Availability of PPEs and training status of health professionals on COVID-19 in Silte Zone, Southern Ethiopia.
recent infectious disease outbreaks like COVID-19 highlights the importance of personal protective equipments and competent professionals on public health preparedness and response in health care systems. Hence, understanding availability of personal protective equipments and training status of health professionals is very important to fill the gap of COVID-19 preparedness and response. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess availability and adequacy of personal protective equipments and health professional's training status on COVID-19 in Silte Zone, southern Ethiopia. cross sectional study was conducted from August to October 2020 in Silte Zone. First four weredas from 13 were selected randomly. Systematic sampling technique was used to select 351 health professionals from 13 health facilities of selected weredas. overall, only 36.1% of the health professionals have received adequate training on COVID-19. About 30% of the health professionals had taken training on emergency plan of COVID-19, about 33% had been taught on COVID-19 treatment procedures. Majority 80.9% of the respondents indicated that personal protective equipments are inadequately available. Face masks, hand sanitizers and eye goggles were most scarce PPEs. health professionals have been at the frontlines in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, challenges remain, such as limited availability of personal protection equipments and inadequate training of healthcare professions was identified by this study. Strengthening of training on COVID-19 and making PPEs adequately available were recommended.


New species of Dorcopsinema and Paralabiostrongylus (Nematoda: Chabertiidae: Cloacininae) from Indonesia, with a key to species of Dorcopsinema.
Two new species of nematodes (Chabertiidae: Labiostrongylinea) from Dorcopsis muelleri in Raja Ampat Island, Papua, were described and figured. Dorcopsinema longispicularis sp.nov.is most similar to D. simile, but can be distinguished from it in being a smaller worm with longer spicules and a relatively longer oesophagus, as well as in the form of the posterior lip of the genital cone, the form of the spicule tips and the spiked tip of the female tail. Paralabiostrongylus rajampatensis sp. nov. differs from its congener, P. bicollaris, in having the deirids and excretory pore at about the same level, and in the form of the dorsal ray, with lateral branches proximal to the bifurcation of the dorsal trunk, the relatively longer spicule with ala extending to the tip and the form of the posterior lip of the genital cone.


The effect of the duration of starvation of the assay bird on true metabolizable energy values.
An experiment was made with adult, S.C.W.L. roosters to measure the effect of the duration of the starvation period, prior to force feeding, on the true metabolizable energy (T.M.E.) value of a laying hen diet. Lengthening the starvation period from 24 to 96 hr., by 24 hr. intervals, had no significant effect on the T.M.E. value. The excretion of metabolic fecal + endogenous urinary energy per day tended to decrease with the duration of starvation. It is therefore, essential that the duration of the starvation period is identical for control and force fed birds. It is also essential that the duration of the experimental period is identical for both groups of birds.


[Diagnosis of subgenera of the genus Dermacentor Koch by the larva and nymph and new data on the distribution of the subgenus Asiacentor (Ixodidae)].
On the basis of parallel study of natural and cultivated preimaginal phases of the genus Dermacentor differential diagnoses of three palaearctic subgenera were worked out: Asiacentor Filippova et Panova , 1974, Serdjukovia Dias , 1963 and Dermacentor (s. str.) 1844. The diagnoses are also based on peculiarities of chaetotaxy and other characters of small sizes. On the basis of identification of species of the subgenus Asiacentor on immature phases new sites of their distribution were found out: D. pavlovskyi : in the Issyk - Kul hollow, in the foothills from the side of Terskey - Alatau ridge; D. montanus: in Gissarsky ridge in the environs of Lake Iskander - Kul . Remoteness of these cites from the distribution borders known earlier point to ecological and geografical differential peculiarities of the subgenus and its species.


[Role of CT assessment of mediastinal lymph nodes in the preoperative staging of T1 pulmonary carcinoma].
The utility of the preoperative staging of T1 lung cancer is controversial. This is due to a lower prevalence of N2 metastases in tumors of small diameter. To assess the prevalence of N2 metastases in such tumors and the sensitivity and specificity of computed tomography in mediastinal sadiation, the authors reviewed CT scans and pathology reports of 56 patients who had undergone surgical resection of a T1 lung cancer so distributed: Adenocarcinoma 20 cases, adenosquamous carcinoma 14, Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma 7, Undifferentiated 7, Carcinoid 5, Small cells carcinoma 3. Mediastinal nodal metastases were present in 11 patients: 6 of them were correctly detected by CT scan. Some differences in terms of N2 prevalence and sensitivity were noted when the T1 were divided in two groups of diameter greater or smaller of 2 cm. Important considerations derived after dividing our patients according to the histological type. The prevalence of N2 metastases was greater in adenocarcinoma than in adenosquamous carcinoma but CT sensitivity was lower in adenocarcinoma (40% Vs 100%). The authors conclude that the prevalence of N2 metastases is high enough to request a preoperative sadiation, but the utility of CT in this purpose is limited by a low sensitivity.


Classification of ABO3 perovskite solids: a machine learning study.
We explored the use of machine learning methods for classifying whether a particular ABO3 chemistry forms a perovskite or non-perovskite structured solid. Starting with three sets of feature pairs (the tolerance and octahedral factors, the A and B ionic radii relative to the radius of O, and the bond valence distances between the A and B ions from the O atoms), we used machine learning to create a hyper-dimensional partial dependency structure plot using all three feature pairs or any two of them. Doing so increased the accuracy of our predictions by 2-3 percentage points over using any one pair. We also included the Mendeleev numbers of the A and B atoms to this set of feature pairs. Doing this and using the capabilities of our machine learning algorithm, the gradient tree boosting classifier, enabled us to generate a new type of structure plot that has the simplicity of one based on using just the Mendeleev numbers, but with the added advantages of having a higher accuracy and providing a measure of likelihood of the predicted structure.


High affinity melatonin receptors in the vertebrate brain: implications for the control of the endogenous oscillatory systems.
Currently, the melatonin receptor is depicted as a membrane-associated protein, linked to a guanine nucleotide-binding protein (G-protein), and thus the melatonin receptor represents a member of a receptor superfamily, acting through G-proteins in the first step of their signal-transduction pathways. Although on a number of occasions specific binding of radioactive melatonin has been demonstrated in a wide variety of tissues and organs, to date, high affinity G-protein-regulated melatonin binding sites, suggestive for a functional melatonin receptor, have been convincingly confirmed in the brain only. There is a significant species variation in the distribution of the melatonin receptor in the vertebrate brain. The limited number of studies prevents any definitive conclusion in terms of phylogeny, though generally speaking, the lower vertebrates' brains tend to express melatonin receptors with wider distribution. Two sites have been consistently found to express high density of melatonin receptors: the pars tuberalis of the adenohypophysis and the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). It must be pointed out, however, that there are some exceptions. Binding in the human pars tuberalis has not been reported, and apparently, the sheep and the mustelids' suprachiasmatic nuclei do not express detectable binding. The function of melatonin in pars tuberalis is unclear, and the control of the synthesis (and release) of paracrine factors that act at site(s) distant from the melatonin target cells, have been suggested.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Preference suppression caused by misattribution of task-irrelevant subliminal motion.
It is well known that subjects tend to misattribute task-irrelevant signals, incorporating them into the information on which a decision is made. Such misattribution has been reported to originate only from a social or a cognitive stage of information processing. However, we provide the initial evidence that misattribution also originates at a lower, visuomotor stage. This type of misattribution occurs only when subjects do not notice a visuomotor conflict. Misattribution at a social or a cognitive stage facilitates decision-making if the misattributed information is consistent with the decision and impedes decision-making if the information is in conflict with the decision. However, misattribution originating at a visuomotor stage only impedes decision-making, suggesting a fundamental difference between the mechanisms for the two types of misattribution. Furthermore, misattribution effects that originate in a visuomotor interaction stage also affect subjective preference ratings, suggesting that the misattribution exerts an influence on global brain processing.


The influence of oxytocin on the fibrillation thresholds in rabbits.
The intravenous infusion of oxytocin in urethane anaesthetized rabbits induced marked increases of both atrial and ventricular fibrillation threshold. The heart rate and the arterial blood pressure (BP) diminished. Since there was no parallelism between the fibrillation threshold changes and those of heart rate and BP, it might be concluded that the changes of the fibrillation thresholds were very likely primary, i.e. they were due to the modifications of the electrophysiological properties of the heart. The intravenous infusion of 0.5% chlorbutol , a preservant widely used in many commercial preparations induced only minor changes of the investigated parameters.


Online information on face masks: analysis of websites in Italian and English returned by different search engines.
Countries have major differences in the acceptance of face mask use for the prevention of COVID-19. This work aims at studying the information online in different countries in terms of information quality and content. Content analysis. We analysed 450 webpages returned by searching the string 'are face masks dangerous' in Italy, the UK and the USA using three search engines (Bing, Duckduckgo and Google) in August 2020. The type of website and the stance about masks were assessed by two raters for each language and inter-rater agreement reported as Cohen's kappa. The text of the webpages was collected from the web using WebBootCaT and analysed using a corpus analysis software to identify issues mentioned. Most pages were news outlets, and few (2%-6%) from public health agencies. Webpages with a negative stance on masks were more frequent in Italian (28%) than English (19%). Google returned the highest number of mask-positive pages and Duckduckgo the lowest. Google also returned the lowest number of pages mentioning conspiracy theories and Duckduckgo the highest. Webpages in Italian scored lower than those in English in transparency (reporting authors, their credentials and backing the information with references). When issues about the use of face masks were analysed, mask effectiveness was the most discussed followed by hypercapnia (accumulation of carbon dioxide), contraindication in respiratory disease and hypoxia, with issues related to their contraindications in mental health conditions and disability mentioned by very few pages. This study suggests that: (1) public health agencies should increase their web presence in providing correct information on face masks; (2) search engines should improve the information quality criteria in their ranking; (3) the public should be more informed on issues related to the use of masks and disabilities, mental health and stigma arising for those people who cannot wear masks.


Synaptic strength between motoneurons and terminals of the dorsolateral funiculus is regulated by GABA receptors in the turtle spinal cord.
The role of GABAA and GABAB receptors in modulation of excitatory synaptic transmission between motoneurons and terminals from dorsolateral funiculus (DLF) was studied in in vitro spinal cord slices of adult turtles. Muscimol--a GABAA receptor agonist--depressed the monosynaptic excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) induced by stimulation of the DLF and shortened its duration. The input resistance and the membrane time constant also were strongly reduced. The input membrane resistance, the amplitude, and the half-width of the EPSP were reduced at the same rate in the presence of muscimol. Bicuculline--a GABAA receptor antagonist--increased the EPSPs amplitude and the input membrane resistance. The EPSP amplitude ratio elicited by a paired-pulse protocol did not change significantly. Our results suggest that muscimol acts mainly by activation of postsynaptic GABAA receptors located on the motoneuron and the synaptic strength on motoneurons may be modulated by tonic activation of postsynaptic GABAA receptors. Baclofen--a GABAB receptor agonist--also depressed DLF-motoneuron synaptic transmission. However, it did not affect the falling phase of the EPSPs or the motoneuron membrane time constant but induced a small decrement in input resistance. In the presence of baclofen, the amplitude ratio produced by a paired-pulse protocol increased significantly. This suggests that baclofen decreased the synaptic strength by inhibition of neurotransmitter release from the DLF terminals via activation of presynaptic GABAB receptors.


Lymphokine production by PHA-stimulated human lymphocytes is enhanced by interferon.
Human interferon (IFN) was examined for its capacity to modify the phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)-triggered release of mitogenic factors (MF) from human lymphocytes in vitro. It was observed that the presence of partially purified leukocyte IFN (IFN-alpha) during the PHA pulsing of lymphocytes increased their subsequent release of factors which were mitogenic for fractionated T cells. A similar effect was also observed when lymphocytes were exposed to IFN-alpha prior to PHA pulsing. The possibility that substances in the IFN preparations other than IFN are responsible for the above effect is ruled out by the finding that a pure fibroblast IFN (IFN-beta) preparation also augmented the MF release by PHA-pulsed lymphocytes.


A case of lung infection caused by an unusual strain of Nocardia farcinica.
A case of lung infection caused by an unusual strain of Nocardia farcinica is reported. This is the third case of the N. farcinica infection in this country. The strain failed to utilize rhamnose as sole carbon source, but could be identified by a numerical identification method. The mycolic acids contained 1-3 double bonds and the numbers of the carbon atoms of the mycolic acids were 50 to 60, average 56.


Complete Genome Sequence of an H9N2 Influenza Virus Lethal to Chickens.
An H9N2 virus lethal to chickens was isolated from an acutely ill chicken flock in 2012. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that this virus was phylogenetically related to the Y280 lineage. Sequence analysis showed 1 amino acid deletion in HA1 and 3 amino acid deletions in the NA stalk region.


Sinapic Acid Derivatives as Potential Anti-Inflammatory Agents: Synthesis and Biological Evaluation.
Transcription factor NF-κB and relevant cytokines IL-6 and IL-8 play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of inflammation. Sinapic acid is a natural product and was demonstrated to possess anti-inflammatory activity. In this paper, we synthesized a series of sinapic acid derivatives and evaluated their anti-inflammatory effects. The result suggested that all of the targets compounds 7a-j inhibit NF-κB activation and decrease IL-6 and IL-8 expression in BEAS-2B cells. By our biological assays, we found that all of the prepared compounds displayed stronger anti-inflammatory activities than their precursor sinapic acid. Especially, compounds 7g and 7i, with electron-drawing groups (nitro and fluoro moieties) in the benzimidazole ring, exhibited remarkable anti-inflammation activity, which was even stronger than the reference drug dexamethasone.


Hydrogen peroxide attenuates refilling of intracellular calcium store in mouse pancreatic acinar cells.
Intracellular calcium (Ca2+) oscillation is an initial event in digestive enzyme secretion of pancreatic acinar cells. Reactive oxygen species are known to be associated with a variety of oxidative stress-induced cellular disorders including pancreatitis. In this study, we investigated the effect of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on intracellular Ca2+ accumulation in mouse pancreatic acinar cells. Perfusion of H2O2 at 300 µM resulted in additional elevation of intracellular Ca2+ levels and termination of oscillatory Ca2+ signals induced by carbamylcholine (CCh) in the presence of normal extracellular Ca2+. Antioxidants, catalase or DTT, completely prevented H2O2-induced additional Ca2+ increase and termination of Ca2+ oscillation. In Ca2+-free medium, H2O2 still enhanced CCh-induced intracellular Ca2+ levels and thapsigargin (TG) mimicked H2O2-induced cytosolic Ca2+ increase. Furthermore, H2O2-induced elevation of intracellular Ca2+ levels was abolished under sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase-inactivated condition by TG pretreatment with CCh. H2O2 at 300 µM failed to affect store-operated Ca2+ entry or Ca2+ extrusion through plasma membrane. Additionally, ruthenium red, a mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter blocker, failed to attenuate H2O2-induced intracellular Ca2+ elevation. These results provide evidence that excessive generation of H2O2 in pathological conditions could accumulate intracellular Ca2+ by attenuating refilling of internal Ca2+ stores rather than by inhibiting Ca2+ extrusion to extracellular fluid or enhancing Ca2+ mobilization from extracellular medium in mouse pancreatic acinar cells.


Polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications for elder people in gerontological nursing.
To identify polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) for elder people with chronic health situations and its implications for gerontological nursing. Descriptive and transversal study, conducted from March to September 2016 by pharmaceutical residents in the clinic of Endocrinology of a hospital in Mid-West region of Brazil. 44 elder people with an average age of 69.5 (± 6.79) years old had their assessed prescriptions. We identified 65 medications prescribed 253 times, in which 10 PIM (15.4%) were prescribed 51 times. 33 seniors (72.7%) had at least one PIM, of those, 66.7% were polymedicated. Of the total, 22 elder people (50%) were subjected to polypharmacy and made use of at least one PIM. The results showed high incidence of PIM and polypharmacy, as well as their physiological impacts to the elder population. The study provokes discussions about that the trained nurse in human aging has skills and competencies able to enhance interventions related to pharmacotherapy.


Pneumoperitoneum after rough sexual intercourse.
Our objective is to report on a case of nonsurgical pneumoperitoneum and review the mechanism/gynecologic causes of such. We present a case report and review of the literature based on a MEDLINE search using the keywords pneumoperitoneum and nonsurgical. Radiographic evidence of free intraperitoneal air suggests hollow viscus rupture and usually warrants urgent surgical management. Findings of diffuse rebound tenderness and guarding solidify the decision for urgent surgical exploration. We present a case of a patient who presented with all of the above findings that subsequently underwent a negative laparotomy. On the day after surgery she admitted to having had rough sexual intercourse 3 days before presentation. Nonsurgical pneumoperitoneum has a number of unusual causes. Intra-abdominal, thoracic, gynecologic, iatrogenic, and miscellaneous etiologies are encountered. It was determined that the pneumoperitoneum in this case was secondary to rough sexual intercourse. We concluded that pneumoperitoneum secondary to nonsurgical causes represents a diagnostic dilemma. In the patient with free intraperitoneal air on plain X-ray one should be suspicious of less common nonsurgical etiologies. The majority of patients will require laparotomy. Thorough sexual and gynecologic/obstetrical history is a valuable adjunct in identifying the patient who does not.


Virological and Clinical Characteristics of Hepatitis B Virus Genotype A.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the most prevalent chronic viral infections in humans. The overall prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is reported to be 3.6%; however, it varies depending upon the geographic area. HBV is classified into ten genotypes (A through J) on the basis of an intergroup genomic divergence of > 8%. Specifically, HBV genotype A exhibits several unique virological and clinical characteristics and can be further classified into seven subtypes. Among them, subtype A2 or Ae (A2/[e]) is occasionally responsible for nosocomial infection and among homosexual males. Regarding virological factors, the G1896A precore mutation is rarely observed in genotype A as it would disrupt an essential stem-loop structure in the ε signal essential for pregenomic RNA packaging. HBV genotype A also harbors a 6-nucleotide C-terminal insertion in the hepatitis B-e antigen (HBeAg) precursor, resulting in a variable-length HBeAg protein product observed in serum of positive patients. These molecular traits likely contribute to the specific clinical presentation of genotype A-infected patients, such as mild acute hepatitis B (AHB), longer persistence of HBsAg positivity in AHB, and increased chronicity after AHB in adults. However, genotype A shows a better response to interferon than other genotypes in chronic hepatitis B patients. Here, we review the virological and clinical characteristics of HBV genotype A that will be useful in elucidating the association among persistent viral infection, host genetic factors, and treatment in future studies.


Using transcutaneous oxygen pressure measurements as selection criteria for activated protein C use.
Limited resources and the expense of Activated Protein C (APC) (drotrecogin alfa) may contribute to the reluctance to utilize this drug in sepsis. Employing the PROWESS criteria resulted in absolute reduction in 28-day mortality of 6.1%, representing a relative risk reduction of 19.4%. Additional patient categorization and selection may lead to less frequent drug use with the same survival advantage. We used transcutaneous partial pressure of oxygen (PtcO2) as an indicator of microcirculatory perfusion to identify which septic patients may benefit from APC. Nineteen patients consecutively admitted with severe sepsis or septic shock that fulfilled the PROWESS criteria for APC treatment. APC was administered to patients with the PROWESS selection criteria, only if the PtcO2 information demonstrated tissue ischemia. Nineteen patients met the PROWESS criteria. Ten patients demonstrated poor tissue perfusion using PtcO2 monitors and received APC. Nine patients had adequate tissue perfusion and did not receive APC. There were no differences in age, gender, APACHE II scores, lactate levels, or organ failure between the two groups. The 10 patients who received APC had a mortality of 3 of 10 (30%). The survivors of this group uniformly converted to PtcO2 values consistent with survival within 12 hours to 24 hours of drug administration. The nine patients who did not receive APC had a mortality of 2 of 9 (22%), not statistically significant from those who received the drug (p = 0.89). Withholding APC did not result in an increase in mortality from severe sepsis in those patients who demonstrated adequate PtcO2 values. The transcutaneous oxygen measurement may be a useful adjuvant in addition to the other selection criteria for better identification of patients who may benefit from APC.


A novel CMOS transducer for giant magnetoresistance sensors.
In this work, an ASIC (application specific integrated circuits) transducer circuit for field modulated giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensors was designed and fabricated using a 0.18-μm CMOS process. The transducer circuits consist of a frequency divider, a digital phase shifter, an instrument amplifier, and an analog mixer. These comprise a mix of analog and digital circuit techniques. The compact chip size of 1.5 mm × 1.5 mm for both analog and digital parts was achieved using the TSMC18 1P6M (1-polysilicon 6-metal) process design kit, and the characteristics of the system were simulated using an HSpice simulator. The output of the transducer circuit is the result of the first harmonic detection, which resolves the modulated field using a phase sensitive detection (PSD) technique and is proportional to the measured magnetic field. When the dual-bridge GMR sensor is driven by the transducer circuit with a current of 10 mA at 10 kHz, the observed sensitivity of the field sensor is 10.2 mV/V/Oe and the nonlinearity error was 3% in the linear range of ±1 Oe. The performance of the system was also verified by rotating the sensor system horizontally in earth's magnetic field and recording the sinusoidal output with respect to the azimuth angle, which exhibits an error of less than ±0.04 Oe. These results prove that the ASIC transducer is suitable for driving the AC field modulated GMR sensors applied to geomagnetic measurement.


Interaction of weakly bound antibiotics neomycin and lincomycin with bovine and human serum albumin: biophysical approach.
The thermodynamics of interaction of neomycin and lincomycin with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human serum albumin (HSA) has been studied using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), in combination with UV-visible, steady state and time resolved fluorescence spectroscopic measurements. Neomycin is observed to bind weakly to BSA and HSA whereas lincomycin did not show any evidence for binding with the native state of these proteins, rather it interacts in the presence of surfactants. The ITC results suggest 1 : 1 binding stoichiometry for neomycin in the studied temperature range. The values of the van't Hoff enthalpy do not agree with the calorimetric enthalpy in the case of neomycin, suggesting conformational changes in the protein upon ligand binding, as well as with the rise in the temperature. Experiments at different ionic strengths, and in the presence of tetrabutyl ammonium bromide and surfactants suggest the predominant involvement of electrostatic interactions in the complexation process of neomycin with BSA and HSA, and non-specific interaction behaviour of lincomycin with these proteins.


Oral Health of Patients Treated with Acrylic Partial Dentures Using a Toothpaste Containing Bee Product.
This study was carried out to investigate the influence of a propolis and tee tree oil-containing hygienic agent on selected oral health parameters, oral microflora, and the condition of periodontal health. Thirty-seven patients who underwent oral rehabilitation with a removable acrylic denture were selected and randomly assigned into two groups: study group (A) which received a newly formulated propolis and tee tree oil-containing toothpaste or a control group (C) without an active ingredient. API, S-OHI, and mSBI were assessed in three subsequent stages. During each examination swabs were employed for microbiological inoculation: in the study group after 4 weeks use of the active toothpaste showed a decrease in the number of isolated microorganisms. In the control group, after 4 weeks use of the toothpaste without active ingredients resulted in increase in the number of the isolated microorganisms. Improvements in hygiene and the condition of periodontium were observed in patients using active toothpastes. In the study group the oral flora diversity was reduced by the decrease in the number of cultured microorganism species, while in the control group an increase in the number of cultured microorganisms and their species was observed.


Qualitative Investigation of the Wellness Recovery Action Plan in a UK NHS Crisis Care Setting.
Crisis theory suggests that in addition to presenting a threat to mental well-being, crises are also opportunities where successful interventions can lead to successful outcomes. UK mental health crisis teams aim to reduce hospital admission by treating people at home and by building resilience and supporting learning from crisis, yet data on repeat crisis episodes suggest this could be improved. This qualitative study sought to explore the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) as a means of supporting resilience-building and maximising the opportunity potential of crisis. The following themes emerged: The meaning of crisis; Engaging with the WRAP process; WRAP and self-management; and Changes and transformations. This research suggests that WRAP has potential in supporting recovery from crisis, revealing insights into the nature of crisis which can inform the further development of crisis services.


E-selectin receptors on human leukocytes.
Selectins on activated vascular endothelium mediate inflammation by binding to complementary carbohydrates on circulating neutrophils. The human neutrophil receptor for E-selectin has not been established. We report here that sialylated glycosphingolipids with 5 N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc, Galbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-3) repeats and 2 to 3 fucose residues are major functional E-selectin receptors on human neutrophils. Glycolipids were extracted from 10(10) normal peripheral blood human neutrophils. Individual glycolipid species were resolved by chromatography, adsorbed as model membrane monolayers and selectin-mediated cell tethering and rolling under fluid shear was quantified as a function of glycolipid density. E-selectin-expressing cells tethered and rolled on selected glycolipids, whereas P-selectin-expressing cells failed to interact. Quantitatively minor terminally sialylated glycosphingolipids with 5 to 6 LacNAc repeats and 2 to 3 fucose residues were highly potent E-selectin receptors, constituting more than 60% of the E-selectin-binding activity in the extract. These glycolipids are expressed on human blood neutrophils at densities exceeding those required to support E-selectin-mediated tethering and rolling. Blocking glycosphingolipid biosynthesis in cultured human neutrophils diminished E-selectin, but not P-selectin, adhesion. The data support the conclusion that on human neutrophils the glycosphingolipid NeuAcalpha2-3Galbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-3[Galbeta1-4(Fucalpha1-3)GlcNAcbeta1-3](2)[Galbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-3](2)Galbeta1-4GlcbetaCer (and closely related structures) are functional E-selectin receptors.


Parental costs for in-patient neonatal services for perinatal asphyxia and low birth weight in Ghana.
The major causes of newborn deaths in sub-Saharan Africa are well-known and countries are gradually implementing evidence-based interventions and strategies to reduce these deaths. Facility-based care provides the best outcome for sick and or small babies; however, little is known about the cost and burden of hospital-based neonatal services on parents in West Africa, the sub-region with the highest global neonatal death burden. To estimate the actual costs borne by parents of newborns hospitalised with birth-associated brain injury (perinatal asphyxia) and preterm/low birth weight, this study examined economic costs using micro-costing bottom-up approach in two referral hospitals operating under the nationwide social health insurance scheme in an urban setting in Ghana. We prospectively assessed the process of care and parental economic costs for 25 out of 159 cases of perinatal asphyxia and 33 out of 337 cases of preterm/low birth weight admitted to hospital on the day of birth over a 3 month period. Results showed that medical-related costs accounted for 66.1% (IQR 49% - 81%) of out-of-pocket payments irrespective of health insurance status. On average, families spent 8.1% and 9.1% of their annual income on acute care for preterm/LBW and perinatal asphyxia respectively. The mean out-of-pocket expenditure for preterm/LBW was $147.6 (median $101.8) and for perinatal asphyxia was $132.3 (median $124). The study revealed important gaps in the financing and organization of health service delivery that may impact the quality of care for hospitalised newborns. It also provides information for reviewing complementary health financing options for newborn services and further economic evaluations.


The efficacy of steroid-eluting stents on the local inflammation of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis after endoscopic sinus surgery: a multicenter prospective longitudinal study.
Attenuating local inflammation of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) was crucial. Corticosteroids were generally exploited to ameliorate the postoperative state of CRSwNP. This study aims to verify the efficacy of steroid-eluting stents on the local inflammation of CRSwNP following ESS. 57 CRSwNP were enrolled from September 2021 to April 2022. 30 were with stents, and 27 were without stents after ESS. Eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP), myeloperoxidase (MPO), eosinophil, and neutrophil levels in nasal secretions, as well as visual analog scale (VAS) and modified perioperative sinus endoscopy (POSE) scores, were assessed preoperatively and after 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. All subjects of CRSwNP exhibited reduced results of eosinophil levels, neutrophil levels, nasal obstruction, nasal discharge, loss of smell, and total VAS scores after 12 weeks compared to the preoperative ones (p < 0.05). Compared with control subjects, CRSwNP with stents acquired lower levels of ECP, MPO, loss of smell, total VAS, and POSE scores at four follow-up visits, as well as reduced eosinophil and neutrophil levels in nasal secretions after 12 weeks (p < 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed that postoperative ECP and MPO levels of CRSwNP in nasal secretions correlated strongly with eosinophil and neutrophil levels, respectively, as well as POSE scores (r > 0.6). These findings indicated that steroid-eluting stents might be an acclaimed option for CRSwNP in alleviating local inflammation to acquire a superior state after ESS.


Two-Photon Absorption Response of Functionalized BODIPY Dyes in Near-IR Region by Tuning Conjugation Length and Meso-Substituents.
BODIPY dyes substituted by phenol or -COOMe units at the meso-position (C8) with and without a distyryl group including a methoxy moiety at the -C3 and -C5 positions of the BODIPY have been synthesized to analyze the photophysical properties. To clarify the ground-state interaction, absorption and emission features were investigated in the THF environment. Extending the π-conjugation with the methoxy moiety at -C3 and -C5 positions of BODIPY leads to a spectral shifting of the absorption maxima toward red by 120 nm. In addition, attaching the -COOMe unit at the meso-position of the BODIPY structure increases nonradiative molecular relaxation as compared to compounds possessing phenol substituents at the same position. We have investigated the effect of phenol and a -COOMe group and π-extended conjugation length with a methoxy moiety on the properties of two-photon absorption (TPA) and electron transfer dynamics by performing open-aperture (OA) Z-scan and femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy measurements, respectively. The synthesized BODIPY compounds with the distyryl group including the methoxy unit show TPA character due to the longer conjugation length and therefore intramolecular charge transfer ability. Based on the OA Z-scan experiments upon photoexcitation with 800 nm pulsed laser light, TPA cross-section values were obtained as 74 and 81 GM for the compounds possessing phenol and -COOMe units at the meso-position of BODIPY treated by distyryl group with methoxy moieties, respectively. Additionally, optical and electronic properties were calculated theoretically by using the DFT method.


New rapid and simple methods for detection of bacteria and determination of their antibiotic susceptibility by using phage mutants.
Three new methods applying a novel approach for rapid and simple detection of specific bacteria, based on plaque formation as the end point of the phage lytic cycle, are described. Different procedures were designed to ensure that the resulting plaques were derived only from infected target bacteria ("infectious centers"). (i) A pair of amber mutants that cannot form plaques at concentrations lower than their reversion rate underwent complementation in the tested bacteria; the number of plaques formed was proportional to the concentration of the bacteria that were coinfected by these phage mutants. (ii) UV-irradiated phages were recovered by photoreactivation and/or SOS repair mediated by target bacteria and plated on a recA uvrA bacterial lawn in the dark to avoid recovery of noninfecting phages. (iii) Pairs of temperature-sensitive mutants were allowed to coinfect their target bacteria at the permissive temperature, followed by incubation of the plates at the restrictive temperature to avoid phage infection of the host cells. This method allowed the omission of centrifuging and washing the infected cells. Only phages that recovered by recombination or complementation were able to form plaques. The detection limit was 1 to 10 living Salmonella or Escherichia coli O157 cells after 3 to 5 h. The antibiotic susceptibility of the target bacteria could also be determined in each of these procedures by preincubating the target bacteria with antibiotic prior to phage infection. Bacteria sensitive to the antibiotic lost the ability to form infectious centers.


The antagonism of histamine-induced tracheal and bronchial muscle contraction by diphenhydramine: effect of maturation.
Airway reactivity in spontaneously breathing unanaesthetized female guinea-pigs was significantly reduced as a consequence of maturation. Threshold doses to histamine (% w/v base) were 0.08% +/- .01 and 0.27% +/- .04 in immature (110 g +/- 2; 1 week old) and mature (837 g +/- 29; 4 months old) animals, respectively. The potency of 2-(2-thiazolyl) ethylamine in tracheal tissues from mature animals was significantly less than that in tissues from immature animals (5.06 +/- .03 vs 5.26 +/- .07). There was no change in the potency of this agonist in bronchial tissues (5.0 +/- .09 vs 4.9 +/- .13). Diphenhydramine reduced tissue contractility in tracheal (30% at 0.1 microM; 50% at 3 microM) but not bronchial tissues. The antihistamine in concentrations ranging from 0.1 microM to 3 microM reduced the potency of histamine 2 to 50 fold in both tissues. Schild plots were linear but slopes were significantly less than unity. pA2 values +/- 95% fiducial limits derived from data from tracheal tissues of immature and mature animals using constrained Schild plots (unit slope) were 7.7 (7.6-7.7) and 7.1 (7.0-7.2), respectively (P less than 0.05). pA2 values for diphenhydramine in bronchial tissues using constrained Schild plots were 7.8 (7.7-7.9) and 7.5 (7.3-7.5), respectively (P less than 0.05). The data emphasize the unique nature of tracheal and bronchial tissues. We conclude that, with maturation, the characteristics of the histamine receptor change. We suggest that the remission of asthma which frequently occurs at puberty may be related to alteration in the properties of membrane receptors.


Role of lymphokines in the immune response of the inner ear.
In secondary inner ear responses against keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), the characterization of interleukin-2 levels in perilymph and serum developing over 5 days in Hartley guinea pigs was investigated using an immunoassay. No interleukin-2 levels were detectable at Day 0 in serum and perilymph. The earliest perilymph IL-2 levels were observed after 6 h, peaking at 18 h and decreasing to zero by Day 5. In contrast, during this observation period, no IL-2 was detectable in serum or perilymph from control ears. Since previous work has identified T-helper cells in the endolymphatic sac, this site appears to be the probable source of interleukins. This study provides further support for the existence of an inner ear immune response which is regulated by lymphokines. Furthermore, interleukins may be a chemoattractant for cells entering the cochlea during the immune response.


Copper(II)-Catalyzed Tandem Decarboxylative Michael/Aldol Reactions Leading to the Formation of Functionalized Cyclohexenones.
This work describes the development of a new single-pot copper(II)-catalyzed decarboxylative Michael reaction between β-keto acids and enones, followed by in situ aldolization, which results in highly functionalized chiral and achiral cyclohexenones. The achiral version of this Robinson annulation features a hitherto unprecedented Michael reaction of β-keto acids with sterically hindered β,β'-substituted enones and provides access to all carbon quaternary stereocenter-containing cyclohexenones (11 examples, 43-83% yield). In addition, an asymmetric chiral bis(oxazoline) copper(II)-catalyzed single-pot Robinson annulation has been devised for preparing chiral cyclohexenones, including some products that contain vicinal stereocenters (5 examples, 65-85% yield, 84-94% ee). This latter protocol has been successfully applied to the enantioselective formation of the oxygenated 10-nor-steroid core from readily available starting materials.


Association of Limb-Girdle muscular dystrophy with multiple sclerosis: A case report.
The association of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) with other neurological disorders is uncommon. We report a 25-year-old female with LGMD who suffered from slowly progressive proximal muscular weakness and atrophy since she was 12 years of age. The patient recently presented with acute loss of left side visual acuity. After evaluation, findings were suggestive of multiple sclerosis. This is the first report of LGMD in association with MS. The simultaneous occurrence of MS with myopathies may be incidental but there may be a genetic susceptibility for both diseases. This comorbidity may influence the treatment of MS.


Neurofibromatosis type 1 associated with central nervous system lymphoma.
To report the occurrence of central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma in a patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). Interventional case report. A 47-year-old male with a parieto-occipital lobe lesion was referred for ocular evaluation. Skin, brain, and vitreous biopsies were performed. The discovery of Lisch nodules of the iris prompted a physical examination that revealed cutaneous stigmata of NF1. Biopsy of the CNS lesion revealed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Biopsy of papules on the back and abdomen were compatible with neurofibroma. No malignant cells were found in the vitreous specimen. A clinical diagnosis of NF1 was made. This is the first report of CNS lymphoma in a patient with NF1. Additional reports may shed more light on the possible association between the two conditions.


Interference by butyl rubber stoppers in GLC analysis for theophylline.
During a study of the pharmacokinetics of theophylline using GLC analysis, unexpectedly high values occurred in a random manner. The cause of there abnormal values was investigated, and significant interference was observed when blood samples were drawn using evacuated glass tubes sealed with butyl rubber stoppers. In vitro tests using distilled water showed no apparent theophylline levels due to the additives in three commonly used tubes. However, when water was allowed to remain in contact with the butyl rubber stoppers for 1 min, an apparent theophylline content of as high as 5.5 mug/ml was observed. A contact time of 60 min resulted in apparent theophylline levels of as high as 52.3 mug/ml. It was concluded that a substance leached from the butyl rubber stoppers accounted for the spurious results.


Proteomics-based consensus prediction of protein retention in a bacterial membrane.
The availability of complete bacterial genome sequences allows proteome-wide predictions of exported proteins that are potentially retained in the cytoplasmic membranes of the corresponding organisms. In practice, however, major problems are encountered with the computer-assisted distinction between (Sec-type) signal peptides that direct exported proteins into the growth medium and lipoprotein signal peptides or amino-terminal membrane anchors that cause protein retention in the membrane. In the present studies, which were aimed at improving methods to predict protein retention in the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane, we have compared sets of membrane-attached and extracellular proteins of Bacillus subtilis that were recently identified through proteomics approaches. The results showed that three classes of membrane-attached proteins can be distinguished. Two classes include 43 lipoproteins and 48 proteins with an amino-terminal transmembrane segment, respectively. Remarkably, a third class includes 31 proteins that remain membrane-retained despite the presence of typical Sec-type signal peptides with consensus signal peptidase recognition sites. This unprecedented finding indicates that unknown mechanisms are involved in membrane retention of this class of proteins. A further novelty is a consensus sequence indicative for release of certain lipoproteins from the membrane by proteolytic shaving. Finally, using non-overlapping sets of secreted and membrane-retained proteins, the accuracy of different signal peptide prediction algorithms was assessed. Accuracy for the prediction of protein retention in the membrane was increased to 82% using a majority-vote approach. Our findings provide important leads for future identification of surface proteins from pathogenic bacteria, which are attractive candidate infection markers and potential targets for drugs or vaccines.


Are acute infarcts the cause of leukoaraiosis? Brain mapping for 16 consecutive weeks.
Neuroimaging of older adults commonly reveals abnormality (leukoaraiosis) in the cerebral white matter. Studies have established that extensive leukoaraiosis predicts dementia and disability, but the pathogenesis of leukoaraiosis remains unclear. We recruited 5 patients with leukoaraiosis and performed magnetic resonance mapping of the brain for 16 consecutive weeks. We observed tiny lesions arising de novo in the cerebral white matter. These lesions were clinically silent. They had the signature features of acute ischemic stroke. With time, the characteristics of these lesions approached those of pre-existing leukoaraiosis. Together, these findings suggest that tiny silent acute infarcts are a cause of leukoaraiosis.


[The role of the occupational physician in the prevention of the spreading of H5N1 virus avian influenza in exposed workers].
Avian influenza caused by H5N1 virus can be transmitted to exposed workers from contact with infected poultry, and is thus, like other zoonoses, the responsibility of occupational physicians (OP). The high pathogenicity of H5N1 virus has caused a 30-75% mortality among infected humans. Most of those subjects were occupationally exposed in different areas of poultry raising in Asian countries. At the moment, person-to-person transmission, even though possible, is unable to start a new human influenza pandemic due to the current genetic characteristics of H5N1 virus. However, its spontaneous tendency to mutate must alert the international community to the need of eradicating avian influenza in poultry as well as preventing transmission to humans. In Italy competent OPs are required to take part in prevention of H5N1 avian influenza infection of potentially exposed workers, such as poultry sector workers, workers engaged in poultry culling, litter management, carcass disposal, zoo and nature reserve workers, gamekeepers, veterinarians, biologists, laboratory technicians, and health workers caring for possible instances of human infection. According to Italian legislations, OPs must offer the national community their long-standing experience in the fields of workplace environmental monitoring, health surveillance, choice of personal protection equipment (PPE) and training and information of workers potentially exposed to H5N1 virus about occupational risks and correct use of PPE. They must also cooperate with other involved professionals to programme antiviral and vaccine prophylaxis. Occupational physicians can have an important role in contributing to the prevention of and scientific research on H5N1 avian influenza virus.


Assessment of residual tumor viability in thymic carcinoma by sequential thallium-201 SPECT: comparison with CT and biopsy findings.
We present a case of 201TI accumulating thymic carcinoma, in which sequential CT scans demonstrated a steady decrease in tumor volume. The presence of a residual mass on CT scans after the completion of therapy presented the clinical dilemma of whether or not a viable tumor remained. Sequential 201TI SPECT images demonstrated a marked decrease in tumor uptake. At 2 wk after therapy, no significant accumulation of 201TI in the region of the residual mass was observed, indicating a lack of viable tumor. A biopsy specimen revealed no tumor cells. Sequential histopathologic findings were correlated well with the findings of 201TI SPECT rather than those of CT. Thallium-201 SPECT is of great clinical value in assessing tumor viability in the course of therapy.


The impact of a statewide training to increase child care providers' knowledge of nutrition and physical activity rules in Delaware.
Childhood obesity has been recognized as a national problem of epidemic proportions. Child care represents an ideal venue in which to address this problem, as many young children spend a significant amount of time and consume the majority of their meals in this setting. Recognizing this opportunity, Delaware recently enacted reforms to statewide licensing regulations designed to improve the quality of the nutrition-, physical activity-, and screen viewing-related environments in child care settings. To facilitate the translation of these regulations into practices, a series of broad-scale trainings was held throughout the state. Attendance was required for all Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)-participating facilities, although child care providers from non-CACFP facilities also attended. Pre- and posttraining surveys were used to assess changes in providers' knowledge of the regulations and satisfaction with the training. In total 1094 presurveys and 1076 postsurveys were received. Participants were highly satisfied with the training format and content, including the instructors, materials, and schedule. Data analysis demonstrates improved knowledge of all 26 regulation components from presurvey to postsurvey. Family child care providers, providers with more years of experience, CACFP-participating facilities, and facilities with food service personnel scored significantly higher than their center staff, less experienced and non-CACFP counterparts, as well as those without food service personnel. Broad-scale, in-person training can effectively increase child care providers' knowledge of the regulations and is well received by this audience. Other states and jurisdictions seeking to improve nutrition, physical activity, and screen-viewing practices in child care settings should consider this model of quality improvement.


The lacI gene as a target for mutation in transgenic rodents and Escherichia coli.
The lacI gene has been used extensively for the recovery and analysis of mutations in bacteria with various DNA repair backgrounds and after exposure to a wide variety of mutagens. This has resulted in a large database of information on mutational mechanisms and specificity of many mutagens, as well as the effect of DNA repair background on mutagenicity. Most importantly, knowledge about the mutational sensitivity of the lacI gene is now available, yielding information about mutable nucleotides. This popularity and available knowledge resulted in the use of the lacI gene in transgenic rodents for the study of mutagenesis in mammals, where it resides in approximately 40 repeated copies. As the number of sequenced mutations recovered from these animals increases, we are able to analyze the sites at which mutations have been recovered in great detail and to compare the recovered sites between bacteria and transgenic animals. The nucleotides that code for the DNA-binding domain are nearly saturated with base substitutions. Even after determining the sequences of approximately 10,000 mutations recovered from the animals, however, new sites and new changes are still being recovered. In addition, we compare the nature of deletion mutations between bacteria and animals. Based on the nature of deletions in the animals, we conclude that each deletion occurs in a single copy of the gene.


DNA ploidy in human colorectal adenocarcinomas.
Image cytometric determination of DNA content was performed on 207 colorectal adenocarcinomas surgically resected from 205 patients. Of these 207 tumors, 193 (93.2%) showed an aneuploid DNA distribution pattern, whereas the remaining 14 (6.8%) exhibited a DNA pattern corresponding to that found in proliferating diploid populations. The DNA content of 20 of these colorectal carcinomas was also studied by flow cytometric measurements on deparaffinized, disintegrated material. Flow cytometric measurement detected aneuploidy in only 9 of these 20 (45%) tumors, whereas 17 of the same 20 (85%) carcinomas showed aneuploidy when using image cytometric measurement on imprints. These results suggest that colorectal carcinomas are either aneuploid (vast majority) or proliferating diploid and that image cytometric DNA measurement on histologically controlled material is superior to flow cytometric measurement.


Food and health economics in the 21st century.
People are living longer and with more pain-free and comfortable lives as we begin the 21st century in 2001. Life expectancy was just 53 years (for males) in the beginning of the 20th century and is now 78 years. One in four children born in 2000 are expected to live beyond 100 years. There are many reasons for such advancement: fewer accidents, particularly work and travel related; better diets; and more and better health care. Australia's health spending is around 8.4% of gross domestic product, ranking eighth in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and has arguably one of the best value-for-money programs in the world. However, the make-up of the $50 billion expenditure in 2000 is reflecting changes from the past. We are moving away from institutional health care, embracing preventative care and 'alternative' approaches via fitness, diets, well-being programs and more natural remedies. Few, however, would suggest that pharmacology and surgery (including less invasive) are not important; they are. Food continues to play a vital role in our healthy lives. In 2000 we will expend approximately $90 billion on food and liquor prepared and consumed at home, or prepared and/or eaten out of the home. The latter is increasing as we outsource more and more of our meals (currently one in five). Our diet is changing. We are consuming more poultry, seafood, fruit and fruit products (including juices), vegetables, grain products and wine. We are consuming less red meat and meat products, eggs, oils and fats, sugars and beer. Our lifestyles are changing dramatically as we leave the Industrial Age further and further behind. The New Age began around 1965 (and should itself be displaced around 2040). Included in these changes are working wives, outsourcing of more and more household chores, embracing the Internet and electronic 'guardian angels' and much more. It promises to be an exciting, healthier and longer living new century.


In Situ Surface Tension Measurement of Deliquesced Aerosol Particles.
The surface tension of aerosol particles can potentially affect cloud droplet activation. Hence, direct measurement of the surface tensions of deliquesced aerosol particles is essential but is challenging. Here, we report in situ surface tension measurements based on a novel method that couples a linear quadrupole electrodynamic balance (EDB) with quasi-elastic light scattering (QELS). The EDB-QELS is validated using surface tension measurements of atmospherically relevant inorganic and organic droplets. The surface tension results reasonably agree with the reference values in the range of ∼50-90 mN m-1. We find a significant size dependence for sodium chloride droplets containing surface-active species (sodium dodecyl sulfate) in the size range of ∼5-18 μm. The surface tension increases from ∼55 to 80 mN m-1 with decreased size. Relative humidity (RH)-dependent surface tensions of mixed ammonium sulfate (AS) and polyethylene glycol droplets reveal the onset of liquid-liquid phase separation. Droplets containing water-soluble matter extracted from ambient aerosol samples and 2.3-2.9 M AS exhibit a ∼30% reduction in surface tension in the presence of ∼50 mmol-C L-1 water-soluble organic carbon, compared to pure water (∼72 mN m-1). The approach can offer size-resolved and RH-dependent surface tension measurements of deliquesced aerosol particles.


Differential Incorporation of Carbon Substrates among Microbial Populations Identified by Field-Based, DNA Stable-Isotope Probing in South China Sea.
To determine the adapted microbial populations to variant dissolved organic carbon (DOC) sources in the marine environment and improve the understanding of the interaction between microorganisms and marine DOC pool, field-based incubation experiments were carried out using supplemental 13C-labeled typical substrates D-glucose and D-glucosamine (D-Glc and D-GlcN, respectively), which are two important components in marine DOC pool in the South China Sea. 13C- and 12C-DNA were then fractionated by ultracentrifugation and the microbial community was analyzed by terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism and 454 pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene. 12C-DNA-based communities showed relatively high similarities with their corresponding in situ communities, and their bacterial diversities were generally higher than 13C-DNA-based counterparts. Distinct differences in community composition were found between 13C- and 12C-DNA-based communities and between two substrate-supplemented 13C-DNA-based communities; these differences distinctly varied with depth and site. In most cases, there were more genera with relative abundances of >0.1% in D-Glc-incorporating communities than in D-GlcN-incorporating communities. The Roseobacter clade was one of the prominent actively substrate-incorporating bacterial populations in all 13C-DNA-based communities. Vibrio was another prominent actively D-GlcN-incorporating bacterial population in most incubations. However notably, different OTUs dominated this clade or genus in different treatments at different depths. Altogether, these results suggested that there were taxa-specific differences in DOC assimilations and, moreover, their differences varied among the typical water masses, which could have been caused by the variant compositions of original bacterial communities from different hydrological environments. This implies that ecologically, the levels of labile or recalcitrance of DOC can be maintained only in a specific environmental context with specific bacterial community composition.


The evaluation of the proximal tibiofibular joint for patients with lateral knee pain.
In contrast to important functions of the proximal tibiofibular joint (PTFJ), there appear a few clinical and radiological studies concerning the PTFJ pathologies. Although almost all of the joints have been investigated in detail by MRI, review of the literature reveals none on the pathologies of PTFJ. Thirty-eight knees of 32 patients with lateral knee pain were evaluated clinically and radiologically. All had tenderness over the PTFJ and lateral hamstring tightness. MRI examination revealed effusion of the PTFJ in 22 knees and partial ruptures of anterior or posterior tibiofibular ligament, lateral collateral ligament or biceps femoris tendon in 25 knees. All patients were treated by manipulative physiotherapy of the PTFJ and strengthening and stretching exercises of the surrounding structures. All patients were followed-up 12-36 months (mean 28 months) after the treatment protocol, and complete relief of the symptoms was recorded in 28 of the 38 knees. Although spontaneous pain was not present in five patients, there was tenderness over the PTFJ by palpation. No change in the symptoms was recorded in five patients. These results suggest that PTFJ pathologies should be kept in mind in the evaluation of lateral knee pain and MRI examination provides useful information.


The protective role of maternal post-traumatic growth and cognitive trauma processing in Palestinian mothers and infants: a longitudinal study.
Women at pre partum and post partum are especially susceptible to war trauma because they struggle to protect their infants from danger. Trauma research suggests increased problems in maternal mental health and infant development. Yet many cognitive-emotional processes affect the trauma survivors' mental health, such as post-traumatic growth and post-traumatic cognition. The aim of this study was to examine whether a mother's high post-traumatic growth and optimal post-traumatic cognition could protect their own mental health and their infant's stress regulation from the effects of traumatic war experiences. This three-wave prospective study involved Palestinian women living in the Gaza Strip who were at the second trimester of pregnancy (T1), women with infants aged 4 months (T2), and women with children aged 12 months (T3) months. The participants reported their war experiences in a 30-item checklist of losses, destruction, and atrocities in the 2008-09, 2012, and 2014 military offensives. Post-traumatic growth was assessed by a 21-item scale and post-traumatic cognition by a 36-item scale. Maternal mental health was assessed by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depressive, anxiety, and dissociation symptoms at T1 and T3, and infants' stress regulation was assessed with the Infant Behaviour Questionnaire at T2 and T3. We included 511 women at T1, 481 women at T2, and 454 women at T3. High maternal post-traumatic growth and post-traumatic cognition had protective roles. Post-traumatic growth had a protective effect on maternal mental health since severe exposure to traumatic war experiences was not associated with maternal PTSD, depression, and dissociation if women showed high post-traumatic growth, as indicated by the significant interaction effect between post-traumatic growth and war trauma on each of the three symptoms. Post-traumatic cognition had a protective effect on infant development since severe exposure was not associated with dysfunctional infant emotion regulation when mothers reported optimal post-traumatic cognition, as indicated by the significant interaction effect between post-traumatic cognition and war trauma on each of negative affectivity and surgency or extraversion. The nature of cognitive emotional processing of war trauma could explain the distinct roles of post-traumatic growth and post-traumatic cognition. High post-traumatic growth involves increased social affiliation, spiritual awareness, and psychological strengths resulting from painful and traumatic experiences. In the national struggle for independence, post-traumatic growth is often associated with heroism and even hardiness, which might benefit a mother's mental health but not their infant's wellbeing. Optimal post-traumatic cognition indicates successful and harmonious trauma processing, which enables mothers to be more reflective and sensitive to their infant's needs. Interventions to promote healthy infant development in war settings should encourage and support mothers' effective cognitive-emotional processing of traumatic experiences. The Academy of Finland and University of Tampere, Finland.


Therapeutic apheresis for patients with cancer.
Disease complications associated with certain malignancies may be mediated by cells or soluble molecules that traffic in the bloodstream. Because of this, therapeutic apheresis (TA) methodologies have been used to selectively remove or manipulate specific molecules, antibodies, or cellular elements to treat the underlying pathological process. For some disorders, TA is utilized as a rapid-acting and short-term adjunct to conventional chemotherapy or immunotherapy. For others, a series of scheduled treatments is recommended for optimal management. In all cases, the risks, benefits, and costs must be strongly considered. The current literature and published guidelines were reviewed to summarize the use of TA in the management of certain complications of cancer. Although TA is relatively safe and useful as a first-line or salvage modality for some disorders, few prospective, randomized clinical trials exist and the majority of evidence is derived from observational studies. Expert-based, clinical practice guidelines have been developed to inform hematology/oncology professionals and apheresis physicians about the efficacy and limitations of TA for malignancy-related indications. Certain oncological conditions respond to TA and consensus guidelines are available to support clinical decision-making. However, well-designed, prospective intervention trials are needed to better define the role of TA for a variety of disorders.


Brownian dynamics simulations of a wild type and mutants of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitors.
Brownian dynamics simulations of a wild type and mutants of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitors were performed using the program brownian. The results of the simulations were consistent with experimentally determined stabilities of these proteins, and the computational times of the simulations were much less than those of molecular dynamics simulations. These results indicate that Brownian dynamics simulations can be useful for investigating structural features of proteins that have some mutants, such as drug-metabolizing enzymes.


Percutaneous radiofrequency glossopharyngeal rhizotomy for cancer pain.
15 patients with pain secondary to cancer underwent radiofrequency glossopharyngeal rhizotomy by the percutaneous approach. 11 patients had complete relief while 4 patients had partial relief. All patients presented, after surgery, some impairment in glossopharyngeal function.


Estimation of pioglitazone hydrochloride and metformin hydrochloride in tablets by derivative spectrophotometry and liquid chromatographic methods.
Two simple and accurate methods of analysis to determine pioglitazone hydrochloride (PIO) and mefformin hydrochloride (MET) in combined dosage forms were developed using second-derivative spectrophotometry and reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC). PIO and MET in combined preparations (tablets) were quantified using the second-derivative responses at 227.55 nm for PIO and 257.25 nm for MET in spectra of their solutions in a mixture of methanol and acetonitrile (30 + 70). The calibration curves were linear [correlation coefficient (r) = 0.9984 for PIO and 0.9986 for MET] in the concentration range of 8-40 microg/mL for PIO and 4-12 microg/mL for MET. In the LC method, analysis was performed on a Hypersil ODS-C18 column with 5 microm particle size using the mobile phase acetonitrile-water-acetic acid (75 + 25 + 0.3), adjusted to pH 5.5 with liquor ammonia, at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. Measurement was made at a wavelength of 230 nm. Both the drugs were well resolved on the stationary phase, and the retention times were 8.5 min for PIO and 16.0 min for MET. The calibration curves were linear (r = 0.9933 for PIO and 0.9958 for MET) in the concentration range of 4-20 microg/mL for PIO and MET. Both methods were validated, and the results were compared statistically. They were found to be accurate, precise, and specific. The methods were successfully applied to the estimation of PIO and MET in combined tablet formulations.


Automatic 3D analysis of the ex-vivo porcine lumbar interbody fusion based on X-ray micro computed tomography data.
Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure used to join two or more vertebrae to prevent movement between them. This surgical procedure is considered in patients suffering from a wide range of degenerative spinal diseases or vertebral fractures. The success rate of spinal fusion is frequently evaluated subjectively using X-ray computed tomography. The pig was chosen as an animal model for spinal fusion, since its spinal structure is similar to the human spine. Our paper presents an automatic approach for pig's spinal fusion evaluation in 3D. The proposed approach is based on the determination of the vertebral fused area, which reflects the fusion quality. The approach was applied and tested on microCT (μCT) data of fused porcine vertebrae ex-vivo. In our study, three types of implants were used to perform spinal fusion: the iliac crest bone graft used as the gold standard, and two types of novel scaffold implants based on the polymer/ceramic porous foam involving either growth factors or polyphosphates. The evaluation worked automatically for all three types of used implants, and the fusion quality was determined quantitatively. The calculation is based on the detection of the fused area and area of facies intervertebralis, so the percentual representation of the vertebral joint can be determined. Since this approach is versatile and is described in detail as a guide for image processing the data of vertebrae fusion, this methodology has the potential to establish a standard approach for evaluating the fusion quality in ex-vivo samples that can be tested on clinical data.


Pleural abrasion via axillary thoracotomy in the era of video assisted thoracic surgery.
Recurrent episodes of spontaneous pneumothorax can be managed medically or surgically by various methods, video assisted thoracoscopy being the latest and most attractive. A retrospective analysis was made of 43 pleural abrasions performed in 39 patients through a 4-6 cm axillary thoracotomy incision. There were no deaths and complications were few. At a mean follow up of 33 months there were two recurrences, neither of which required drainage. Compared with results achieved with video assisted thoracoscopic surgery, open pleural abrasion via a small thoracotomy may be the treatment of choice in most hospitals.


The hospital burden of vertebral fracture in Europe: a study of national register sources.
The aims of this study were to quantify the hospital burden of vertebral fracture in Europe and to compare this with that of hip fracture. Information on hospital discharges was sought by age and sex from Ministries of Health in Europe. Discharge rates for vertebral fracture, available from 12 countries, varied by more than 4-fold between countries, which was greater than the differences between sexes. Where the discharge rate was high for vertebral fracture the incidence of hip fracture was also high. Since nearly all cases of hip fracture are hospitalized, this suggests a relationship between hip and vertebral fracture risk that is not explained by different admission policies for vertebral fractures European countries.


Secondary Hyperparathyroidism in Chronic Kidney Disease: Pathophysiology and Management.
Serum calcium concentration is the main determinant of parathyroid hormone (PTH) release. Defect in the activation of vitamin D in the kidneys due to chronic kidney disease (CKD) leads to hypocalcemia and hyperphosphatemia, resulting in a compensatory increase in parathyroid gland cellularity and parathyroid hormone production and causing secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHP). Correction and maintenance of normal serum calcium and phosphate are essential to preventing SHP, hungry bone disease, cardiovascular events, and anemia development. Understanding the pathophysiology of PTH and possible therapeutic agents can reduce the development and associated complications of SHP in patients with CKD. Medical interventions to control serum calcium, phosphate, and PTH such as vitamin D analogs, calcium receptor blockers, and parathyroidectomy are needed in some CKD patients. In this review, we discuss the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and management of SHP in CKD patients.


Phase I dose escalation of paclitaxel in patients with advanced ovarian cancer receiving cisplatin: rapid development of neurotoxicity is dose-limiting.
To determine the maximum-tolerable dose (MTD) of paclitaxel in a phase I dose-escalation study when combined with cisplatin in patients with advanced ovarian cancer receiving filgrastim for prophylaxis of myelosuppression. A total of 23 patients with stage II (bulky residual), III, or IV epithelial ovarian cancer were treated (following debulking surgery) with paclitaxel as a 3-hour infusion followed by cisplatin (75 mg/m2) administered over 4 hours on day 1, repeated every 21 days for six cycles. Filgrastim (5 micrograms/kg/d) was administered subcutaneously (SC) beginning on day 2 of each cycle through neutrophil recovery (absolute neutrophil count [ANC] > 10,000/microL). Patients were assigned to one of six escalating dose levels of paclitaxel: 150 (n = 3), 175 (n = 3), 200 (n = 3), 225 (n = 4), 250 (n = 4), and 275 mg/m2 (n = 6). At each paclitaxel dose level (150, 175, 200, 225, 250, and 275 mg/m2), the numbers of patients who completed six cycles without dose reduction were three (100%), three (100%), two (66%), two (50%), three (75%), and zero (0%), respectively. The numbers of patients who experienced a grade III/IV adverse event (hematologic or nonhematologic) were zero (0%), two (66%), two (66%), one (25%), four (100%), and five (80%), respectively. Reasons for dose reduction included neurotoxicity (225 mg/m2, n = 1; 275 mg/m2, n = 2), neutropenia (225 mg/m2, n = 2), diarrhea (275 mg/m2, n = 2), and nephrotoxicity (225 mg/m2, n = 1). Reasons for not completing six cycles at full or reduced dose included neuropathy (200, 225, and 275 mg/m2, n = 1 each) physician request (275 mg/m2, n = 1), and death (275 mg/m2, n = 1). Hematopoietic toxicity was minimal. Six patients developed grade III/IV neutropenia. No patient developed thrombocytopenia below a level of 50,000/microL. The MTD of paclitaxel was determined to be 225 mg/m2 when administered as a 3-hour infusion and combined with cisplatin (75 mg/m2). Nonhematologic dose-limiting toxicities were neuropathy and diarrhea. The neuropathy often had a rapid onset, especially at the higher dose levels.


Increased cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression is associated with chemotherapy resistance and outcome in ovarian cancer patients.
Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression is associated with aggressive clinicopathological parameters and unfavourable prognosis in several human malignancies. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of COX-2 and its association with clinicopathological parameters, response to treatment, and clinical outcome in ovarian cancer patients. COX-2 expression was analysed by immunohistochemistry in 87 primary ovarian carcinomas from patients with measurable disease after primary laparotomy. COX-2 immunoreaction was observed in 39 (44.8%) cases, and did not differ in distribution according to age, FIGO stage, debulking at time of surgery, presence of ascites, histotype or tumour grade. Both in patients cytoreduced at first surgery and in those undergoing only explorative laparotomy, the percentage of COX-2 positivity was significantly higher in non-responding than in patients responding to treatment (P = 0.043 and P = 0.0018, respectively). In multivariate analysis, only COX-2 positivity and older age retained an independent role in predicting a poor chance of response to treatment. There was no significant difference of clinical outcome according to COX-2 status in patients undergoing primary debulking while, in the subgroup of patients who underwent explorative laparotomy, COX-2-positive cases showed a shorter time to progression (P = 0.025) and overall survival (P = 0.025). The assessment of COX-2 status could provide additional information in order to identify ovarian cancer patients with a poor chance of response to chemotherapy and potentially candidates for more individualised treatments.


Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus and its Predictors among Tuberculosis Patients Currently on Treatment.
Tuberculosis (TB) and diabetes are the world's leading public health issues. They are the cause of morbidity, mortality, and pose a burden on the healthcare system. The aim and objective of this study were to study the prevalence of diabetes and its predictors among TB patients currently on treatment. The secondary objective was to examine the self-reported blood glucose monitoring and antidiabetic drug adherence practice among diabetic TB patients. This cross-sectional study was undertaken on 275 TB cases enrolled from selected designated microscopy centers. Self-reported information on diabetes, tobacco usage, and family history of TB was collected by trained investigators. In addition, for diabetic tubercular patients, the study investigators inquired about the type of treatment taken (allopathic/traditional), frequency of getting blood sugar tested, and daily drug adherence. For comparison between the "diabetes TB comorbidity" and "TB only group," Chi-square test of significance was used, and odds ratios were reported. Data were analyzed using Epi Info software (CDC Atlanta). The prevalence of diabetes among TB patients was found to be 13.1% (known diabetics -9.1% and new diabetics -4.0%). There were 25.5% of current/former smokers (70/275) and 13.1% of current/former smokeless tobacco users (36/275). In logistic regression analysis, age 50 years and above emerged as a significant predictor for diabetes TB comorbidity (adjusted odds ratio = 9.8 [4.3-22.3]). Diabetes is prevalent comorbidity in TB patients. Age more than 50 years significantly increases the odds of this twin morbidity.


Evolution of carnivory in Lentibulariaceae and the Lamiales.
As a basis for analysing the evolution of the carnivorous syndrome in Lentibulariaceae (Lamiales), phylogenetic reconstructions were conducted based on coding and non-coding chloroplast DNA (matK gene and flanking trnK intron sequences, totalling about 2.4 kb). A dense taxon sampling including all other major lineages of Lamiales was needed since the closest relatives of Lentibulariaceae and the position of "proto-carnivores" were unknown. Tree inference using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian approaches resulted in fully congruent topologies within Lentibulariaceae, whereas relationships among the different lineages of Lamiales were only congruent between likelihood and Bayesian optimizations. Lentibulariaceae and their three genera (Pinguicula, Genlisea, and Utricularia) are monophyletic, with Pinguicula being sister to a Genlisea-Utricularia clade. Likelihood and Bayesian trees converge on Bignoniaceae as sister to Lentibulariaceae, albeit lacking good support. The "proto-carnivores" (Byblidaceae, Martyniaceae) are found in different positions among other Lamiales but not as sister to the carnivorous Lentibulariaceae, which is also supported by Khishino-Hasegawa tests. This implies that carnivory and its preliminary stages ("proto-carnivores") independently evolved more than once among Lamiales. Ancestral states of structural characters connected to the carnivorous syndrome are reconstructed using the molecular tree, and a hypothesis on the evolutionary pathway of the carnivorous syndrome in Lentibulariaceae is presented. Extreme DNA mutational rates found in Utricularia and Genlisea are shown to correspond to their unusual nutritional specialization, thereby hinting at a marked degree of carnivory in these two genera.


Neurobiology of Monarch Butterfly Migration.
Studies of the migration of the eastern North American monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) have revealed mechanisms behind its navigation. The main orientation mechanism uses a time-compensated sun compass during both the migration south and the remigration north. Daylight cues, such as the sun itself and polarized light, are processed through both eyes and integrated through intricate circuitry in the brain's central complex, the presumed site of the sun compass. Monarch circadian clocks have a distinct molecular mechanism, and those that reside in the antennae provide time compensation. Recent evidence shows that migrants can also use a light-dependent inclination magnetic compass for orientation in the absence of directional daylight cues. The monarch genome has been sequenced, and genetic strategies using nuclease-based technologies have been developed to edit specific genes. The monarch butterfly has emerged as a model system to study the neural, molecular, and genetic basis of long-distance animal migration.


Environmental Assessment and Evaluation of Oxidative Stress and Genotoxicity Biomarkers Related to Chronic Occupational Exposure to Benzene.
Environmental and occupational exposure to benzene from fuels is a major cause for concern for national and international authorities, as benzene is a known carcinogen in humans and there is no safe limit for exposure to carcinogens. The objective of this study was to evaluate the genotoxic effects of chronic occupational exposure to benzene among two groups of workers: filling station workers (Group I) and security guards working at vehicles entrances (Group II), both on the same busy highway in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Sociodemographic data on the workers were evaluated; the concentration of benzene/toluene (B/T) in atmospheric air and individual trans,trans-muconic acid (ttMA) and S-phenylmercapturic acid (S-PMA) were measured; oxidative stress was analyzed by catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), thiol groups (THIOL) and malondialdehyde (MDA); genotoxicity was measured by metaphases with chromosomal abnormalities (MCA) and nuclear abnormalities, comet assay using the enzyme formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (C-FPG), and methylation of repetitive element LINE-1, CDKN2B and KLF6 genes. Eighty-six workers participated: 51 from Group I and 35 from Group II. The B/T ratio was similar for both groups, but Group I had greater oscillation of benzene concentrations because of their work activities. No differences in ttMA and S-PMA, and no clinical changes were found between both groups, but linearity was observed between leukocyte count and ttMA; and 15% of workers had leukocyte counts less than 4.5 × 109 cells L-1, demanding close worker's attention. No differences were observed between the two groups for THIOL, MDA, MCA, or nuclear abnormalities. A multiple linear relationship was obtained for the biomarkers MCA and C-FPG. A significant correlation was found between length of time in current job and the biomarkers C-FPG, MCA, GST, and MDA. Although both populations had chronic exposure to benzene, the filling station workers were exposed to higher concentrations of benzene during their work activities, indicating an increased risk of DNA damage.


Silent myocardial ischemia: prognostic significance and therapeutic implications.
Evidence is now accumulating which strongly suggests that prognosis of patients with painless myocardial ischemia determined either by ambulatory ECG monitoring or exercise testing may be no different than the prognosis of patients who have overt clinical manifestations of myocardial ischemia associated with transient ischemic ECG changes. In my view the goal of therapy for patients with clinical manifestations of coronary artery disease should be the elimination of myocardial ischemia. Medical therapy, coronary angioplasty, or coronary artery surgery should be rendered and then followed by objective documentation of therapeutic efficacy.


Safely Decreasing Rigid Bronchoscopies for Foreign-Body Aspiration in Children: An Algorithm for the Emergency Department.
Rigid bronchoscopy was traditionally performed in the management of foreign-body aspiration (FBA). More recently, since development of a less invasive method, flexible bronchoscopy has been proposed in some centers for the management of FBA. For the past few years, we have applied a decisional algorithm, privileging flexible bronchoscopy for diagnosis and, in some cases, for extraction of foreign body (FB). Our aims are first to analyze our current management of FBA and second to examine the bronchoscopic findings and complications. Retrospective medical chart review of all patients with clinical suspicion of FBA who underwent bronchoscopy (flexible and/or rigid) from 2009 through 2014. An FB was found in 23 (33%) of the 70 patients included in the study (45 boys, 25 girls; median age: 21.5 months). Diagnosis of FBA was made on first intention in 22/23 (96%) and extraction was performed in 7/23 (30%) by flexible bronchoscopy. Rigid bronchoscopy was necessary for the extraction of the 16/23 (70%) remaining FBs. The rigid procedure was performed as first intention in only two (3%) patients, and one of the two was negative. Among the clinical signs of FBA, none were > 90% specific except for apnea (100%), but which was poorly sensitive (22%). Seven clinical and radiologic signs were found to be significantly different between FB+ and FB- groups: sudden choking, cyanosis, apnea, decreased breath sounds, atelectasis, mediastinal shift, and air trapping. Conversely, when none of these symptoms or signs and no clear history of sudden choking were present (in 15/70 patients), no FB was found. No life-threatening complications or death were observed. Our current management of FBA allows us to avoid almost all negative rigid bronchoscopies. In addition, we identified some symptoms and clinical and radiologic signs whose absence was highly predictive of negative bronchoscopy. We propose a novel algorithm for management of FBA that will help decrease the number of negative bronchoscopies.


[Adipose tissue composition in puberty and postpuberty according to age, sex (gender), physical activity and alimentary behavior].
The study involved 110 adolescents from 15 to 22 years (35 boys, 75 girls). To assess eating habits and physical activity we used WHO questionnaires. We also analyzed anthropometry, bioimpedance data, parameters of the cardiovascular system: systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate. It has been shown, that body mass index (BMI) in adolescents didn't correlate with the content of both total and visceral adipose tissue in the body and shoud not be used as a major diagnostic criterion of obesity. An excessive content of total adipose tissue was shown in 15% of the puberty and postpuberty teens. Visceral fat content was significantly higher in male, than female (3.03±3.31 vs 2.11±1.57%), independently of the total fat percentage (18.91±16.83 and 31.72±19.24% respectively). The visceral fat in the body begins to increase in age of 16. According to the authors, such an effect in boys and girls is associated with the final changes of puberty (concentration of sex steroids). Such hormons like testosterone and progesterone and estradiol have different effects on the white adipose tissue and play a key role in proceses of its differentiation and metabolism. Percentage of total adipose tissue depends on dietary habits in the first place – the predominance of fast food. A significant relationship of physical activity and the percentage of visceral fat was shown.


Three isomeric bis(methoxycarbonyl)[2.2]paracyclophanes.
The title isomers 4,16- (pseudo-ortho), 4,15- (pseudo-gem) and 4,12-bis(methoxycarbonyl)[2.2]paracyclophane (pseudo-para), C(20)H(20)O(4), all show the typical structural features of [2.2]paracyclophanes (flattened boat conformation of the rings, lengthened single bonds in the bridges and narrow ring angles at the bridgehead atoms). The 4,12-isomer displays crystallographic inversion symmetry. The carbonyl groups adopt a conformation in which they are directed away from the ring systems towards the nearest bridge; the corresponding angle at the ring substituent atom is widened. Crystal packing involves C-H.pi interactions for the 4,15-isomer and weak C-H.O hydrogen bonds for the other two isomers.


[Study of inhibition effect of bovine lactoferrin in vitro on hepatitis B surface antigen].
To probe inhibition effect of bovine lactoferrin (BLF) in vitro on hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Nature hepatitis B virus (HBV) was used to infect HepG2 cell, HBsAg in the culture supernatant was measured by ELISA, and MTT test was used to examine cytotoxic effect of BLF. The maximum nontoxic dose (TD0) in HepG2 cell of BLF was 3.0 g/L,50% of toxic dose (TD50) was 11.08 g/L. After HepG2 cell were infected with HBV, every BLF test group had effect on inhibiting HBsAg to some extent. At the highest concentration of 3.0 g/L BLF was most effective, exhibiting 58.34% of inhibition. Mixing BLF with HBV, then HepG2 cell were infected with them, every BLF all test concentrations were not shown to inhibit HBsAg. Adding BLF to HepG2 cell, then HepG2 cell were infected with HBV after washing BLF, test groups were shown to significantly inhibite HBsAg as concentration of over 0.5 g/L BLF, but at the concentration 0.1 g/L of BLF inhibitious of HBsAg were not observed. HBsAg wasn't inhibited by lactoferrin hydrolysate. BLF was shown to inhibit HBV infection into HepG2 cell by protecting corresponding cell sites rather than binding to HBV. After HepG2 cell was infected, HBsAg also could be inhibited by BLF and lactoferrin hydrolysate didn't have this function. It was seemed that BLF could have structure's work, but the possible mechanism need to be lucubrated.


[Use of interferon-β in the treatment of multiple sclerosis].
Interferon-β (IFNβ) products are widely used as first-line treatment for multiple sclerosis and have well-established benefit-risk profiles over the short- and long-term. Commercially available agents in Japan include subcutaneous IFNβ-1β (Betaferon) and intramuscular IFNβ-1a(Avonex). Although these IFNβ products differ in dosage, frequency of administration and rout of delivery, both reduce relapse rate by about 30% and new lesion activity by about 65%. In addition, IFNβ products were shown to reduce the disability progression. However, clinical studies have also demonstrated that a subset of patients respond poorly to IFNβ treatment. Thus, it is an important strategy to identify the patients who have suboptimal treatment responses early, before disability ensures, as measured by combination of clinical data and MRI measures of disease activity.


[Stimulation of a spermatogenesis in men at a pathospermia and infertility].
to investigate of the methods of treatment, directed on increase in quantity of spermatozoa in an ejaculate. MATHERIALS AND METHODS: for this purpose used clomifene and combinations of recombinant FSH with chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) in 60 men with infertility. Efficiency of monotherapy by clomiphene was higher and made 20% for conception, and 63% for oligoteratozoospermia. Efficiency of the combined therapy of HCG in combination with recombinant FSH was 40% for conception, and 87% for oligoteratozoospermia. The efficiency of the combined therapy by recombinant FSH and HCG in cases of the previous inefficiency monotherapy HCG and clomifene for oligoteratozoospermia made 65%. The combined therapy of HCG in combination with recombinant FSH is al most effective. At the same time the studied types of the stimulating therapy are safe and don't lead to development of side effects.


Seasonal distribution of physico- chemical parameters in effluent discharge area of Uppanar estuary, Cuddalore, south-east coast of India.
Seasonal distribution of physico-chemical characteristics such as rainfall, pH, salinity, temperature, light extinction coefficient, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand and nutrients like total phosphorus, inorganic phosphate, nitrite, nitrate and reactive silicate has been studied at two stations of Uppanar estuary in relation to effluent discharges from SIPCOT industries. There are 44 industries discharges their effluents into Uppanar estuary, which may influence the biota. Nutrient concentrations were higher during monsoon season and low during summer season. The mean concentrations of nutrients were high at station 1 than station 2 due to discharges from industries, coconut husk retting grounds near the station 1. In the present study, the physico-chemical characteristic of Uppanar estuary carried out and variations are discussed.


Calreticulin induces dilated cardiomyopathy.
Calreticulin, a Ca(2+)-buffering chaperone of the endoplasmic reticulum, is highly expressed in the embryonic heart and is essential for cardiac development. After birth, the calreticulin gene is sharply down regulated in the heart, and thus, adult hearts have negligible levels of calreticulin. In this study we tested the role of calreticulin in the adult heart. We generated an inducible transgenic mouse in which calreticulin is targeted to the cardiac tissue using a Cre/loxP system and can be up-regulated in adult hearts. Echocardiography analysis of hearts from transgenic mice expressing calreticulin revealed impaired left ventricular systolic and diastolic function and impaired mitral valve function. There was altered expression of Ca(2+) signaling molecules and the gap junction proteins, Connexin 43 and 45. Sarcoplasmic reticulum associated Ca(2+)-handling proteins (including the cardiac ryanodine receptor, sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase, and cardiac calsequestrin) were down-regulated in the transgenic hearts with increased expression of calreticulin. We show that in adult heart, up-regulated expression of calreticulin induces cardiomyopathy in vivo leading to heart failure. This is due to an alternation in changes in a subset of Ca(2+) handling genes, gap junction components and left ventricle remodeling.


Pulmonary function of haplotype-matched and mismatched allografts in dogs treated with total-body irradiation, autologous marrow transplantation, methotrexate, and donor blood.
Seven beagle recipients surviving 2-11 years after allotransplantation of a left lung were available for study of pulmonary function. Significant reductions of ventilation and perfusion to the transplanted lung were documented by radionuclide scanning. These reductions in function were well-matched, however, and allowed relatively normal gas exchange, as measured by VD/VT, arterial PO2 and shunt fraction. The vasoconstrictor response of the transplanted lung to both hypoxia and stellate ganglion stimulation was comparable to that of the native lung. An abnormal rise in graft pulmonary vascular resistance and fall in PaO2 when the normal lung was made hypoxic suggest an inability of the transplanted lung to vasodilate and recruit blood vessels normally in response to increased blood flow. The animals were sacrificed at the conclusion of the pulmonary function testing. Pathologic study of the transplanted lungs showed minimal changes of rejection in spite of the fact that these recipient animals received no immunotherapy after the second posttransplant week.


[Spiral CT: new clinical indications and special artifacts].
Authors describe the technical principles of volumetric CT, in comparison with the conventional method. New, quick data acquisition related artifacts are demonstrated in the different organs in order to avoid diagnostical faults. Details are given about the special examination parameter settings which are used for searching for particular pathological processes. Advantages, disadvantages, physiological and technical limitations are discussed. Authors present the new clinical applications, especially in the field of vascular and musculoskeletal imaging.


Effects of oral administration of bezafibrate on peroxisomes and carnitine acetyltransferase in rat hepatocytes.
Changes in fine structure of peroxisomes and mitochondria were examined by electron microscopy in the hepatocyte of rats administered with bezafibrate, a hypolipidemic reagents. Peroxisomes increased to approximately 4.8 times in number one week after oral administration of bezafibrate in male rats. Newly induced peroxisomes showed paler matrix with frequent absence of core structure at two weeks after administration, peroxisomes further increased in number, 5.8 times in males, and were mostly devoid of core structure. Mitochondrial cristae were occasionally arranged along the long axis of mitochondria. Activity of carnitine acetyltransferase (CAT), one of the enzymes involved in beta oxidation of fatty acids, increased significantly after oral administration of bezafibrate. At two weeks after administration, it increased up to 12.0 times in males, 8.4 times in castrated males, 3.8 times in females and 5.5 times in castrated females, respectively. Cytochemically, CAT was localized in the outer compartment and inner membrane of mitochondria. CAT activity was also detected in the matrix of peroxisomes at two weeks after oral administration of bezafibrate.