Evaluation of the effects of nano-TiO2 on bioactivity and mechanical properties of nano bioglass-P3HB composite scaffold for bone tissue engineering.
To emulate bone structure, porous composite scaffold with suitable mechanical properties should be designed. In this research the effects of nano-titania (nTiO2) on the bioactivity and mechanical properties of nano-bioglass-poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (nBG/P3HB)-composite scaffold were evaluated. First, nBG powder was prepared by melting method of pure raw materials at a temperature of 1400 °C and then the porous ceramic scaffold of nBG/nTiO2 with 30 wt% of nBG containing different weight ratios of nTiO2 (3, 6, and 9 wt% of nTiO2 with grain size of 35-37 nm) was prepared by using polyurethane sponge replication method. Then the scaffolds were coated with P3HB in order to increase the scaffold's mechanical properties. Mechanical strength and modulus of scaffolds were improved by adding nTiO2 to nBG scaffold and adding P3HB to nBG/nTiO2 composite scaffold. The results of the compressive strength and porosity tests showed that the best scaffold is 30 wt% of nBG with 6 wt% of nTiO2 composite scaffold immersed for 30 s in P3HB with 79.5-80 % of porosity in 200-600 μm, with a compressive strength of 0.15 MPa and a compressive modulus of 30 MPa, which is a good candidate for bone tissue engineering. To evaluate the bioactivity of the scaffold, the simulated body fluid (SBF) solution was used. The best scaffold with 30 wt% of nBG, 6 wt% of P3HB and 6 wt% of nTiO2 was immersed in SBF for 4 weeks at an incubation temperature of 37 °C. The bioactivity of the scaffolds was characterized by AAS, SEM, EDXA and XRD. The results of bioactivity showed that bone-like apatite layer formed well at scaffold surface and adding nTiO2 to nBG/P3HB composite scaffold helped increase the bioactivity rate.


Vinylphenylmercapturic acids in human urine as biomarkers of styrene ring oxidation.
New metabolites of styrene, three isomeric vinylphenylmercapturic acids (2-, 3-, and 4-VPMA), were recently identified by LC-ESI-MS in the urine of mice. In this study, 4-VPMA together with traces of 2- and 3-VPMA were found also in the urine of hand-lamination workers, which were exposed to styrene vapours at concentrations ranging from 23 to 244mg/m(3). Concentrations of 4-VPMA in these end-of-shift samples were 4.59±3.64ng/mL (mean±S.D.; n=10), those found next morning after the work-shift were 2.14±2.07ng/mL (mean±S.D.; n=10). Strong correlation (R=0.959) was found in the next-morning samples between concentrations of 4-VPMA and phenylglyoxylic acid, whereas correlations found between 4-VPMA and mandelic acid in both end-of-shift and next-morning samples were much weaker. The excretion of 4-VPMA accounted for only about 3.5×10(-4)% of the absorbed dose of styrene. Despite very low metabolic yield, formation of VPMAs clearly indicates occurrence and extent of styrene ring oxidation considered to be a toxicologically relevant metabolic pathway.


Residency in mental-health pharmacy with a research component.
A 12-month postdoctoral specialized residency program in mental-health pharmacy practice with a psychopharmacology research component is described. The resident spent approximately four hours a day in clinical practice and in research activities in the inpatient setting; 10 hours per week in clinical research activities in an ambulatory patient setting; and 10 hours per week in teaching and scholarly activities. The resident was a member of a psychopharmacology research team that also included a research psychiatrist, a nurse, and two psychiatric medical residents at an adult acute-care site. The resident prepared a review of the preclinical evaluations of each investigational drug and participated in the initial screening of study patients. The resident was responsible for patient consent procedures, coordinating clinical evaluations, and scheduling necessary laboratory tests. As a member of the clinical team, she was also responsible for obtaining medication histories, monitoring and reporting adverse drug reactions, maintaining accurate dosage records, and completing the appropriate rating scales in the clinical evaluation of patients. In the ambulatory setting, the resident participated in the outpatient management of study patients. The resident learned to assess patient's clinical progress, maintain progress notes, write medication orders and administer medications in acute situations, maintain individual treatment plans, follow approved drug research protocols, and provide a program of education for patients and families when necessary. In addition, the resident was involved in educational programs for pharmacy students. This training program enables the pharmacist to gain experience in drug research studies, clinical practice, and pharmaceutical education, while contributing to psychopharmacology research.


Mutations in NPHS2 in sporadic steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome in Chinese children.
Since the identification of the NPHS2 gene, various investigators have demonstrated that an NPHS2 mutation is a frequent cause of sporadic steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS), and occurs in 10.5-28% of children with the syndrome. Idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) is also the most frequent glomerular disease in Chinese children, of which approximately 20% of cases show steroid resistance. To our knowledge, however, whether or not NPHS2 is the causative gene in Chinese sporadic SRNS has not been established. This study aims to examine mutations in NPHS2 in Chinese children with sporadic SRNS. We examined 23 Chinese children with sporadic SRNS for mutations in NPHS2. The mutational analysis of NPHS2 was performed by polymerase chain reaction, denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography and DNA sequencing. A heterozygous missense mutation of L361P in exon 8 of NPHS2 was detected in one of 23 children with sporadic SRNS, whereas it was not found in 53 controls. We also identified seven NPHS2 polymorphisms, -51G>T, 288C>T, IVS3-46C>T, IVS3-21C>T, IVS7-74G>C, 954T>C and 1038A>G, in some patients and controls. There was no significant difference in the genotypic and allelic frequencies of these polymorphisms between the patients and controls. The results demonstrate that NPHS2 mutations are also present in Chinese sporadic SRNS. Our investigation supports the necessity of searching for mutations in NPHS2 in Chinese children with sporadic SRNS.


[Sonographic assessment of the extent of colonic wall lesions exemplified by colonic tumors].
In order to reveal sonographic accuracy in imaging gut wall lesions transcutaneous ultrasonic findings in 78 colonic wall tumours (6 polyps sized more than 1 cm, 68 colonic carcinomas, 1 pancreatic carcinoma, 1 gallbladder carcinoma and 2 benign diverticulitis tumours) were staged according or similar to TNM classification from 1987 and compared to histologic findings. 62 ultrasonic stagings were correct, sensitivity and specificity of U/T1 to U/T4 stagings ranged from 0.64 to 0.89 resp. 0.7 to 1.0. Thus, in the example of colonic tumours (of either dignity) ultrasound not only shows quality differences as gut wall lesions, but also images depth of invasion as a quantitative feature in gut wall lesions with acceptable accuracy.


Cancer risk for European asphalt workers.
The feasibility of a European epidemiologic study of cancer risk among asphalt workers was examined in Western Europe. The study was motivated by occupational and public health concern about possible health risk from exposure to bitumen fumes. Information on the accessibility and quality of epidemiologic resources, retrospective worker records, mortality and cancer incidence records, and exposures was requested from research institutes and road paving and asphalt mixing companies in 15 European countries. Research institutes and asphalt companies in 12 countries responded. It was found that at least 44 companies in seven countries can be included in a retrospective mortality study of a minimum of 32,000 employees with 356,000 person-years (over 100 lung cancers). Coal tar will be an important confounder for these data. The power of a cohort study of workers who have never worked with tar-containing materials remains insufficient. Even in an ambispective study extending to the year 2005, the expected lung cancer deaths in a tar-free cohort would be only four. The results suggest that a case-referent study of lung cancer, nested in an international cohort of asphalt workers, represents the design of choice, conditionally on the possibility of assessing relevant individual life-time exposures. A cross-sectional determination of relevant biomarkers of exposure such as adducts in lymphocytes or the presence of metabolites of polycyclic aromatic compounds in urine in a group of workers exposed to bitumen fumes will provide further relevant information.


Hereditary multiple exostoses of the ribs: an unusual cause of hemothorax and pericardial effusion.
A 6-year-old girl with hereditary multiple exostoses presented with spontaneous hemothorax and pericardial effusion. Chest computed tomographic scan showed left-sided costal exostoses protruding into the left side of the chest. She underwent successful thoracoscopic resection of 3 left rib exostoses and made a full recovery. This report illustrates this rare clinical scenario and reviews the previously published reports of this complication of costal exostoses.


Sedating medications and undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea: physician determinants and patient consequences.
Sedative medications may be inadvertently prescribed to patients with undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and may worsen daytime sleepiness. To determine whether patients with undiagnosed OSA were prescribed sedative medications and whether such prescriptions increased the risk for traffic accidents. A secondary objective was to determine physician characteristics associated with such prescription practices. Retrospective chart review. Telephone interviews of patients and physicians. None. One hundred fifty-one consecutive patients at a sleep laboratory. Forty-one of 137 (30%) patients with undiagnosed OSA had received prescriptions for sedating medications. Regression analysis identified self-report of sleepiness while driving (p = .05) and prescription for risperidone as independent risk factors for motor vehicle accidents (p = .005), while prescription of any sedative (excluding risperidone) tended to be associated with accidents (p =.10). In patients with severe OSA, prescription of sedating medications was associated with a greater risk for motor vehicle accidents than those without such prescriptions (relative risk = 2.6; p = .04). In patients with prescription for sedating medications (n = 41), the apnea-hypopnea index was directly proportional to the risk for motor vehicle accidents (r2 = 0.26; p = .001) suggesting a 'dose effect' of severity of sleep-disordered breathing on risk for accidents. Physicians who did not usually treat patients with sleep disorders were more likely to prescribe sedatives to patients with undiagnosed OSA than were physicians with such expertise: neurologist, pulmonologist, or psychiatrist (52% vs 10%; relative risk = 5.2; p = .02) Prescription of sedating medications may increase the risk of road accidents in patients with undiagnosed severe OSA, and such prescription practices are less likely to occur in physicians with expertise in sleep medicine.


Beta-lactamases as the main resistance factor to penicillin-related antibiotics.
The interplay between the three factors involved in the resistance of bacteria to beta-lactam antibiotics (sensitivity of target, synthesis of beta-lactamase, permeability barrier) is analysed and discussed on the basis of a simple kinetic model. The three factors do not act independently. In Gram-negative bacteria, the permeability barrier is only significant when the bacterial cell also produces a beta-lactamase. Special attention is devoted to cases where large periplasmic beta-lactamase concentrations prevail, a situation which has been observed in some clinical isolates.


Sequence requirements for high affinity retinoid X receptor-alpha homodimer binding.
To better delineate the sequence requirements for high affinity binding of retinoid X receptor alpha (RXR alpha) homodimers, a selection protocol was used starting from a random pool of oligonucleotides. All recovered sequences contained at least two hexamers related to the consensus sequence for the thyroid/retinoid subfamily of nuclear receptors, A/GGGTCA. These hexamers were most frequently organised as direct repeats with one interspacing base pair (DR1) and as palindromic repeats without interspacing base pairs (PAL0), the established configurations for RXR response elements (RXREs). However, DR2 and DR6 configurations also appeared to bind RXR alpha homodimers with high affinity, as did elements consisting of three hexamers. Reporters containing single copies of these elements conferred 9-cis retinoic acid responsiveness to cells cotransfected with an RXR alpha expressing plasmid. The upstream hexamer of all recovered sites was preferentially preceded by a G and its consensus was GGGTCA. Based on the composition of the selected DR1 RXREs, and the functional and mutational analysis, the optimal DR1 RXRE consists of an upstream hexamer starting with A or G and preceded by A or G. The interspacing base can be either G, A or T but not C. The affinity of RXR alpha homodimers for a DR1 element is strongly reduced when the final position is taken by a C. The results of the present investigation indicate that RXR alpha homodimers may have broader DNA binding specificities than currently believed. The biological relevance of these alternative RXREs will need to be corroborated by the identification of natural elements of this kind.


Optimal therapy of low levels of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol.
Plasma levels of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) are a powerful independent cardiovascular risk factor, bearing an inverse relationship with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (with risk rising sharply when levels are <1.04 mmol/L). Apart from its protective role in atherosclerosis, HDL-C increases fibrinolysis, is an antioxidant to low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), and decreases platelet aggregability. Up to a third of patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease have 'desirable' plasma levels of total cholesterol but low HDL-C levels. Benefits of treating low plasma HDL-C levels were clearly demonstrated in the Veterans Affairs HDL Intervention Trial (VA-HIT) where gemfibrozil reduced nonfatal infarcts and coronary deaths by 22%. This was achieved by a 6% increase in plasma HDL-C levels, and a 24.5% decrease in plasma levels of triglycerides, without any significant decrease in LDL-C levels. Multivariate analyses revealed the rise in plasma HDL-C levels after treatment, but not decreases in plasma levels of triglycerides or LDL-C, predicted coronary artery disease events. The typical patient under consideration in this article is one with plasma levels of HDL-C <1 mmol/L, LDL-C <3.37 mmol/L [either receiving therapeutic lifestyle changes or or LDL-C-lowering therapy comprising a hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme-A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor or bile acid sequestrant] and fasting triglycerides <2.26 mmol/L. We propose this dyslipidemia be classified as Type VI phenotype following the Frederickson and Lees classification. High-risk patients (with >/=2 risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, or 10-year cardiovascular risk >20%), patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, or type 2 diabetes mellitus, or metabolic syndrome should receive pharmacotherapy. Plasma HDL-C levels >1.16 mmol/L may be considered optimal and between 1 and 1.16 mmol/L as desirable. Fibric acid derivatives, nicotinic acid, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, estrogens, and ethanol (not recommended as therapy) increase plasma HDL-C levels. Nicotinic acid is the most potent agent and recent reports indicate that, in contrast to gemfibrozil, it selectively increases antiatherogenic HDL subfraction, lipoprotein (Lp) AI (without apolipoprotein AII), in patients with low plasma HDL-C levels. An extended-release formulation, administered once daily, has improved the tolerability of nicotinic acid. Recent evidence also indicates that nicotinic acid may effectively correct dyslipidemia in patients with diabetes mellitus without significantly compromising glycemic control. Fibric acid derivatives and estrogen raise plasma HDL-C levels by different mechanisms of action, and these agents may be used with nicotinic acid. Combination therapy (especially HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor and nicotinic acid) should be considered in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and low plasma HDL-C levels.


Development of a blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of turkey antibodies to Mycoplasma meleagridis.
A blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (B-ELISA) was developed to detect antibodies to Mycoplasma meleagridis (MM) in turkey sera. This assay was based on two mouse monoclonal antibodies recognising all MM strains tested but none of seven avian mycoplasmal species tested. Furthermore, their binding to the Tween 20 antigen was inhibited by serum from MM-infected birds. The B-ELISA test format was optimized. The cut-off was determined using a set of sera from MM-free turkeys. This B-ELISA was then compared with a commercial indirect ELISA (I-ELISA). Specificities of the two ELISA tests were not significantly different (100 or 99%, respectively). The sensitivity of B-ELISA was significantly higher than the I-ELISA when I-ELISA suspicious results were considered as negative. Testing sera from experimentally MM-infected animals showed that serum plate agglutination (SPA) test detected positive birds before both ELISA methods. Samples were collected in MM-infected commercial flocks and analyzed by SPA, ELISAs, MM-PCR or culture. Results showed that the sensitivity of the B-ELISA appeared superior to the I-ELISA. Moreover, the ability to detect maternal antibodies makes it a useful tool for eradication or control of MM infections.


[Analysis of trace elements and crystalline formations in the sputum in bronchial asthma].
The content of sputum trace elements was investigated in 12 patients with bronchial asthma (BA). The presence of Na, K, Ca, P, Mg, Si, Sn, Fe, Mn, Cu, Ti, Ag, Al, V, B was revealed. The absence of Zn and high levels of Ca and Sn were observed. Multiple crystalline Ca precipitates (phosphates, carbonates and oxalates) were found in the sputum of 56 BA patients. Ammonium urate and uric acid were also revealed. The author supposed disturbance of calcium homeostasis and purine metabolism in BA patients, involvement of the detected crystalline formations in the pathogenesis of BA obstruction bronchospasm and deterioration of sputum rheological properties.


Sedentary behavior as a potential risk factor for depression among 70-year-olds.
Sedentary behavior has previously been associated with the risk of depression. In addition, older adults have been proven to be more sedentary and more depressed than other age groups. However, studies using objective measures of sedentary behavior and taking physical activity into account are lacking. Thus, the purpose of this population-based study was to examine how total sedentary time and length of sedentary bouts were associated with the risk of depression among 70-year-olds. The present study used data from the Healthy Ageing Initiative (n = 3,633), an ongoing cross-sectional research project in Umeå, Sweden. Sedentary behavior was measured objectively with the ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer, and depression was measured with the Geriatric Depression Scale. Several covariates, including physical activity, were included in logistic regression analyses. Results from two hierarchical logistic regression models showed that a greater percentage of the day spent sedentary [odds ratio (OR) = 1.031, p = 0.010] and longer average length of sedentary bouts (OR = 1.116, p = 0.045) increased the risk of depression. Limitations include of possible underrepresentation of severely depressed participants, and possible observer effects. The present study verified the relationship between sedentary behavior and depression and provides new information about the risks associated with increased length of sedentary bouts. These findings may be important to consider in the development of future recommendations for the prevention of depression among older adults.


Extracellular ATP signaling via P2X(4) receptor and cAMP/PKA signaling mediate ATP oscillations essential for prechondrogenic condensation.
Prechondrogenic condensation is the most critical process in skeletal patterning. A previous study demonstrated that ATP oscillations driven by Ca(2+) oscillations play a critical role in prechondrogenic condensation by inducing oscillatory secretion. However, it remains unknown what mechanisms initiate the Ca(2+)-driven ATP oscillations, mediate the link between Ca(2+) and ATP oscillations, and then result in oscillatory secretion in chondrogenesis. This study has shown that extracellular ATP signaling was required for both ATP oscillations and prechondrogenic condensation. Among P2 receptors, the P2X(4) receptor revealed the strongest expression level and mediated ATP oscillations in chondrogenesis. Moreover, blockage of P2X(4) activity abrogated not only chondrogenic differentiation but also prechondrogenic condensation. In addition, both ATP oscillations and secretion activity depended on cAMP/PKA signaling but not on K(ATP) channel activity and PKC or PKG signaling. This study proposes that Ca(2+)-driven ATP oscillations essential for prechondrogenic condensation is initiated by extracellular ATP signaling via P2X(4) receptor and is mediated by cAMP/PKA signaling and that cAMP/PKA signaling induces oscillatory secretion to underlie prechondrogenic condensation, in cooperation with Ca(2+) and ATP oscillations.


[Distribution of deltamethrin in acute poisoned rats].
To establish an animal model in acute poisoned rat by deltamethrin and an analysis method for determination of deltamethrin by gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-ECD) and to study the distribution of deltamethrin in rats in order to provide the references for forensic medicine identification about such cases. Rats were administered with deltamethrin of different doses(512 and 1,024 mg/kg) and killed 1.5 h later to be dissected rapidly for tissues (blood, hearts, livers, lungs, kidneys and brains etc.). Samples were dehydrated by anhydrous sodium sulfate and extracted with petroleum ether and acetone (V:V=4:1). The level of deltamethrin was determined by GC-ECD. There was a good separate between deltamethrin and endogenous impurities. The limit of quantification for deltamethrin in blood and liver were 0.1 microg/mL and 0.1 microg/g (S/N> or =10), respectively. The recovery rate of deltamethrin in blood was 91.55%-134.37% and both inter-day and intra-day precisions were less than 5.67%. The distribution of deltamethrin in poisoned rats with 512 mg/kg was as follow: lungs > livers > hearts > kidneys > blood > brains and with 1 024 mg/kg dose was lungs > blood > hearts > kidneys > brains > livers (P<0.05). The GC-ECD method is sensitive for determination of deltamethrin. The distribution of deltamethrin in rats has a dose-dependent manner. The study suggests that samples of blood, hearts, livers, lungs, kidneys and brains are suitable for deltamethrin poisoned analysis.


Association of IgA nephropathy with T-cell receptor constant alpha chain gene polymorphism.
T-cell receptor (TCR) proteins recognize a complex of an antigen-derived peptide bound to the cell surface products of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) that could be of importance in the immunopathogenesis of IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Previous studies found no difference on TCR constant beta chain gene frequencies in IgAN compared with control. Yet no study on the TCR alpha gene in IgAN was reported. We studied the TCR C alpha gene polymorphisms by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) in 53 patients with IgAN and in comparison with 67 healthy controls. The patients were also classified into different histopathological grading (I, II, and III with increasing histological severity) and renal functions. The extracted DNA were digested with Taq I enzymes and probed with a full-length TCR-alpha cDNA clone p1.2alpha probe. A 7-kb C-alpha Taq 1 fragment is found in 32 of 53 patients (60.3%) compared with 26 of 67 controls (38.8%) (P < 0.05). There was no association of any polymorphic fragment, including the 7-kb fragment, with either the histological grading or renal function. It is concluded that the TCR C-alpha gene is associated with IgAN but not with the prognosis of the disease.


Phase II study of liposomal annamycin in the treatment of doxorubicin-resistant breast cancer.
Liposomal annamycin (L-AN) has shown antitumor activity in preclinical studies. It may selectively target tumors and bypass MDR-1 resistance. A total of 13 women with doxorubicin-resistant breast cancer were treated on this phase II study. The median number of prior chemotherapy regimens was two, and six patients had two or more organ sites of involvement. L-AN was administered at 190-250 mg/m(2) as an i.v. infusion over 1-2 h every 3 weeks. No responses were observed. Of the 13 patients, 12 had clear deterioration and new tumor growth after one or two courses. The 13th patient had prolonged grade 2 thrombocytopenia after one course, and was taken off study when the lung metastases increased 62 days after treatment. L-AN at this dose and on this schedule had no detectable antitumor activity in patients with doxorubicin-resistant metastatic breast cancer.


External and internal limitations in amplitude-modulation processing.
Three experiments are presented to explore the relative role of "external" signal variability and "internal" resolution limitations of the auditory system in the detection and discrimination of amplitude modulations (AM). In the first experiment, AM-depth discrimination performance was determined using sinusoidally modulated broadband-noise and pure-tone carriers. The AM index, m, of the standard ranged from -28 to -3 dB (expressed as 20 log m). AM-depth discrimination thresholds were found to be a fraction of the AM depth of the standard for standards down to -18 dB, in the case of the pure-tone carrier, and down to -8 dB, in the case of the broadband-noise carrier. For smaller standards, AM-depth discrimination required a fixed increase in AM depth, independent of the AM depth of the standard. In the second experiment, AM-detection thresholds were obtained for signal-modulation frequencies of 4, 16, 64, and 256 Hz, applied to either a band-limited random-noise carrier or a deterministic ("frozen") noise carrier, as a function of carrier bandwidth (8 to 2048 Hz). In general, detection thresholds were higher for the random- than for the frozen-noise carriers. For both carrier types, thresholds followed the pattern expected from frequency-selective processing of the stimulus envelope. The third experiment investigated AM masking at 4, 16, and 64 Hz in the presence of a narrow-band masker modulation. The variability of the masker was changed from entirely frozen to entirely random, while the long-term average envelope power spectrum was held constant. The experiment examined the validity of a long-term average quantity as the decision variable, and the role of memory in experiments with frozen-noise maskers. The empirical results were compared to predictions obtained with two modulation-filterbank models. The predictions revealed that AM-depth discrimination and AM detection are limited by a combination of the external signal variability and an internal "Weber-fraction" noise process.


Perinatal mortality in breech delivery.
Single babies delivered by breech at Mansa General Hospital (Zambia) during a 12 month period from September 1993 to August 1994 were studied retrospectively. Breech delivery accounted for 2.44% single births. The perinatal mortality rate was high (341/1000) and involved mainly the low birth weight babies. This study confirms previously published reports of higher perinatal mortality in breech presentation. However, with proper selection of clients, intrapartum fetal monitoring and skilful birth attendants, a substantial proportion of breech presentations could have been safely delivered vaginally.


A comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography valve modulation method using hold-release primary column flow for long secondary separation time with 100% transfer.
A valve modulator with a hold-release primary column flow method has been proposed. This method uses a valve plumbed so that the head and tail of the primary column are connected during the secondary separation, to reverse, slow down, and finally stop the primary column flow. This keeps the sample in the primary column longer, gaining more time for secondary separation. Applying this method, a 60-second secondary retention time with 100% transfer, 133 ms secondary peak width at base, and no primary peak profile loss has been achieved. A standard sample with 19 compounds in 3 groups has been tested. The relative standard deviations for the retention time of this standard mixture are <0.26% for primary dimension and <0.94% for secondary dimension. A gasoline sample analysis with 5, 15, and 30-meter-long secondary columns has been demonstrated. With the secondary column length increase, the secondary separation has greatly improved even though the total run time increases to 45, 110, and 120 min and the toluene primary peak width at base increases to 0.51, 1.81, and 1.85 min respectively. A diesel samplerun by this method has also been demonstrated.


Comparison of Combined Endoscopic Ultrasonography and Endoscopic Secretin Testing With the Traditional Secretin Pancreatic Function Test in Patients With Suspected Chronic Pancreatitis: A Prospective Crossover Study.
We aimed to determine the feasibility and accuracy of a combined endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) with a shortened pancreatic function testing (sEUS) for structural and functional assessment using a single instrument in patients with suspected chronic pancreatitis (CP). We completed a prospective crossover study, enrolling patients with suspected CP. Patients who underwent both traditional 1-hour secretin pancreatic function test (sPFT) and sEUS were included in the analysis. We compared study results for test concordance and for correlation of peak bicarbonate concentrations. Eleven (64.7%) of 17 patients had concordant sPFT and sEUS findings when the cutoff for peak bicarbonate was 80 mEq/L. Six patients had discordant findings with a negative sPFT and positive sEUS. This poor concordance suggests that sEUS is an unreliable functional test. Lowering the sEUS cutoff to 70 mEq/L resulted in improved concordance (64.7% vs 70.6%). Finally, there was no significant correlation between peak bicarbonate concentrations (r = 0.47; 95% confidence interval, -0.02 to 0.79) in these 2 functional tests. We demonstrate poor concordance between sPFT and sEUS suggesting that a combined shortened functional and structural test using a single instrument may not be a feasible test for diagnosis of suspected CP when a cutoff of 80 mEq/L is used.


Success and limits of common final-state approximations.
Several current models for the treatment of final-state effects in the calculation of electron energy loss near edge structures are studied. Ab-initio calculations for the corresponding electronic reference configurations were carried out for the atoms Li to Kr. Edge onset energies can be directly obtained as energy differences between ground and excited state only if the excitation is explicitly accounted for; implicit schemes such as the Z + 1 or Slater's transition state approximation yield satisfactory results only for the K-edge of atoms up to phosphorous. Concerning the intensity modulation of the edge, however, the Z + 1 approximation exhibits the closest overall agreement with the exact K-shell excitation. Other approaches model the electron-hole interaction more effectively for the d-elements, but show pronounced, non-continuous discrepancies for the noble gases and the early p-elements.


One- and two-photon responsive injectable nano-bundle biomaterials from co-assembled lipopeptides for controlling molecular diffusion.
An injectable biomaterial has been prepared through co-assembly of lipopeptides C4-Bhc-Glu-Glu-NH2 and C14-Phe-Lys-Lys-NH2. This biomaterial contained a large number of nanofibre bundles (nano-bundles, NBs) of lipopeptide co-assemblies and performed like hydrogels. The morphologies of the NBs were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The rheological properties were investigated with a rheometer. Excitingly, the NB biomaterials exhibited shear thinning and self-healing properties, and could be used as injectable biomaterials. The coumarin group in the lipopeptides endowed the NB biomaterials with both ultraviolet (UV, a one photon process) and near-infrared (NIR) light (a two photon process) responsiveness. A small molecule (Doxorubicin, DOX) and a large molecule (bovine serum albumin, BSA) were used as model drugs, and both of them could be encapsulated in the NB biomaterials and could also be released sustainably or explosively under different conditions (with or without one- and two-photon irradiation). DOX and BSA have different release behaviors because of the NBs. Cell assays showed that the co-assembled NB biomaterials exhibited low cytotoxicity to normal cells. However, when DOX was loaded, the NB biomaterials could kill HeLa cells sustainably. Under UV and NIR irradiation, HeLa cells could be killed rapidly because of the burst release of DOX. The co-assembled supramolecular NB biomaterials with dual-responsiveness, tunable rheological properties and multi-drug encapsulating ability might have potential in biomedical engineering.


[Congenital atrioventricular junction tachycardia. Favorable response to anti-arrhythmia agents].
The congenital junctional ectopic tachycardia, is an unusual tachyarrhythmia, with early clinic manifestation and poor antiarrhythmic drugs response with a great infant mortality reaching rates of 35%. It deserves a special attention in its timely detection as well as in its appropriate handling with different modalities of pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapy. We reported two cases in which age of presentation of tachyarrhythmia was at three months and whose particularity was the good response to antiarrhythmic drugs; verapamil and later propafenone, used for the acute stages and a combination of propafenone plus propranolol initially for the chronic stage. Due to intolerance it was necessary to change the treatment after a year for sotalol and digital with good response. We review the literature about this topic.


Normal D-dimer concentration is a common finding in symptomatic outpatients with distal deep vein thrombosis.
The D-dimer analysis has been shown to have a high sensitivity and a high negative predictive value for the exclusion of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). However, most D-dimer studies, including recent clinical management studies, are performed without examination of the calf veins and/or performed on patient populations with a predominance of proximal DVT. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the D-dimer test in a population with a suspected high incidence of distal DVT. In the present study, 393 outpatients with clinically suspected symptomatic DVT of the lower extremities were examined with whole-leg duplex ultrasonography. The D-dimer analysis was performed using an automated micro-latex assay (Tina-quant). A total of 137 of 393 patients had a proven DVT, with the majority presenting with distal DVT (59%). Twenty-eight out of 81 patients with distal DVT had a normal D-dimer, compared with two of 56 patients with proximal DVT. The sensitivity for distal DVT was only 65% compared with 96% for proximal DVT; the negative predictive values were 84 and 99%, respectively. In conclusion, the prevalence of distal DVT in a study population seems to have a great impact on the diagnostic performance of the D-dimer analysis. The study results also show that normal D-dimer levels do not exclude distal DVT in outpatients; instead, it can be hypothesized that normal D-dimer levels exclude DVT that require treatment, as indicated by the good outcome in recent management studies.


Zirconium and titanium amido complexes with 3,3-dimethyl-1,5-diaza-8-oxacyclodecane; facile C-H activation of the macrocyclic rim.
Reaction of the dilithium salt of 3,3-dimethyl-1,5-diaza-8-oxacyclodecane, [(NLi)2O], with Zr(NEt2)2Cl2(thf)2 gave the formally 20e- complex [Zr(N2O)2]; metallation of the macrocycle [(NH)2O], with Ti(benzyl)4 gave rise to [(N2O)*Ti(benzyl)]2 in which the trianionic diamido (N2O)* was formed by an unprecedented C-H activation of the carbon [small alpha] to the amido nitrogen.


Safety and animal handling practices among women dairy operators.
This article presents suggestions toward safer animal handling utilizing the results of a qualitative study of women dairy farmers in Finland. A major proportion of injuries (43%) occur in livestock-related work in Finnish agriculture. An even greater proportion of women's farm injuries (77%) is related to animals. We investigated the working conditions often women dairy farmers. Data were collected by observing farm work and performing semi-structured interviews. The study farms represented different milk production technologies with an average farm size of 106 ha (262 acres) of cultivated land, 51 ha (126 acres) of forest, and 45 dairy cows. Farm-related injuries were frequent; eight respondents out often had suffered one or several injuries during the previous two years. The women considered farm animals as the greatest hazard, and unexpected animal behavior was viewed as the most significant work-related injury risk. Dangerous situations often resulted from stress in cows caused by unpleasant circumstances or making animals fearful of people. Experiences from some farms suggested that dairy farm work can be relatively safe and that improving the trust between the cows and their handlers plays a key role in safety. We synthesized our findings into four animal handling strategies that can potentially reduce the risk of injury among stockpersons. We developed practical guidelines on how to gradually build a good cow-handler relationship based on our findings and the literature on cattle handling strategies and animal welfare science.


Temperature-sensitive nanogels in the presence of salt: explicit coarse-grained simulations.
In this work, coarse-grained simulations of two charged thermo-shrinking nanogels (with degrees of ionization of 0.125 and 0.250) in the presence of 1:1 and 3:1 electrolytes have been explicitly performed through the bead-spring model of polyelectrolyte. In a first set of simulations, salt concentrations for 1:1 and 3:1 electrolytes ranged from 1 to 100 mM and from 0.167 to 16.7 mM, respectively, whereas temperature remained fixed at a value for which hydrophobic forces were negligible in our case (288 K). The sizes of swollen nanogels are smaller when trivalent cations are present, but they do not change significantly in the range of concentrations of 3:1 electrolyte studied here. It should be also stressed that trivalent cations neutralize the nanogel charge more efficiently. According to these results the electrostatic repulsion plays an important role. In a second set of simulations, the temperature varied from 288 to 333 K to study the effect of salt on the thermal response when hydrophobic forces are not negligible. For the nanogels with the lowest degree of ionization, the behavior of the radius with increasing the temperature can be described by a sigmoid function, which shifts towards lower temperatures in the presence of salt. This shift is more clearly observed for trivalent cations, even at low concentrations. For the nanogels with the highest degree of ionization, the effect of additional electrolyte is also noticeable. In this case, hydrophobic forces are not the only responsible for their shrinkage in the presence of trivalent cations. The surface electrostatic potential and the concentration of salt cations inside the nanogel have been computed from simulations and a modified Poisson-Boltzmann (PB) cell model. The thermosensitivity in size have certain influence on the sensitivity of these properties to temperature changes. The rich behavior of the surface electrostatic potential and the uptake of salt cations are successfully predicted by the modified PB cell model proposed (at least qualitatively). Particularly, the model is able to predict how the retention of salt cations depends on their charge and the ionic valence when nanogels shrink.


Recombinant factor VIIa in major abdominal surgery and liver transplantation.
The author reviewed the literature regarding recombinant activated Factor VII (rFVIIa) in major abdominal surgery and liver transplantation and concluded that, on the basis of evidence-based medicine, there is no evidence to support an extensive use of rFVIIa. Nevertheless, various case reports suggest the usefulness of rFVIIa to treat life-threatening bleeding after failure of conventional therapies. It appears that there is a consensus that rFVIIa can be used with good results as a rescue therapy in extremely severe situations. Economic cost and potential thrombosis risk remain arguments against more widespread use of rFVIIa. Doses from 5 to 120 kg/kg in each administration have been reported without clear evidence to support a specific protocol. Efficacy of 15 to 20 kg/kg in surgical settings has been reported, but higher doses are more frequently used. The majority of the reviewed investigators accepted the use of rFVIIa after or simultaneously with the use of aprotinin; no data refute the safety of this association.


Changes in cell surface expression of fibronectin and fibronectin receptor during liver regeneration.
The surface expression of fibronectin and its major integrin receptor in liver, integrin alpha 5 beta 1, was studied during liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy. Using immunoblotting, plasma membranes isolated from livers at different regeneration stages were found to contain 6- to 8-fold elevated levels of fibronectin, alpha 5 and beta 1 at 12-24 h after the operation. Normal levels were gradually restored during the following 8-9 days. The membrane-associated fibronectin lacked the ED-A domain, suggesting that it consisted of plasma fibronectin. A prominent fibronectin fragment (180 kDa) was present at 12-24 h after surgery, possibly reflecting turnover of the pericellular matrix during cell division. Indirect immunohistochemical staining of liver sections revealed beta 1 and fibronectin mainly in the sinusoidal region of the hepatocyte plasma membrane. The distribution was not markedly altered during liver regeneration. The results suggest that the fibronectin-mediated contacts between the cells and the extracellular matrix increase during the pre-replicative and proliferative phases of liver regeneration. The significance of these results for the growth and for the structure of the liver during regeneration and development is discussed.


MR imaging characteristics of tuberculous spondylitis vs vertebral osteomyelitis.
Retrospective evaluation was made of four patients with tuberculous spondylitis who had been studied by MR with T1- and T2-weighted images in the sagittal plane and spin-density-weighted images in the axial plane. Evaluation was made of the distribution of abnormal signals within the body and posterior elements of the vertebrae, the intervertebral disk, and the associated paraspinal and epidural areas. In two of the cases, three-level involvement was seen with noninvolvement of intervening disks; metastases were misdiagnosed. One patient had anterior/inferior erosion of the vertebral body without visualization of the disk. The last patient had the more typical MR characteristics of intervertebral disk infection. Plain film examination showed only degenerative changes in three of the four cases. MR revealed more extensive involvement than the plain films did. Involvement of the posterior element and posterior vertebral body was prominent in three of the four cases. This is a significant finding since these patients are more likely to have neurologic symptoms and require laminectomy. Follow-up examinations in two cases showed increased signal on T1-weighted images, suggesting infiltration of hemopoietic marrow with fat, as has been described for degenerative osteoarthritis. The anatomy of the microcirculation of the vertebral body is related to the patterns of vertebral osteomyelitis, and discrepancies can be seen between the findings in our cases and the MR criteria previously noted for pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis. The MR findings in our patients generally were more typical of neoplasm than of infection. These findings may reflect the characteristics of the tuberculous organism relative to the age-dependent pattern of vertebral microcirculation. Correct diagnosis of tuberculous spondylitis in young to middle-aged adults requires correlation of MR and clinical findings.


Possible case of pressure resorption associated with osteoarthritis in human skeletal remains from ancient China.
Osteoarthritis, one of the most common pathological conditions observed in human skeletal remains, is traditionally thought to only affect the structures within the joint capsule. We examined the osteoarthritic distal femora of an individual from Ancient North China, ca. 475-221 BCE. The standard signs of osteoarthritis, marginal lipping and extensive eburnation, were observed in the patellofemoral compartment of the knee joint. In addition however were bilateral pressure-caused fossae on the extra-articular anterior surfaces of the distal femora 10 mm proximal to the large osteophytes at the apex of the patellar surfaces. Anatomy and possible pathogenesis of knee arthritis are explored in order to come to a tentative aetiology of the extra-articular lesions. These lesions are suggested to be a new criterion for identifying severe knee arthritis. The osteological phenomenon is then placed into archaeological context of the Warring States period of ancient China.


Stem cell transplantation: brief review and current status.
In recent years stem cell has come up as a great advance in therapy for a number of illnesses and has potential for revolutionising the medical field. Right from myelodysplastic syndrome to amyloidosis it has been tried. The present review is a modest endeavour to acquaintain in brief about current status of stem cells.


Measuring health status in psychiatric community surveys: internal and external validity of the Spanish version of the SF-36.
The aims of the present study were to determine the acceptability of the Spanish version of the Short Form (SF-36) health survey questionnaire for its use in mental health research on the general population, and to evaluate its internal and external validity, using data obtained from a representative community sample of 1250 adults of working age. The internal consistency of the different dimensions of the questionnaire was high. Concurrent validity was tested by examining its correlation with the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Construct validity was determined by studying the extent to which scores on different variables reflected the expected distribution of health status for and between certain groups. Our findings provide strong evidence for the acceptability and validity of the SF-36 when used as part of a community mental health survey.


Different polypeptides of bovine heart cytochrome c oxidase are in contact with cytochrome c.
Two water-soluble carbodiimides, differing in molecular dimensions, have been used to characterize the cytochrome c binding site of bovine heart cytochrome c oxidase. Several polypeptide components of the enzyme contain acidic residues which are modified by these reagents. Carboxyl groups present in subunit II, VII and polypeptide c, are protected from modification when cytochrome c, equimolar to oxidase, is added and they can cross-link to the substrate once activated by the carbodiimide. Comparison of the modification patterns suggest that the most reactive residues are located on subunit II and VII, the former being also more exposed. The data obtained indicate that even though subunit II plays the major role in binding cytochrome c, at least two other lower Mr polypeptides contribute to the cytochrome c binding domain.


[Treatment of precalyceal stones of Cacchi-Ricci disease by flexible ureterorenoscopy and Holmium-YAG laser].
Flexible ureterorenoscopy combined with Holmium-YAG laser is an effective and reliable technique for the management of renal stones. Cacchi-Ricci disease is a frequent urological malformation characterized by precalyceal stone formation, for which no preventive treatment is available at the present time. Some complicated forms are difficult to manage because of the technical impossibility of treating these precalyceal stones. The objective of this article is to describe a technique allowing management of these precalyceal stones by flexible ureterorenoscopy combined with Holmium-YAG laser.


Numerical analysis of a multi-pass pumping Yb:YAG thick-disk laser with minimal heat generation.
A theoretical model is established to describe the dynamic behavior and fractional thermal load of a multi-pass pumping Yb:YAG thick-disk laser, which is pumped at 1030 nm and emits laser radiation at around 1048 nm. The fractional thermal load, the temperature of the thick-disk crystal, and the operational properties for different ambient temperatures and different output coupler transmissions are investigated in detail. The results show that the pump saturation effect and the laser threshold are sensitive to the ambient temperature and the output coupler transmission, which affect the fractional thermal load and the laser extraction efficiency. Furthermore, a new design scheme is proposed to realize "zero thermal load" throughout the output range by dynamically adjusting the output coupler transmission.


TWO-DIMENSIONAL GEL ELECTROPHORESIS ANALYSIS OF BROWN ALGAL PROTEIN EXTRACTS(1).
High-quality protein extracts are required for proteomic studies, a field that is poorly developed for marine macroalgae. A reliable phenol extraction protocol using Scytosiphon gracilis Kogame and Ectocarpus siliculosus (Dillwyn) Lyngb. (Phaeophyceae) as algal models resulted in high-quality protein extracts. The performance of the new protocol was tested against four methods available for vascular plants and a seaweed. The protocol, which includes an initial step to remove salts from the algal tissues, allowed the use of highly resolving two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) protein analyses, providing the opportunity to unravel potentially novel physiological processes unique to this group of marine organisms.


The lateral periodontal cyst. A report of 37 cases.
The lateral periodontal cyst is a developmental cyst of odontogenic origin which is located along the lateral aspect of a tooth root. Thirty-seven previously unreported lateral periodontal cysts ( LPCs ) are presented. Clinical, roentgenographic and histologic features of the LPC are reviewed. Further, the importance of distinguishing the developmental LPC from laterally positioned inflammatory cysts of pulpal or periodontal disease origin and laterally occurring odontogenic keratocysts is stressed.


Epidural analgesia after scoliosis surgery: electrophysiologic and clinical assessment of the effects of bupivacaine 0.125% plus morphine versus ropivacaine 0.2% plus morphine.
To study the electrophysiologic and clinical effects of epidural morphine combined with either bupivacaine 0.125% or ropivacaine 0.2%. Comparative, randomized, double-blind study. Intensive care unit and hospital ward of a university hospital. 18 adult ASA physical status I and II patients with degenerative or idiopathic scoliosis, undergoing posterior spinal fusion with instrumentation. Patients received epidural administration of 10-mL bolus of either bupivacaine or ropivacaine followed by a 6-mL/h infusion for 48 hours of unlabeled local anesthetic. In all patients, epidural morphine 5 mg was added daily. Assessment was focused mainly on somatosensory cortical evoked potentials, soleus H-reflex, and F waves. These electrophysiologic data were recorded before and after epidural medications. Second, respiratory rate, Paco(2), visual analog score (VAS), and side effects such as postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), gastrointestinal (GI) transit delay, and urinary retention were noted. Bupivacaine 0.125% + morphine was given to 9 patients, and ropivacaine 0.2% + morphine was given to 9 other patients. H-reflex, F waves, and somatosensory cortical evoked potential recording remained unchanged across the time of assessment. Respiratory rate and Paco(2) values were normal. VASs were indifferently low at rest, but they were lower with bupivacaine than with ropivacaine on mobilization. The frequency of PONV was indifferently high. No altered GI transit or urinary retention was noted. After epidural administration during the study conditions, bupivacaine 0.125% and ropivacaine 0.2% combined with morphine allow for neurologic examination.


Effects of dietary change and rotavirus infection on small intestinal structure and function in gnotobiotic piglets.
The combined effects of weaning and rotavirus infection on small intestinal structure and function and on growth rate were studied in 28 gnotobiotic piglets. There was little damage by rotavirus to the proximal small intestine, some damage to the mid small intestine and relatively severe damage to the distal small intestine; villi were stunted, crypts lengthened and activities of all brush border enzymes decreased. The damage was short-lived despite the synchronisation of rotavirus infection with simulated weaning. There was no evidence of persistent damage to the small intestine and growth rate was unaffected.


[Tularemia study in Khmel'nitski Province].
The differentiated approach to carrying out the vaccinal prophylaxis of tularemia is necessary in view of the determination of the types of the natural foci of this infection and their epizootic manifestation, as well as taking into account concrete local conditions and social factors. At the same time, the level of zooparasitological investigations must be maintained for the timely determination of the activity and spread of the natural foci of tularemia.


[Morphology and remote results of the treatment of arachnoidendothelioma (meningioma) of the vascular membrane of the eye].
Morphology of arachnoidendothelioma (30 cases) of the choroid of the eye was studied using stains and impregnation of the fibrous stroma of a tumour with silver. In 28 cases the fate of patients after the enucleation of the eye-bulb was followed-up for periods of 2-15 years. Depending on characteristics of cellular elements and specificity of the architectonics of the tumour tissue, three main variants of its structure were singled out: meningotheliomatous, insular, and fibroblast arachnoidendothelioma, according to the terminology accepted by neurooncologists. It was established that in most cases the tumour was non-pigmented or slightly pigmented. Its pigmentation was accounted for by the presence of three types of pigment cells: epithelioid cells of arachnoidendothelium containing fine-grained brown pigment, melanophages and process melanocytes. Arachnoidendothelioma of the choroid of the eye was characterized by an expansive character of growth. In a number of cases, however, there was noted an infiltrative growth of the tumour. Studies of the remote results of the treatment revealed no metastasizing. In one case a recurrence of the tumour took place. The author comes to the conclusion that, as to its histological structure, character of growth and prognosis of arachnoidendothelioma of the choroid of the eye is similar to arachnoidendothelioma localized in the meninx. A typical histological structure of this tumour makes it possible to differentiate it from melanoblastoma of the choroid of the eye.


Structure-activity relationships of mammalian, chicken, and salmon gonadotropin releasing hormones in vivo in goldfish.
Mammalian, chicken, and salmon gonadotropin releasing hormones (GnRHs), and anlogs of each peptide, were injected either alone or in combination with pimozide into goldfish, and the changes in serum gonadotropin (GtH) levels determined. The native peptides had similar potencies in terms of magnitude and duration of the GtH response. Analogs of LHRH that are superactive in mammals are also superactive in goldfish; although [(imBzl)-D-His6, Pro9-NEt]-LHRH is very highly superactive in mammals it has activity similar to [D-Ala6, Pro9-NEt]-LHRH in goldfish. D-Ala6 or (imBzl)-D-His6 substitutions of [Trp7, Leu8, Pro9-NEt]-LHRH are not superactive in goldfish, whereas the D-Arg6 substitution is highly superactive, indicating that there are differences in the factors that make salmon and mammalian GnRH superactive. These results also indicate that the structural modifications that determine superactivity of GnRHs in goldfish differ from what is known for mammals.


AAEM minimonograph 32: the electrodiagnostic examination in patients with radiculopathies. American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine.
The anatomy and pathophysiology of radiculopathies are reviewed, and the electrodiagnostic approaches used in evaluating patients with suspected root lesions are discussed. Such electrophysiologic procedures include motor and sensory nerve conduction studies, late-response studies, somatosensory and motor evoked potentials, nerve root stimulation, and needle electromyography. The value and limitations of these different procedures are considered. At the present time, needle electromyography is the single most useful approach. The findings in patients with radiculopathies at different levels are summarized.


[The user oriented hospital - chances and challenges for the healthcare industry].
Hardly any other part of the healthcare sector is under such a pressure to change as the hospital sector. Hospitals are high-performers in coping with complex changes in modernising patient care, process design, quality, cost-effectiveness and service orientation. But, what really makes value to the patient? Currently, this question is raised with new seriousness. Those hospitals which consequently align their portfolio to value based and 'patient driven' healthcare delivery will succeed by both quality and cost-effectiveness. We receive such messages from the USA. In Germany there are on-going and admonishing pleas since the end of the 1990s not to lose sight of the patients' needs while designing new concepts for healthcare delivery. Future challenges imply not only the renaissance of patient centred care, but also demand for a comprehensive user orientation as a key factor to successful hospital modernisation. This is particularly true of concepts of structured, integrated and regional healthcare delivery. But a consequent alignment of healthcare with value for patients clearly exceeds the focus on integrating hospital and outpatient care. In designing new services of coordinated regional healthcare, hospitals gain strategic options for a single-source healthcare delivery. In terms of business development, user orientation does not only yield important impulses for stronger patient centred care, but also opens up chances for better quality and competitive advantages. Nevertheless, it requires a new understanding of innovation processes which considers value for patients and quality of results and outcome as a relevant scale for measuring effects of change management. Finally, the methods of the assessment of user oriented healthcare delivery are an essential challenge for the evaluation of cooperative healthcare services.


Ergonomics. Reducing mental and physical fatigue in the dental operatory.
The work output and the mental and physical fatigue generated by a dental procedure is affected by the length and type of operation, physical facilities, the amount of cooperation given by the patient, operating techniques, and the effective teamwork and rapport of the operatory dental team. Fatigue is also generated by stresses that arise outside of the office and which, when superimposed over the normal operating stresses of the office, can have a cumulative effect of decreasing output and increasing mental and physical fatigue for the dentist, the assistant, and the patient. Probably the three most important means to compensate for both routine and nonroutine physical and mental stresses of any type or origin are: (1) learn to cope with or resolve the origin of the stress; (2) develop a pattern of healthy living; (3) cultivate job satisfaction.


THE OCCURRENCE OF VIABLE COTTON ROOT-ROT SCLEROTIA IN NATURE.
Viable sclerotia of the cotton root-rot fungus, Phymatotrichum omnivorum, have been found under natural conditions in the soil of infested cotton fields in Texas, showing that this fungus is a soil organism not restricted to living roots of susceptible host plants, but having an independent means of over-wintering and dissemination.


Brain MRI fiber-tracking reveals white matter alterations in hypertensive patients without damage at conventional neuroimaging.
Hypertension is one of the main risk factor for dementia. The subtle damage provoked by chronic high blood pressure in the brain is usually evidenced by conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in terms of white matter (WM) hyperintensities or cerebral atrophy. However, it is clear that by the time brain damage is visible, it may be too late hampering neurodegeneration. Aim of this study was to characterize a signature of early brain damage induced by hypertension, before the neurodegenerative injury manifests. This work was conducted on hypertensive and normotensive subjects with no sign of structural damage at conventional neuroimaging and no diagnosis of dementia revealed by neuropsychological assessment. All individuals underwent cardiological clinical examination in order to define the hypertensive status and the related target organ damage. Additionally, patients were subjected to DTI-MRI scan to identify microstructural damage of WM by probabilistic fiber-tracking. To gain insights in the neurocognitive profile of patients a specific battery of tests was administered. As primary outcome of the study we aimed at finding any specific signature of fiber-tracts alterations in hypertensive patients, associated with an impairment of the related cognitive functions. Hypertensive patients showed significant alterations in three specific WM fiber-tracts: the anterior thalamic radiation, the superior longitudinal fasciculus and the forceps minor. Hypertensive patients also scored significantly worse in the cognitive domains ascribable to brain regions connected through those WM fiber-tracts, showing decreased performances in executive functions, processing speed, memory, and paired associative learning tasks. Overall, WM fiber-tracking on MRI evidenced an early signature of damage in hypertensive patients when otherwise undetectable by conventional neuroimaging. In perspective, this approach could allow identifying those patients that are in initial stages of brain damage and could benefit of therapies aimed at limiting the transition to dementia and neurodegeneration.


Collective diffusion in charge-stabilized suspensions: concentration and salt effects.
The authors present a joint experimental-theoretical study of collective diffusion properties in aqueous suspensions of charge-stabilized fluorinated latex spheres. Small-angle x-ray scattering and x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy have been used to explore the concentration and ionic-strength dependence of the static and short-time dynamic properties including the hydrodynamic function H(q), the wave-number-dependent collective diffusion coefficient D(q), and the intermediate scattering function over the entire accessible range. They show that all experimental data can be quantitatively described and explained by means of a recently developed accelerated Stokesian dynamics simulation method, in combination with a modified hydrodynamic many-body theory. In particular, the behavior of H(q) for de-ionized and dense suspensions can be attributed to the influence of many-body hydrodynamics, without any need for postulating hydrodynamic screening to be present, as it was done in earlier work. Upper and lower boundaries are provided for the peak height of the hydrodynamic function and for the short-time self-diffusion coefficient over the entire range of added salt concentrations.


The role of graphene oxide and graphene oxide-based nanomaterials in the removal of pharmaceuticals from aqueous media: a review.
In this review paper, the ill effects of pharmaceuticals (PhAs) on the environment and their adsorption on graphene oxide (GO) and graphene oxide-based (GO-based) nanomaterials have been summarised and discussed. The adsorption of prominent PhAs discussed herein includes beta-blockers (atenolol and propranolol), antibiotics (tetracycline, ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole), pharmaceutically active compounds (carbamazepine) and analgesics such as diclofenac. The adsorption of PhAs strictly depends upon the experimental conditions such as pH, adsorbent and adsorbate concentrations, temperature, ionic strength, etc. To understand the adsorption mechanism and feasibility of the adsorption process, the adsorption isotherms, thermodynamics and kinetic studies were also considered. Except for some cases, GO and its derivatives show excellent adsorption capacities for PhAs, which is crucial for their applications in the environmental pollution cleanup.


Eradicating leprosy in Saudi Arabia: outcome of a ten-year surveillance (2003–2012).
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has a sentinel surveillance system on leprosy for effective monitoring of the disease. A retrospective epidemiological analysis of all cases of leprosy captured by the surveillance system between 2003 and 2012 was conducted. Over the 10-year period, there were 242 reported cases of leprosy in KSA, 67% of which were in those aged between 15 and 44 years of age. Males accounted for over 77% of all cases and non-Saudi nationals, dominated by Indians, and represented 57.4% of the total cases. Just over half of the cases were paucibacillary leprosy, and 9% were grade 2 disability. Makkah region accounted for nearly 42% of all cases. Annual trends showed an overall decline in the yearly cases and prevalence of the disease from 41 cases (0.018 per 10,000 population) in 2003 to 15 cases (0.005 per 10,000 population) in 2012. KSA needs to strengthen the leprosy surveillance systems, as well as health care and community education about the disease which will help effective monitoring, early detection and treatment of the disease. Moreover, the role or migrants in the importation of the disease needs to be addressed to achieve and maintain eradication.


Renal involvement in polyarteritis nodosa: evaluation of 26 Turkish children.
Renal involvement is common in childhood polyarteritis nodosa (PAN). We report a retrospective analysis of the presentation and clinical course of 26 patients with PAN and renal involvement. The mean age was 9.3 years (range 1-14 years) and there were 12 boys and 14 girls. Renal symptoms at presentation were as follows: 3 had isolated proteinuria, 9 had nephritic syndrome, 2 had nephritic and nephrotic components, and 10 had renal failure with one of the above features. Two patients with isolated hypertension were diagnosed by angiography and classified as classical PAN. Patients either received prednisone p.o. alone (n=9), or prednisone plus cyclophosphamide p.o. (n=11), or pulse steroids with prednisone p.o. and cyclophosphamide (n=2); 4 did not receive any treatment. Patients who were given cyclophosphamide had a significantly better outcome than those who did not. We suggest that oral cyclophosphamide therapy and corticosteroids are effective in the treatment of PAN. The overall 1-year and 5-year survival rates of the patients were 72.5% and 60%, respectively. In conclusion, renal disease is a serious manifestation of PAN necessitating prompt and aggressive treatment.


Dormant phase and multinuclear cells: two key phenomena in early culture of murine bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.
Special features of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have made them a popular tool in cell therapy and tissue engineering. Although mouse animal models and murine MSCs are common tools in this field, our understanding of the effect of in vitro expansion on the behavior of these cells is poor and controversial. In addition, in comparison to human, isolation of MSCs from mouse has been reported to be more difficult and some unexplained features such as heterogeneity and slow growth rate in the culture of these cells have been observed. Here we followed mouse bone marrow MSCs for >1 year after isolation and examined the effect of expansion on changes in morphology, growth kinetics, plasticity, and chromosomal structure during in vitro culture. Shortly after isolation, the growth rate of the cells decreased until they stopped dividing and entered a dormant state. In this state the size of the cells increased and they became multinuclear. These large multinuclear cells then gave origin to small mononuclear cells, which after a while resumed proliferation and could be expanded immortally. The immortal cells had diminished plasticity and were aneuploid but could not form tumors in nude mice. These results suggest that mouse bone marrow MSCs bear several modifications when expanded in vitro, and therefore, the interpretation of the data obtained with these cells should be done more cautiously.


Nutritional status in cirrhosis. Italian Multicentre Cooperative Project on Nutrition in Liver Cirrhosis.
Malnutrition frequently occurs in patients with chronic liver disease and may represent a risk factor influencing both short- and long-term survival in these patients. Previously published studies have tended to be confined to alcoholic patients and there are few data on the prevalence of nutritional abnormalities in patients with cirrhosis not of alcoholic origin. Anthropometric measurements and a clinical evaluation of the nutritional status of 1402 patients with cirrhosis (883 males and 519 females) were recorded between January 1988 and 1989 by the Italian Multicentre Cooperative project on Nutrition in Liver Cirrhosis. The origin of liver disease was alcohol-related in 37% of patients. Child-Pugh criteria were used to establish the severity of the liver disease. Patients with cirrhosis exhibited a wide range of nutritional abnormalities. While 29% of females and 18% of males appeared to be overnourished, a significant reduction in fat stores, as estimated by the mid-arm fat area, and/or muscle mass, as estimated by mid-arm muscle area, was observed in 30% of patients with cirrhosis. The prevalence of signs of nutritional depletion increased in both sexes as liver function deteriorated. Mean values for mid-arm fat area decreased by 30% in males and by 40% in females with moderate to severe liver failure (Child-Pugh Classes B and C). The reduction in mid-arm muscle area was more evident in males (17% decrease) than in females (9% decrease). Patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis showed a higher prevalence of malnutrition and had more frequent severe liver impairment (Child-Pugh Classes B and C).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Microbial community composition and function in wastewater treatment plants.
Biological wastewater treatment has been applied for more than a century to ameliorate anthropogenic damage to the environment. But only during the last decade the use of molecular tools allowed to accurately determine the composition, and dynamics of activated sludge and biofilm microbial communities. Novel, in many cases yet not cultured bacteria were identified to be responsible for filamentous bulking and foaming as well as phosphorus and nitrogen removal in these systems. Now, methods are developed to infer the in situ physiology of these bacteria. Here we provide an overview of what is currently known about the identity and physiology of some of the microbial key players in activated sludge and biofilm systems.


Jaw movement responses to electrical stimulation of different parts of the human temporalis muscle.
Previous EMG studies have provided indications for the differential activation of the human temporalis muscle. However, in these studies the contribution of different parts of the temporalis muscle could not be separated from the contributions of other muscles, since contraction was performed by voluntary activation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine functional differences among various parts of the human temporalis muscle by means of recording the incisal point movement response to electrical stimulation of parts of the muscle. Five healthy male subjects participated in this study. Three locations (anterior, middle, and posterior temporalis muscle) were stimulated, by means of monopolar wire electrodes and rectangular pulses. The insertion depths of the stimulation electrodes were determined by means of magnetic resonance images. Stimulation was performed in four jaw positions (resting position, 50% maximum mouth opening, 1 cm to the left, and 1 cm to the right). Movement responses to stimulation of the different muscle parts were recorded with the OKAS-3D jaw movement analysis system. The movement responses were expressed in polar coordinates. The variation in the direction of the jaw movement response was partly explained by the factors 'stimulation location' and 'jaw position' (ANOVA, p < 0.001). When the stimulation location shifted in an antero-posterior direction, the response changed from a vertical-lateral incisal point movement to a lateral-posterior movement with a smaller vertical component. The jaw position during stimulation also influenced the movement response. A functional subdivision of the temporalis muscle into at least three parts is favored.


Large versus Small Dose Magnesium Sulfate Infusion in Tetanus.
Evidence based guidelines regarding the use of magnesium sulfate in tetanus is lacking. Hence, our objective was to compare two infusion doses of magnesium sulfate to control the tetanic spasms. Data of 14 adult male patients admitted in the intensive care unit were retrieved. Twelve adult ventilated patients received magnesium infusion as an adjunct to diazepam therapy to control tetanic spasms. We retrospectively divided them into two groups for comparison. Group 1 patients (n=7) received a smaller dose (<1 g.h(-1)) than group 2 (n=5) (1.5 to 2 g.h(-1)). The duration of symptoms before arrival to hospital was significantly longer in group 1 than group 2. The Ablett severity grade was II in three patients in group 1 and III in all patients of group 2. In Ablett severity grade III patients, the diazepam dose used was significantly higher in group 1 (n=4) (292±48 mg.d(-1)) than group 2 (n=3) (106±9 mg.d(-1)) as magnesium infusion dose was restricted due to hypotension in group 1. Amongst the patients who received MgSO(4) for ≥10 days, the requirement of diazepam was significantly reduced in the second week (174.1±59.2 mg/d) than the first week (325.4±105.9 mg.d(-1)) of infusion in group 2 (n=4) but not in group 1 patients (n=4). The larger dose of MgSO(4) infusion was titrated to control tetanic spasms as an adjunct to diazepam in select group of patients without hypotension. Uncontrolled hypotension, cardiac arrhythmia and renal failure were the factors to limit its infusion dose.


A role for CD44 in T cell development and function during direct competition between CD44+ and CD44- cells.
The role of CD44 in T cell biology remains incompletely understood. Although studies using anti-CD44 antibodies have implicated this cell adhesion molecule in a variety of important T cell processes, few T cell defects have been reported in CD44-deficient mice. We have assessed the requirement for CD44 in T cell development and mature T cell function by analyzing mice in which CD44(-/-) and WT cells were produced simultaneously. In mixed (CD44(-/-) + CD44(+/+)) bone marrow chimeras, production of CD44(-/-) T cells was shown to be reduced compared to WT cells due to inefficient intrathymic development. In addition, mature CD44(-/-) CD8(+) T cells generated a substantially lower response than WT T cells after infection of mice with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, with the reduction in response apparent in both lymphoid and non-lymphoid tissues. Overall, these results demonstrate a poor capacity of CD44(-/-) T lineage cells to compete with WT cells at multiple levels, implicating CD44 in normal T cell function.


X-ray and neutron powder diffraction analyses of Gly·MgSO4·5H2O and Gly·MgSO4·3H2O, and their deuterated counterparts.
We have identified a new compound in the glycine-MgSO4-water ternary system, namely glycine magnesium sulfate trihydrate (or Gly·MgSO4·3H2O) {systematic name: catena-poly[[tetraaquamagnesium(II)]-μ-glycine-κ(2)O:O'-[diaquabis(sulfato-κO)magnesium(II)]-μ-glycine-κ(2)O:O']; [Mg(SO4)(C2D5NO2)(D2O)3]n}, which can be grown from a supersaturated solution at ∼350 K and which may also be formed by heating the previously known glycine magnesium sulfate pentahydrate (or Gly·MgSO4·5H2O) {systematic name: hexaaquamagnesium(II) tetraaquadiglycinemagnesium(II) disulfate; [Mg(D2O)6][Mg(C2D5NO2)2(D2O)4](SO4)2} above ∼330 K in air. X-ray powder diffraction analysis reveals that the trihydrate phase is monoclinic (space group P21/n), with a unit-cell metric very similar to that of recently identified Gly·CoSO4·3H2O [Tepavitcharova et al. (2012). J. Mol. Struct. 1018, 113-121]. In order to obtain an accurate determination of all structural parameters, including the locations of H atoms, and to better understand the relationship between the pentahydrate and the trihydrate, neutron powder diffraction measurements of both (fully deuterated) phases were carried out at 10 K at the ISIS neutron spallation source, these being complemented with X-ray powder diffraction measurements and Raman spectroscopy. At 10 K, glycine magnesium sulfate pentahydrate, structurally described by the `double' formula [Gly(d5)·MgSO4·5D2O]2, is triclinic (space group P-1, Z = 1), and glycine magnesium sulfate trihydrate, which may be described by the formula Gly(d5)·MgSO4·3D2O, is monoclinic (space group P21/n, Z = 4). In the pentahydrate, there are two symmetry-inequivalent MgO6 octahedra on sites of -1 symmetry and two SO4 tetrahedra with site symmetry 1. The octahedra comprise one [tetraaquadiglcyinemagnesium](2+) ion (centred on Mg1) and one [hexaaquamagnesium](2+) ion (centred on Mg2), and the glycine zwitterion, NH3(+)CH2COO(-), adopts a monodentate coordination to Mg2. In the trihydrate, there are two pairs of symmetry-inequivalent MgO6 octahedra on sites of -1 symmetry and two pairs of SO4 tetrahedra with site symmetry 1; the glycine zwitterion adopts a binuclear-bidentate bridging function between Mg1 and Mg2, whilst the Mg2 octahedra form a corner-sharing arrangement with the sulfate tetrahedra. These bridged polyhedra thus constitute infinite polymeric chains extending along the b axis of the crystal. A range of O-H...O, N-H...O and C-H...O hydrogen bonds, including some three-centred interactions, complete the three-dimensional framework of each crystal.


The environmental checklist--a quality assurance tool.
Most people agree that staff productivity and quality of work are influenced by physical surroundings. This awareness usually kindles a desire to implement a plan of action. The environmental checklist can serve as a quality assurance tool to monitor comprehensively the work environment. In our Central Service department, we have seen a number of positive changes as a result of implementing environmental checklists. The efficiency of work performed has increased through appropriately organized and labeled supplies. Positive images of the department have been emphasized and communicated to others. Awareness of and appreciation for the physical surroundings in which we work each day are integral parts of our management routine. Regardless of how large or small your healthcare facility may be, we believe the efficiency and safety of any Central Service operation will be significantly improved through the consistent use of a well-designed environmental checklist. And yes, you will be better prepared for those unexpected visitors and surprise inspections.


Immunological analyses of U.S. Space Shuttle crewmembers.
We have previously reported changes in the immunoresponsiveness of "T" lymphocytes following space flight. Additional data collected before and after 11 Shuttle space flights show that absolute lymphocyte numbers, lymphocyte blastogenic capability, and eosinophil percent in the peripheral blood of crewmembers are generally depressed postflight. These responses resemble those associated with physical and emotional stress and may not be related to flight per se. Additional data from Space Shuttle flights 41B and 41D, involving 11 crewmembers, indicate a postflight decrease in cells reacting with "B" lymphocyte and monocyte monoclonal antibody tags. Further, the loss of "T" lymphocyte blast capability interacts with the decreased monocyte count (correlation coefficient = 0.697). This finding implies that the previously reported loss of blastogenic capability may be a function of decreased monocyte control, as noted in several non-spaceflight related studies.


A family of single-isomer positively charged cyclodextrins as chiral selectors for capillary electrophoresis: mono-6A-butylammonium-6A-deoxy-beta-cyclodextrin tosylate.
A novel single-isomer positively charged beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD), mono-6(A)-butylammonium-6(A)-deoxy-beta-cyclodextrin tosylate (BuAM-beta-CD), has been synthesized, characterized, and used for the enantioseparations of alpha-hydroxy acids, carboxylic acids, and ampholytic analytes by capillary electrophoresis in acidic aqueous background electrolytes. The effective mobilities of all studied analytes decreased with increasing concentration of CD. Satisfactory resolutions were obtained for alpha-hydroxy acids over a wide range of chiral selector concentration. The optimum CD concentration was lower than 5 mM for the carboxylic acids, while higher than 20 mM for alpha-hydroxy acids. Inclusion complexation in combination with ion pair interaction seemed to account for the chiral discrimination process. The hydrogen bonding may provide secondary contribution for the chiral resolution of alpha-hydroxy acids. In addition, BuAM-beta-CD was further proved to be an effective chiral selector for anionic analytes by the baseline enantioseparation of a six-acid mixture within 20 min.


A metal-free direct C (sp3)-H cyanation reaction with cyanobenziodoxolones.
A metal-free protocol of direct C(sp3)-H cyanation with cyanobenziodoxolones functioning as both cyanating reagents and oxidants was developed. Unactivated substrates, such as alkanes, ethers and tertiary amines, were thereby transformed to the corresponding nitriles in moderate to high yields. Mechanistic studies indicated that the cyanation proceeded with two potential pathways, which is highly dependent on the substrates: (1) a free radical case for alkanes and ethers and (2) an oxidative case for tertiary amines.


Undernutrition upregulates fumarate hydratase in the rat nucleus accumbens.
Previous comparative studies of fumarate hydratase (FH) protein density revealed that the enzyme was overexpressed in the striatum of rodents that are less influenced by rewarding stimuli, from cocaine to food. Therefore, we recently proposed FH as a potential striatal biomarker of brain reward deficiency and addiction vulnerability. This work has been focused to investigate FH activity in the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) of undernourished rats, taking into account that malnutrition has been related to increased responsiveness to food and drug reward. To this end, we have studied adult female Wistar rats severely food restricted from the 16th day of intrauterine life until adulthood. Animals were sacrificed to dissect the NAc and obtain mitochondrial and cytosolic fractions after homogenisation and centrifugation. FH activity was measured by conversion of malate to fumarate, and protein levels were compared by Western blot analysis when fractions showed differences in activity. Undernutrition did not change cytosolic FH activity but led to a marked increase of mitochondrial FH activity (72 %) and protein content (50 %) in the NAc. This change was in the opposite direction that one would predict if it was related to addiction vulnerability of some kind, but strongly suggests that mitochondrial FH needs to be at some optimal level for normal reward responsiveness.


Metastatic niche functions and therapeutic opportunities.
Metastasis is an inefficient process, especially during colonization at a distant organ. This bottleneck underlies the importance of the metastatic niche for seeding and outgrowth of metastases. Here, we classify the common functions of different metastatic niches: anchorage, survival support, protection from external insults, licensing proliferation and outgrowth. We highlight the emerging role of the metastatic niche in maintaining cancer stemness and promoting immune evasion, and discuss therapeutic opportunities against the metastatic niche.


Life of Pi and the moral wound.
The "moral wound," rendered symbolically in the form of the tiger in Life of Pi, is a complex trauma in which the victim, in order to survive in life-threatening circumstances, commits an ethical transgression against his or her deeply held values. Pi experiences such a trauma and deals with it by dissociating it in the form of the tiger and then has to simultaneously both preserve the tiger and wish it to disappear. Jonathan Shay's work relating the experiences of returning Vietnam veterans to Homer's Odyssey is used to further an understanding of both Life of Pi and American soldiers returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Reasons are considered for the possible delayed effect of trauma as a factor in the increased suicide rate of older veterans. Finally, the concept of the "moral wound" is discussed, with an eye to its treatment.


Changes in atmospheric carbon-14 attributed to a variable sun.
The (14)C production rate in the upper atmosphere changes with time because the galactic cosmic-ray flux responsible for (14)C production is modulated by the changes in solar wind magnetic properties. The resulting changes in the atmospheric (14)C level are recorded in tree rings and are used to calculate past (14)C production rates from a carbon reservoir model that describes terrestrial carbon exchange between the atmosphere, ocean, and biosphere. These past (14)C production rate changes are compared with (14)C production rates determined from 20th-century neutron flux measurements, and a theory relating (14)C production and solar variability, as given by geomagnetic Aa indices and sunspot numbers, is developed. This theory takes into account long-term solar changes that were previously neglected. The 860-year (14)C record indicates three episodes when sunspots apparently were absent: A.D. 1654 to 1714 (Maunder minimum), 1416 to 1534 (Spörer minimum), and 1282 to 1342 (Wolf minimum). A less precisely defined minimum occurred near A.D. 1040. The part of this record after A.D. 1645 correlates well with the basic features of the historical record of sunspot numbers. The magnitude of the calculated (14)C production rates points to a further increase in cosmic-ray flux when sunspots are absent. This flux was greatest during the Spörer minimum. A record of approximate sunspot numbers and Aa indices for the current millennium is also presented.


Effect of zearalenone treatment on the production of wheat haploids via the maize pollination system.
The ability of zearalenone (ZEN) to stimulate the growth of haploid wheat embryos formed following the pollination of wheat spikes with maize pollen was tested. The maize pollination system was used as a model to compare the activity of ZEN with that of auxin analogues. Three solutions, each with a different concentration of ZEN (6.0, 3.0 or 1.5 microM), and a solution of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (control) were tested for their effect on ovary swelling, frequency of embryo formation and the ability to regenerate plants. In total, 3,105 florets of 282 spikes from five different cultivars of hexaploid winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) were pollinated with maize ( Zea mays L. cv. Gama) pollen and treated with the ZEN solutions. The highest concentration of ZEN (6.0 microM) was the most effective in inducing ovary swelling (84 swollen ovaries/100 pollinated florets) and increasing the frequency of embryo induction (18.9 embryos/100 pollinated florets), but these embryos were severely deformed. They had low capability to germinate in vitro, while callus was easily formed and indirect regeneration of plants was possible. The lowest ZEN concentration (1.5 micrroM) induced ovary swelling in 42.8/100 pollinated florets and embryo growth in 3.3 out of 100 pollinated florets. The embryos were regular in shape, and almost half of them germinated in vitro while callus induction from them failed. The concentration of 3 microM ZEN had an intermediate effect. The type of response of the various wheat genotypes was similar, while frequencies were different, with cv. Izolda being the most responsive. The results show that ZEN has some of the properties of an auxin analogue, while other effects of its action are unique. It can be used in the maize pollination system of doubled haploid production to replace auxin analogues when indirect regeneration of plants via callus tissue is planned.


Parallel development of ethanol tolerance and operant compensatory behaviors in rats.
This experiment was designed to detect compensatory learning that has been suggested to occur during the course of tolerance development to ethanol's effects on operant performance. The effects of presession ethanol injections on the development of tolerance to ethanol's effects on operant performance in an afternoon Fixed-Ratio (FR) task was assessed in rats that were concurrently performing in a morning DRL task. Only presession saline injections were administered for the DRL task. A cumulative dosing procedure was used to establish initial and postethanol exposure dose-effect curves for both tasks. Daily presession ethanol administration produced a 3-fold shift-to-the-right in the dose-effect curve for FR-task performance. No changes were evident in the FR-task performance of controls that received daily saline injections. However, during the period of daily ethanol injections and during subsequent cumulative dose tests, the ethanol, but not the control, group displayed dose-related increases in total DRL-task responses relative to baseline. These DRL data were interpreted as reflecting the development of rate-increasing behaviors that compensated for and contributed to the tolerance of ethanol's rate-decreasing effects on FR-task performance.


Standard off-cord lung oblique fields do not include the entire mediastinum: a computed tomography simulator study.
The routinely recommended target volume for off-cord lung oblique fields in the treatment of postoperative bronchogenic carcinoma includes the entire mediastinum, as defined by coverage of the contralateral mainstem bronchus and subcarinal space. However, this may be difficult to accomplish with the field angles of 20 degrees to 40 degrees, recommended in the recently completed Intergroup Trial (Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 91-05). This project was undertaken to define the oblique angle necessary to encompass the entire mediastinum as determined by computerized tomography simulator verification. Axial computerized tomography simulation images of 25 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer were used in this study. Ten patients had prior lobectomy or pneumonectomy as part of their management. The contralateral mainstem bronchus, subcarinal space (SS), and the spinal cord were each contoured as separate volumes. The length of the contralateral mainstem bronchus was defined as extending from the carina to the bifurcation of the lobar bronchi. The subcarinal space was defined as a triangular space (in a coronal plane) with the carina at the apex, the mainstem bronchi superiorly, and a horizontal line 5 cm below the carina as the base of the triangle. The minimal angle to encompass the contralateral mainstem bronchus and subcarinal space, and to exclude the spinal cord was determined for each patient. The contoured volumes did not have additional margin added. The position of the carina was scored as "midline" if located in the midsagittal plane, or "off-midline" if deviated to either side from midline. Midline deviation was determined at the level of the carina to evaluate possible anatomical distortion relating to the tumor or prior surgery, and its effect on the minimal angle was assessed. The median minimal angle measured was 45 degrees (range: 28-65 degrees) for the entire group, and in 64% of those evaluated, this oblique angle was significantly greater than the 40 degrees recommended in Radiation Therapy Oncology Group guidelines (p = 0.017). In patients without midline deviation (n = 17), the median minimal angle was 45 degrees (range: 28-60 degrees), and in patients with midline deviation (n = 8), it was determined to be 44 degrees (range: 27-65 degrees), with no statistical difference noted between the two groups (p = NS). Although midline deviation was present in 4 of 10 patients previously resected, the above relationship remained unchanged. Based on computerized tomography simulation verification, off-cord oblique field angles of 20 degrees to 40 degrees do not adequately cover the entire mediastinum in most patients. To adequately encompass the entire mediastinum as defined in the Intergroup Trial (Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 91-05) with off-cord oblique fields, treatment angles greater than 40 degrees are necessary. Whether the potential increase in lung volume exposed to radiation from these larger angles results in a poorer therapeutic ratio requires further investigation.


[Congenital spontaneously ruptured epidermoid cyst of the iris].
At the age of 8 months a healthy boy developed a epidermoid cyst of the iris which increased rapidly in size and ruptured when he was 12 months old. Because of the clinically suspected diagnosis of medulla epithelioma an en-bloc excision was performed. The tumor consisted of keratinizing squamous epithelium producing masses of keratin. After an unremarkable postoperative course lasting four months, the boy developed an immunologic reaction to the tectonic graft in association with Coats' disease six months after the operation.


Quantitative trait loci associated with fatness in a broiler-layer cross.
An F(2) population established by crossing a broiler male line and a layer line was used to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting abdominal fat weight, abdominal fat percentage and serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. Two genetic models, the line-cross and the half-sib, were applied in the QTL analysis, both using the regression interval method. Three significant QTL and four suggestive QTL were mapped in the line-cross analysis and four significant and four suggestive QTL were mapped in the half-sib analysis. A total of five QTL were mapped for abdominal fat weight, six for abdominal fat percentage and four for triglyceride concentration in both analyses. New QTL associated with serum triglyceride concentration were mapped on GGA5, GGA23 and GG27. QTL mapped between markers LEI0029 and ADL0371 on GGA3 for abdominal fat percentage and abdominal fat weight and a suggestive QTL on GGA12 for abdominal fat percentage showed significant parent-of-origin effects. Some QTL mapped here match QTL regions mapped in previous studies using different populations, suggesting good candidate regions for fine-mapping and candidate gene searches.


Emissary occipital foramen.
214 skulls were studied for the present study. A small foramen in the squamous part of the occipital bone just behind foramen magnum was noticed for the passage of emissary vein in one skull only, probably connecting occipital sinus with suboccipital venous plexus.


Interleukin-6 is differently modulated by central opioid receptor subtypes.
The central endogenous opioid system is involved in the modulation of interleukin (IL)-6, an inflammatory cytokine that plays a major role in the acute phase response. The present study evaluates whether specific opioid receptor subtypes are selectively involved in this immunomodulatory action. IL-1 beta was administered either intracerebroventricularly or intraperitoneally at the dose of 400 ng to rats pretreated with the mu-antagonist beta-funaltrexamine, the delta-antagonist naltrindole, or the kappa-antagonist nor-binaltorphimine, each at the doses of 1, 10, and 100 micrograms/rat intracerebroventricularly. Serum IL-6 levels were measured 2 h later. The results show that mu-receptor blockade increases, whereas delta-receptor blockade decreases IL-6 induction, suggesting that the fine tuning exerted by opioids on the immune system may be achieved through a balance of opposing effects. Moreover the three antagonists affect IL-6 induction by central and peripheral IL-1 beta with a similar pattern, indicating that the brain endogenous opioid system plays a general role in the regulation of this cytokine.