF-induced angiogenesis in a Matrigel plug assay. Evodiamine suppressed cellular proliferation, invasion, and migration and inhibited tube formation of HUVECs. Moreover, in a concentration-dependent manner, evodiamine reduced the number of capillary sprouts from Matrigel-embedded rat thoracic aortic rings. Also, evodiamine suppressed various biomarkers of angiogenesis and the expression of β-catenin. Evodiamine decreased β-catenin levels activated by LiCl, which led to reduced expression of VEGFa. In addition, β-catenin interacted with VEGFa and transcriptionally regulated VEGFa, an effect inhibited by evodiamine in HCCs. Moreover, in an SMMC-7721 xenograft model, evodiamine suppressed tumor growth, various biomarkers of angiogenesis, and the levels of β-catenin and VEGFa. Evodiamine has anti-tumor effects on HCCs through inhibiting β-catenin, which interacts with and reduces VEGFa expression, thus inhibiting angiogenesis. These results indicate that evodiamine, which inhibits cellular invasion and migration and blocks angiogenesis, is a potential therapeutic agent for HCCs.


Hypoxic ventilatory depression in dogs.
It is well known that hypoxia, acting mainly through peripheral chemoreceptors, is an important ventilatory stimulus. It is also known that under certain circumstances hypoxia can lead to ventilatory depression, perhaps through its effect on the central nervous system. This study, utilizing dogs, was carried out to determine the degree of hypoxia required to produce ventilatory depression and to study the effects of chloralose anesthesia, variations in blood carbon dioxide tension, and peripheral chemoreceptor denervation on hypoxic ventilatory depression. In the awake, intact dog, ventilatory depression did not occur until the Pao2 = 18.6 plus or minus 0.8 mmHg (SEM). This value was not significantly different from that observed in chloralose anesthetized dogs, Pao2 = 18.7 plus or minus 0.43 mmHg. Hyper- and hypocapnia had no significant effect on the Pao2 at which ventilatory depression occurred. Denervation of either aortic or carotid chemoreceptors produced a very small change in the Pao2 of ventilatory depression, increasing it from 18.6 plus or minus 0.58 to 20.8 plus or minus 0.93 mmHg. Denervation of both aortic and carotid chemoreceptors produced a further small increase (Pao2 = 21.8 plus or minus 0.76 mm Hg). In peripheral chemoreceptor-denervated animals, hypoxia produced no significant change in ventilation until the ventilatory depression point was reached. These studies indicate that in the dog hypoxic ventilatory depression occurs only during severe hypoxia and ventilatory depression occurs only during severe hypoxia and is uninfluenced by chloralose anesthesia, hyper- or hypocapnia, and only slightly affected by chemoreceptor denervation.


[Oral contraceptives (author's transl)].
A short review of the endocrinological basis of reproduction in the female is followed by a critical survey of the oral contraceptive methods in current use. The composition of the preparations, their use, their biological and use-effectiveness and mode of action are discussed.The importance is emphasized of complying with the basic principles of drug testing in the evaluation of effects of oral contraceptiveson health. Other effects than merely the contraceptive actions of these preparations are described in detail, including not only the undesirable, frequently neglected, yet very important beneficial effects on the drug-users, their children and families.


Cluster headache: cardiovascular responses to head-up tilt.
Head-up tilt tests were performed in six cluster headache patients in a bout of attacks, but in a pain-free interval at the time of investigation; and in eleven controls matched for age, basal blood pressure, and heart rate. A Doppler servomethod was used for a noninvasive, beat-to-beat blood pressure determination. There were no significant differences between the cluster headache and control groups for heart rate and systolic blood pressure response to the head-up tilt. However, the average diastolic blood pressure seemed to drop more after the tilt in the cluster headache group than in the control group; in particular, in the later part of the test. This might suggest a dysfunction of the baroreflex in cluster headache patients in a bout, also outside of attacks, and most probably of the sympathetically-mediated vasomotor response.


[Biotechnology using modified microorganisms].
Few microorganisms, as compare to their high diversity, are used for human needs. They can produce molecules of interest, process fermentation, protect crops, treat wastes or clean environment. Molecular technics and genetic engineering are new tools offer to geneticists which breed microorganisms for years. Using them, it is now possible, theoretically, to introduce any gene in any organism. Some examples are given concerning genetic modifications in yeasts and lactic acid bacteria to optimize agrofood processes and to improve nutritive and flavour characteristics of fermented products like bread, beer, wine, cheese, meat, vegetable juices... In spite of scientific and industrial interest of the new technologies, limiting factors can explain that genetically modified microorganisms are not routinely used in agrofood yet. First, risks assessment on human health and environment are still in debate, but their is a consensus, within the scientific community, to consider that new characteristics of improved microorganisms are more important than the technics used for their construction. Second, regulations turn out to impose constraints susceptible to discourage technological innovations. At least, the public perception about the new technologies appears, actually, as the major factor to limit their development.


Solid-state stability of spray-dried insulin powder for inhalation: chemical kinetics and structural relaxation modeling of Exubera above and below the glass transition temperature.
The effect of temperature on the chemical stability of an amorphous spray-dried insulin powder formulation (Exubera) was evaluated in the solid state at constant moisture content. The chemical stability of the powder was assessed using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and high-performance-size exclusion chromatography (HP-SEC). The major degradants in spray-dried insulin produced during heat stressing were identified as A21-desamidoinsulin (A21) and high molecular weight protein (HMWP). As expected, the rates of formation of A21 and HMWP were observed to increase with temperature. A stretched-time kinetic model (degradation rate is proportional to the square root of time) was applied to the degradant profiles above and below the glass transition temperature (T(g)) and apparent reaction rate constants were determined. Below T(g), isothermal enthalpy of relaxation measurements were used to assess the effect of temperature on molecular mobility. The formation of A21 and HMWP was found to follow an Arrhenius temperature dependence above and below the T(g). Comparison of reaction rate constants to those estimated from structural relaxation experiments suggests that the reaction pathways to form A21 and HMWP below the T(g) may be coupled with the molecular motions involved in structural relaxation.


The role of haematuria in the diagnosis of blunt renal trauma.
In order to reevaluate the indications for an acute excretory urography (IPV) after blunt renal trauma, with special emphasis on the degree of haematuria, the medical records of 114 patients admitted to The Department of Urology, Odense University Hospital during a 10 year period were reviewed. Fourteen cases of major renal damage were revealed. Thirteen of these patients had macroscopic haematuria. Three of the thirteen patients were in shock and required an acute operation in order to stabilize their blood pressure. In one case, a thirteen year old girl had a major renal lesion which was diagnosed by acute IVP before examination of the urine. The present data support other reports in the literature stating that radiographic imaging is not necessary in the adult sustaining blunt renal trauma with microscopic haematuria and no shock. However, we find good reason for radiographic evaluation of all children after a blunt renal trauma, independent of the degree of haematuria.


[Huntington's chorea. The Liège experience].
The hereditary choreas are studied in Liège since twenty-five years. The records of psychiatric hospitals (ruled by the belgian law on confinement, 1850-1873), the archives of the "Etat-Civil" (since 1806) and the parochial registers (XVIIIth century) were tapped. From hundreds of choreic records, unquestionable or dubious, genealogical trees, sometimes stretching along nine generations were built up. About fifty pedigrees gather the patients of four Belgian provinces (out of nine). The oldest and undeniable document was written in 1793. With this wealth in hand, we are able to corroborate or invalidate diagnosis of Huntington's chorea put forward by today psychiatrists and neurologists. The diagnostic blunders were not uncommon and, sometimes, funny. The geneticist comes often too late, post mortem, through archives. When he intervenes in due time, his advice is usually not successful with young adults, uninstructed and in love. The frequency of the disease is estimated around 1 in 10.000 births. The disappearance of old pedigrees and the dawn of new ones can be predicted. Our followers will observe it and, perhaps, be able to measure the frequency of mutation.


Effects of new endogenous nonprotein amino acids, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid derivatives, on behavior of mice.
Several 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acids were synthesized and found to have a transiently increasing effect on the locomotor activity of mice after peripheral injection. Three of the active compounds were detected in the brain after intraperitoneal administration. Two of them, the 7-hydroxy and 7-hydroxy-6-methoxy derivatives, were found as endogenous compounds in untreated rat brain and may play a physiological role. The effects of some of these compounds on the level of various endogenous amines, amino acids and metabolites were examined.


Quercetin is bioavailable from a single ingestion of grape juice.
The in vivo bioactivity of polyphenols will depend on their bioavailability. Grape juice is an important source of dietary phenolics. This paper reports results that prove that quercetin (3,3',4',5,7-pentahydroxyflavone) is bioavailable after a single ingestion of red grape juice by healthy volunteers. Blood plasma samples were collected before and after 2 h of ingestion of 100 ml of concentrated grape juice (n = 14), and of a placebo solution (n =6). Significant differences in the variation of the total plasma quercetin content (before and after ingestion) between the grape juice ingestion group (3.1 microg/l increase, as a mean) and the placebo group (6.0 microg/l decrease, as a mean) were found. This relatively low increase in comparison with that obtained after 2 h of ingestion of onions (201 microg/l, as a mean) and with those reported in the literature for other foods/beverages was attributed to differences in the amount of quercetin ingested, in the form in which quercetin is present, and in the food matrix.


Effect of PaCO2 variation on standard base excess value in critically ill patients.
The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of acute Paco(2) temporal variation on the standard base excess (SBE) value in critically ill patients. A total of 265 patients were prospectively observed; 158 were allocated to the modeling group, and 107 were allocated to the validation group. Two models were developed in the modeling group (one including and one excluding Paco(2) as a variable determinant of SBE), and both were tested in the validation group. In the modeling group, the mathematical model including SIDai, SIG, l-lactate, albumin, phosphate, and Paco(2) had a predictive superiority in comparison with the model without Paco(2) (R(2) = 0.978 and 0.916, respectively). In the validation group, the results were confirmed with significant F change statistics (R(2) change = 0.059, P < .001) between the model with and without Paco(2). A high correlation (R = 0.99, P < .001) and agreement (bias = -0.25 mEq/L, limits of agreement 95% = -0.72 to 0.22 mEq/L) were found between the model-predicted SBE value and the SBE calculated using the Van Slyke equation. Acute Paco(2) temporal variation is related to SBE changes in critically ill patients.


Scanning electron microscopic studies of reticular framework in the rat mesenteric lymph node.
The reticular framework in the lymph node has in the past been studied mainly by light microscopy of silver-impregnated specimens. The aim of the present study is to understand three-dimensionally the ultrastructure and organization of the reticular framework better than before. The mesenteric lymph nodes of the rat were prepared either an alkali-water maceration method or a conventional method and were observed in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The SEM study of alkali-water macerated tissues visualized directly the reticular fiber network in the lymph node. The reticular fibers consisted of thin bundles of collagen fibrils. They were continuous with the collagen fibrillar sheaths of blood vessels and lymphatic sinuses as well as with the fibrous capusule, thus acting as a skeleton of the lymph node. The arrangement of the reticulum was variable, depending on individual compartments. The SEM study of conventionally treated tissues, on the other hand, clarified the shape of reticular cells and their relationship with the reticular fibers. The sinus reticular cells connected with the sinus lining cells but separated from the parenchymal reticular cells, indicating that the former two originate from lymphatic endothelial cells. The parenchymal reticular cells varied in shape depending on their locations but essentially shared features with fibroblasts. The arrangements of the reticular fibers in the parenchyma were closely related to the associated reticular cells, showing the possibility that the reticular cells maintain the shape of the reticular framework suitable for each compartment of the lymph node.


Induction of T cell clonal anergy results in resistance, whereas CD28-mediated costimulation primes for susceptibility to Fas- and Bax-mediated programmed cell death.
Since TCR-mediated stimulation induces T cells to become sensitive to Fas-mediated activation-induced cell death (Fas-AICD), we examined whether anergized and CD28-costimulated T cell clones were equally sensitive to Fas-AICD. Here, we show that TCR signal in the presence or absence of CD28 costimulation induced equivalent expression of Fas and Fas ligand. Although anergized cells expressed Fas and Fas ligand, they were resistant to Fas-AICD. Induction of anergy resulted in up-regulation and persistent expression of moderate amounts of bcl-xL and bax and absence of induction of bad. In contrast, CD28-costimulated cells that also expressed Fas and Fas ligand were initially resistant to Fas-AICD but became susceptible after 72 h of culture. Although Fas-mediated apoptosis was the major mechanism of AICD, the IL-1beta-converting enzyme-like protease inhibitor zVAD-FMK totally abrogated DNA fragmentation but not cell death, suggesting that additional Fas-independent apoptotic mechanisms were also operative. Resistance to apoptotic cell death was temporally associated with a dramatic increase of bcl-xL and the presence of bcl-xL:bax heterodimers. Subsequent sensitivity to AICD was associated with down-regulation of bcl-xL, induction of bad, and the displacement of bax from bcl-xL:bax heterodimers. Although induced following CD28 costimulation, bcl-2 did not protect against AICD. Therefore, besides its role in promotion of viability, prevention of anergy, and clonal expansion, CD28 costimulation also has a central role in the induction of subsequent AICD by up-regulating apoptotic mediators.


Speech audiometry and Spanish-English bilinguals: challenges in clinical practice.
The Spanish-English bilingual population has been on a steady rise in the United States and is projected to continue to grow. Speech audiometry, a key component of hearing care, must be customized for this linguistically unique and diverse population. The tutorial summarizes recent findings concerning Spanish-English bilinguals' performance on English and Spanish speech audiometric tests in the context of the psychometric properties of the tests and the language and dialect profile of the individual (language status, history, stability, competency, and use). The tutorial also provides arguments for evaluating bilingual clients in Spanish, in English, or in both languages, which may serve as rationales in support of varied bilingual clinical practices. Last, the tutorial provides information regarding Spanish speech audiometry, including available tests, issues that clinicians may encounter when administering them, and dialectal consideration. It is a challenge as well as an opportunity for clinicians to expand service to the Spanish-English bilingual community. Understanding the characteristics of the individual and the test is essential for ensuring quality services to the bilingual client.


Characterization of the temporal and spatial expression of a disintegrin and metalloprotease 17 in the human endometrium and fallopian tube.
Metalloproteinases are thought to mediate shedding of mucins from the endometrium surface, exposing oligosaccharide ligands involved in implantation. We hypothesized that a disintegrin and metalloprotease 17 (ADAM17) is upregulated during the "window of implantation" in human endometrium but not in fallopian tube (FT) where implantation is pathological. Endometrial and FT expression of ADAM17 throughout the menstrual cycle was determined using quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. The ADAM17 transcription was significantly downregulated (P < .01) during the early-midsecretory phase in the endometrium but not in the FT. The ADAM17 was localized to the surface of epithelial cells and was also detected in the endometrial stroma during the late luteal and proliferative phase of the cycle. Physiological levels of estradiol significantly (P < .05) upregulated ADAM17 transcription in vitro. Our observations do not support the role of ADAM17 in shedding of mucins during the window of implantation. The precise role of ADAM17 in the female reproductive tract requires further investigation.


Amorphous iridium complexes for electrophosphorescent light emitting devices.
Iridium complexes with fluorene-modified phenylpyridine ligands are resistant to crystallization and can be used in the fabrication of single layer light emitting diodes.


A nickel(ii)-catalyzed asymmetric intramolecular Alder-ene reaction of 1,7-dienes.
A highly diastereo- and enantioselective intramolecular Alder-ene reaction with an alkene as the enophile has been developed by using a chiral N,N'-dioxide/nickel(ii) complex as the catalyst. This protocol provides a facile route towards the synthesis of diverse 3,4-disubstituted chroman, tetrahydroquinoline, piperidine and thiochroman derivatives in high yields with good to excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities.


[Expression and tissue localization of hemeoxygenase in human placenta].
The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression and localization of the two known isoforms of hemeoxygenase (HO) in normal human first trimester placenta and third trimester placenta. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry were resorted to demonstrate the expression and localization of HO-1 and HO-2 in normal placenta tissue, obtained from 6 approximately 10 week gestation women (20 cases) and the third trimester woman (20 cases). Compared with glyceraldehydes-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), the expression of HO-1 was lower, there was no significant difference between the first trimester (0.31 +/- 0.19) and third trimester (0.28 +/- 0.14) (P > 0.05); the expression of HO-2 was higher, it is significantly higher at third trimester (1.12 +/- 0.58) compared with first trimester placenta (0.70 +/- 0.48) (P < 0.05). The result of immunohistochemistry demonstrated that HO-1 was predominantly localized in villous stroma cell and trophoblast; HO-2 predominantly localized in trophoblast as well as capillaries, with weak staining of villous stroma. The staining score were not normally distributed. The median staining scorse of HO-1 in trophoblast, villous stroma and capillaries at first trimester were 9.0, 2.6 and 2.8, respectively, at third trimester were 8.7, 2.0 and 1.4, there was no difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). The median staining score of HO-2 in capillaries at first trimester was 5.8, significantly lower than that of the third trimester (9.3) (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the staining score of HO-2 in trophoblast (10.5, 8.0) and villous stroma (3.6, 2.4) between the first trimester and the third trimester (P > 0.05). HO-1 and HO-2 as endogenous system may regulate feto-placental circulation, indicated their different roles in placental vascular development and regulation. They may offer protection against cyto-toxic damage in the placenta, and influence immunological function.


Identification of bacteria in water for pharmaceutical use.
Different systems for the obtention of water used in Biopharmaceutical Industry were characterized from the bacteriological point of view. Determination of aerobic mesophilic microorganisms was performed; as well as the isolation of contaminant microorganisms for what the techniques of membrane filtration was used. For the identification of the more representative species there were made conventional biochemical tests and quick systems: API. The results show that water serving as tap water for purification systems fulfill with the microbiological requirements to this kind of water. All the isolated microorganisms were gram-negative bacteria characteristics of this environment: Pseudomonas putida, Xanthomonas maltophilia, Aeromonas salmonicida ssp. salmonicida, Flavimonas coryzihabitans and Acinetobacter iwoffi. The ultrafiltration and distillation tested systems fulfill with the established microbiological limits, except for deionization and distilled water storing systems. The isolation showed that approximately the 76.9% were of Gram-negative bacteria, the 14.6% of Gram-positive cocci and the 8.5% Gram-positive sporulated bacilli. The most representative genus of purified water were: Pseudomonas, with the higher percent of incidence, Staphylococcus, Bacillus, Flavobacterium, Sphingomonas, Aeromonas and Agrobacterium.


Aging and cancer cell biology, 2009.
Cancer is an age-related disease in organisms with renewable tissues. A malignant tumor arises in part from genomic damage, which can also drive age-related degeneration. However, cancer differs from many age-related degenerative diseases in that it entails gain-of-function changes that confer new (albeit aberrant) properties on cells, resulting in vigorous cell proliferation and survival. Nonetheless, interventions that delay age-related degeneration - for example, caloric restriction or dampened insulin/IGF-1 signaling - often also delay cancer. How then is the development of cancer linked to aging? The answer to this question is complex, as suggested by recent findings. This Hot Topic review discusses some of these findings, including how genomic damage might alter cellular properties without conferring mutations, and how some genes that regulate lifespan in organisms that lack renewable tissues might affect the development of cancer in mammals.


The early embryo response to intracellular reactive oxygen species is developmentally regulated.
In vitro embryo production (IVP) suffers from excessive developmental failure. Its inefficiency is linked, in part, to reactive oxygen species (ROS) brought on by high ex vivo oxygen (O(2)) tensions. To further delineate the effects of ROS on IVP, the intracellular ROS levels of early bovine embryos were modulated by: (1) varying O(2) tension; (2) exogenous H(2)O(2) treatment; and (3) antioxidant supplementation. Although O(2) tension did not significantly affect blastocyst frequencies (P>0.05), 20% O(2) accelerated the rate of first cleavage division and significantly decreased and increased the proportion of permanently arrested 2- to 4-cell embryos and apoptotic 9- to 16-cell embryos, respectively, compared with embryos cultured in 5% O(2) tension. Treatment with H(2)O(2), when applied separately to oocytes, zygotes, 2- to 4-cell embryos or 9- to 16-cell embryos, resulted in a significant (P<0.05) dose-dependent decrease in blastocyst development in conjunction with a corresponding increase in the induction of either permanent embryo arrest or apoptosis in a stage-dependent manner. Polyethylene glycol-catalase supplementation reduced ROS-induced embryo arrest and/or death, resulting in a significant (P<0.05) increase in blastocyst frequencies under high O(2) culture conditions. Together, these results indicate that intracellular ROS may be signalling molecules that, outside an optimal range, result in various developmentally regulated modes of embryo demise.


Carbon footprint of fertilizer technologies.
The work discussed the necessity to evaluate the environmental effect - i.e. carbon footprint (CF), of N-containing fertilizers when including their production, transportation and use. For that purpose, life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology was involved. The LCA-based CF concerned model fertilizer technology determined with the consideration of greenhouse gases assimilation during fertilizer-induced vegetation, as compared to non-treated crops system. According to the available data, the inclusion of CO2 assimilation by plants via photosynthesis in balance sheet offsets 87.6% of the CF from the biomass consumption. Thus, the new approach to LCA along with the analysis of life cycle costs would provide more reliable determination of the fee amount charged to European fertilizer manufacturers. The approach might be further developed for various products for plant treatment. Also, the verification of similar fertilizer technologies in different installations is expected to identify bottlenecks in terms of the ecological, technical and economic evaluation.


[Investigation of SEN virus genotypes D and H among blood donors in Mersin University Medical School Hospital].
SEN virus is a recently discovered DNA virus, and eight genotypes (A to H) were detected by phylogenetic analysis. Genotype D (SENV-D) and H (SENV-H) are thought to be associated in the etiology of post-transfusion hepatitis. Although no strong association was revealed between liver pathology and SEN virus, the viral replication in hepatocytes and transmission by blood transfusions were well characterized. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of SENV-D and SENV-H in blood donors. One hundred serum samples were included in the study which were obtained from blood donors comprised of 98 male and 2 female with a mean age 36.4 years who were enrolled at Mersin University Faculty of Medicine blood center. The DNAs of SENV-D and SENV-H were detected with polymerase chain reaction (PCR), by using D10S/L2AS and C5S/L2AS primers, respectively. SEN virus DNA positivity was detected in 25 of 100 (25%) sera, of which 10 (10%) were positive for SENV-D and 15 (15%) were positive for SENV-H DNA. Although, the number of samples were not sufficient to reflect the general prevalence, our study relatively reveals that asymptomatic carriage rate of these viruses were 25% in our province.


Sunlight damage to cellular DNA: Focus on oxidatively generated lesions.
The routine and often unavoidable exposure to solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation makes it one of the most significant environmental DNA-damaging agents to which humans are exposed. Sunlight, specifically UVB and UVA, triggers various types of DNA damage. Although sunlight, mainly UVB, is necessary for the production of vitamin D, which is necessary for human health, DNA damage may have several deleterious consequences, such as cell death, mutagenesis, photoaging and cancer. UVA and UVB photons can be directly absorbed not only by DNA, which results in lesions, but also by the chromophores that are present in skin cells. This process leads to the formation of reactive oxygen species, which may indirectly cause DNA damage. Despite many decades of investigation, the discrimination among the consequences of these different types of lesions is not clear. However, human cells have complex systems to avoid the deleterious effects of the reactive species produced by sunlight. These systems include antioxidants, that protect DNA, and mechanisms of DNA damage repair and tolerance. Genetic defects in these mechanisms that have clear harmful effects in the exposed skin are found in several human syndromes. The best known of these is xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), whose patients are defective in the nucleotide excision repair (NER) and translesion synthesis (TLS) pathways. These patients are mainly affected due to UV-induced pyrimidine dimers, but there is growing evidence that XP cells are also defective in the protection against other types of lesions, including oxidized DNA bases. This raises a question regarding the relative roles of the various forms of sunlight-induced DNA damage on skin carcinogenesis and photoaging. Therefore, knowledge of what occurs in XP patients may still bring important contributions to the understanding of the biological impact of sunlight-induced deleterious effects on the skin cells.


Clostomicins, new antibiotics produced by Micromonospora echinospora subsp. armeniaca subsp. nov. II. Taxonomic study of the producing microorganism.
Taxonomic properties of actinomycete strain KMR-593, a soil isolate, which produces new anti-anaerobe antibiotics, clostomicins, were investigated. The strain was identified as a new subspecies of the genus Micromonospora and designated Micromonospora echinospora subsp. armeniaca subsp. nov.


Comparison of nutrient intakes by male vs. female heads of households.
Nutrient intakes by male and female heads within a household were examined in regard to the feasibility of substituting dietary data of one partner for data of the other partner in diet/disease studies. Three-day individual food intake data from male and female heads of household were used when both members participated in the spring quarter of the Nationwide Food Consumption Survey 1977-78. The mean percentage of energy from fat was higher for male heads than for female heads, whereas the mean percentages of energy from protein and carbohydrate were higher for female heads than for male heads (p less than .05). However, the differences between male and female heads in percentages of energy from protein, fat, and carbohydrate were only 1.5 percentage points or less. At the current state of knowledge, that difference is too small to be associated with a difference in health status. In diet/disease studies involving percentages of energy from protein, fat, and carbohydrate, substitution of dietary data of one partner for data of the other partner does not appear likely to produce misleading results and, therefore, would not be precluded. Mean intakes of energy and all 12 nutrients examined as percentages of the RDAs differed significantly between male heads and female heads (p less than .05). In studies involving intakes of energy or any of the 12 nutrients examined, substitution of dietary data of one partner for data of the other partner is not recommended.


Variation and information in white blood cell differential counts.
The magnitude and sources of variation in the white blood cell (WBC) count and differential count affect their information content and clinical value. This study describes components of variation in the WBC count and differential, estimates the magnitude of each component, and uses computer simulations to compare the information conveyed by the total WBC count and by the WBC differential count, expressed as the number of each type of cell and as the percentage of each cell type. Biologic variation is much greater than statistical sampling variation in differential WBC counts, even when a relatively small number of cells is classified. The commonly reported neutrophil percentage is inferior both to the neutrophil count and to the total WBC count in its ability to detect neutrophilia and to detect recovery from elevated levels. This conclusion holds for single as well as for sequential WBC differential determinations and regardless of the level of test result at which the clinician considers disease to be present. The total WBC count and the neutrophil count differ little in performance, so a neutrophilic patient's return to normal levels can safely be detected and monitored by relying on the less expensive total WBC count and foregoing repeated requests for differential counts.


A novel ATP-synthase-independent mechanism coupling mitochondrial activation to exocytosis in insulin-secreting cells.
Pancreatic β-cells sense glucose, promoting insulin secretion. Glucose sensing requires the sequential stimulation of glycolysis, mitochondrial metabolism and Ca2+ entry. To elucidate how mitochondrial activation in β-cells contributes to insulin secretion, we compared the effects of glucose and the mitochondrial substrate methylsuccinate in the INS-1E insulin-secreting cell line at the respective concentrations at which they maximally activate mitochondrial respiration. Both substrates induced insulin secretion with distinct respiratory profiles, mitochondrial hyperpolarization, NADH production and ATP-to-ADP ratios. In contrast to glucose, methylsuccinate failed to induce large [Ca2+] rises and exocytosis proceeded largely independently of mitochondrial ATP synthesis. Both glucose- and methylsuccinate-induced secretion was blocked by diazoxide, indicating that Ca2+ is required for exocytosis. Dynamic assessment of the redox state of mitochondrial thiols revealed a less marked reduction in response to methylsuccinate than with glucose. Our results demonstrate that insulin exocytosis can be promoted by two distinct mechanisms one of which is dependent on mitochondrial ATP synthesis and large Ca2+ transients, and one of which is independent of mitochondrial ATP synthesis and relies on small Ca2+ signals. We propose that the combined effects of Ca2+ and redox reactions can trigger insulin secretion by these two mechanisms.


Expression and inducibility of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1As in MCF-7 human breast carcinoma cells.
UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) are conjugation enzymes, which are regulated in a tissue-specific manner by endogenous and environmental factors. In this study, we focused on UGT1A isoforms broadly expressed in hepatic and extrahepatic tissues and examined the expression and inducibility of UGT1As (UGT1A1 and UGT1A3-1A10) in MCF-7 cells (human breast carcinoma cell line). Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis demonstrated that UGT1A1, UGT1A6 and UGT1A9 mRNAs as well as the mRNAs of transcriptional regulators (AhR, aryl hydrocarbon receptor; Arnt, AhR nuclear translocator; ERα, oestrogen receptor α; ERβ, oestrogen receptor β; and GR, glucocorticoid receptor) are expressed in MCF-7 cells. UGT1A6 mRNA level in MCF-7 cells was significantly increased to 1.9 times by β-naphthoflavone (BNF), whereas UGT1A1 and UGT1A9 mRNA levels were not affected by BNF. There were no significant changes in the mRNAs of UGT1A1, UGT1A6 and UGT1A9 in MCF-7 cells by treatment with phenobarbital (PB) and dexamethasone (DEX) in MCF-7 cells. The kinetics of 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN-38), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 4-methylumbelliferone (4-MU) glucuronidation by microsomes from control and BNF-treated MCF-7 cells fitted with the Michaelis-Menten model, and the V(max) and CL(int) values were significantly increased to 7.5-8.5 times and 5.9-10.4 times by BNF treatment, respectively. These findings suggest that BNF induces UGT1A6 in MCF-7 cells and that the increase may be mediated by AhR but not pregnane X receptor (PXR)/constitutive androstane receptor (CAR). The information gained in this study should help predict and assess the toxicity of environmental chemicals.


Cardiorespiratory fitness is a marker of cardiovascular health in renal transplanted children.
Children with renal transplants (TX) are at increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease. Study objectives were to assess the level of cardiorespiratory fitness (CR fitness) and daily physical activity (PA) in renal TX children and adolescents in relation to traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Laboratory testing included assessment of CR fitness by treadmill exercise testing (VO(2peak)), 24-h ambulatory blood-pressure (ABPM) measurement, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), anthropometrics and measurement of lipid levels. PA was self-reported by questionnaire. Twenty-two TX patients with a median (range) age 14.5 (9-18) years were tested. Median V0(2peak) was 66% (36-97) of the expected values compared with controls. Nineteen (86%) children reported <60 min of daily moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Sixteen (73%) were hypertensive and 8 (34%) were overweight or obese. Four children fulfilled the criteria for a metabolic syndrome. Children with at least 2 of the 3 metabolic risk factors (hypertension, overweight, and glucose intolerance, n=7) achieved significantly lower VO(2peak) compared with those with one or none of these factors (median V0(2peak) 45% and 73% of the expected values respectively, p=0.003). Renal TX children and adolescents have severely impaired CR fitness and PA. Reduced CR fitness was associated with the clustering of CV risk factors. Routine counseling for increased PA is strongly recommended.


Disparities in academic achievement and health: the intersection of child education and health policy.
Recent data suggest that that the United States is failing to make significant progress toward the Healthy People 2010 goal of eliminating health disparities. One missing element from the US strategy for achieving this goal is a focus on gaps in child development and achievement. Academic achievement and education seem to be critical determinants of health across the life span and disparities in one contribute to disparities in the other. Despite these linkages, national policy treats child education and health as separate. Landmark education legislation, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, is due for Congressional reauthorization. It seeks to eliminate gaps in academic child achievement by 2014. It does so by introducing accountability for states, school districts, and schools. In this special article, we review health disparities and contributors to child achievement gaps. We review changes in achievement gaps over time and potential contributors to the limited success of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, including its unfunded mandates and unfounded assumptions. We conclude with key reforms, which include addressing gaps in child school readiness through adequate investment in child health and early education and reductions in child poverty; closing the gap in child achievement by ensuring equity in school accountability standards; and, importantly, ensuring equity in school funding so that resources are allocated on the basis of the needs of the students. This will ensure that schools, particularly those serving large numbers of poor and minority children, have the resources necessary to promote optimal learning.


Organocatalytic asymmetric Michael reaction with acylsilane donors.
We have developed an organocatalytic asymmetric Michael reaction of acylsilane through the selection of acylsilane substrates and organocatalysts, thus creating a rare example of acylsilane α-alkylation with a chiral guanidine catalyst, which afforded products in good yields and high stereoselectivity. The corresponding adducts described here have also been demonstrated to be useful in the synthesis of unnatural amino acids and biologically active compounds.


[The ability of the natural ketones to interact with bacterial quorum sensing systems].
The effect of the natural ketones emitted by bacteria (2-nonanone, 2-heptanone, 2-undecanone) on the functioning of the Quorum Sensing (QS) systems was studied. In this work, three lux-reporter strains containing the components of the LasI/LasR, RhlI/RhlR, LuxI LuxR QS systems were used as biosensors for the N-acyl-homoserine lactones. It was shown that at concentrations of ketones that exhibited little or no bactericidal action the ketones could modulate the QS-response by suppressing the expression of the lux-operon reporter to a greater extent than the cell viability of these strains.