Detection of RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase of Hubei Reo-Like Virus 7 by Next-Generation Sequencing in Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus Mosquitoes from Brazil.

Abstract: Advancements in next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics have expanded our knowledge of the diversity of viruses (pathogens and non-pathogens) harbored by mosquitoes. Hubei reo-like virus 7 (HRLV 7) was recently detected by the virome analysis of fecal samples from migratory birds in Australia. We now report the detection of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase sequences of HRLV 7 in pools of Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes species from the Brazilian Amazon forest. Phylogenetic inferences indicated that all HRLV 7 strains fall within the same independent clade. In addition, HRLV 7 shared a close ancestral lineage with the Dinovernavirus genus of the Reoviridae family. Our findings indicate that HRLV 7 is present in two species of mosquitoes.

Ribeiro|Geovani de Oliveira|GO|
Monteiro|Fred Julio Costa|FJC|
Rego|Marlisson Octavio da S|MODS|
Ribeiro|Edcelha Soares D'Athaide|ESD|
Castro|Daniela Funayama de|DF|
Caseiro|Marcos Montani|MM|
Souza Marinho|Robson Dos Santos|RDS|
Komninakis|Shirley Vasconcelos|SV|
Witkin|Steven S|SS|
Deng|Xutao|X|
Delwart|Eric|E|
Sabino|Ester Cerdeira|EC|
da Costa|Antonio Charlys|AC|
Leal|Élcio|É|

RNA-dependent RNA polymerase
Hubei reo-like virus 7
Aedes aegypti
Culex quinquefasciatus
mosquitoes
Brazil
birds
Amazon forest
arbovirus
insect-viruses
metagenomic
reovirus


18-year evolution of asthma and allergic diseases in French urban schoolchildren in relation to indoor air pollutant levels.

Abstract:
BACKGROUND
An initial epidemiological study carried out 18 years ago in Marseilles indicated that the air quality in schools was poor and that there was an association between the level of fine particulates and the occurrence of asthma in children. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the change in the prevalence of childhood asthma and allergic diseases and their link with the levels of air pollutants and other factors of potential risk.

METHODS
In 2016, using a questionnaire identical to the one used for the 1st survey in 1998-1999, we collected information regarding the symptoms, the diagnosis, and the potential confounding factors. We measured the main indoor and outdoor pollutants at the schools.

RESULTS
Overall, the prevalence of asthma and of allergic diseases exhibited an increasing trend in the time interval between the two studies, significant only for dry cough and pollen allergy. The level of air pollutants decreased significantly indoors. In spite of this, we found a correlation and a dose-effect relationship between the level of PM2.5 and the prevalence of asthma. A family history of asthma and allergies, the insalubrity of the place of residence, and a non-Mediterranean diet were also associated with the risk of these diseases.

CONCLUSION
In the time interval between the two studies, which were 18 years apart, despite a reduction in the level of air pollutants in classrooms, asthma was still related to PM2.5. Other potentially causative or contributing environmental factors were also related to asthma and allergies.

Sasso|Fabien|F| Izard|Mathieu|M| Beneteau|Thomas|T| Rakotozandry|Thierry|T| Ramadour|Myriam|M| Annesi-Maesano|Isabella|I| Robin|Dominique|D| Charpin|Denis|D|

Asthma
Air pollution
Epidemiology
Children
Prevalence
Allergy


Mutation of SH2B3 (LNK), a genome-wide association study candidate for hypertension, attenuates Dahl salt-sensitive hypertension via inflammatory modulation.

Abstract: Human genome-wide association studies have linked SH2B adaptor protein 3 (SH2B3, LNK) to hypertension and renal disease, although little experimental investigation has been performed to verify a role for SH2B3 in these pathologies. SH2B3, a member of the SH2B adaptor protein family, is an intracellular adaptor protein that functions as a negative regulator in many signaling pathways, including inflammatory signaling processes. To explore a mechanistic link between SH2B3 and hypertension, we targeted the SH2B3 gene for mutation on the Dahl salt-sensitive (SS) rat genetic background with zinc-finger nucleases. The resulting mutation was a 6-bp, in-frame deletion within a highly conserved region of the Src homology 2 (SH2) domain of SH2B3. This mutation significantly attenuated Dahl SS hypertension and renal disease. Also, infiltration of leukocytes into the kidneys, a key mediator of Dahl SS pathology, was significantly blunted in the Sh2b3(em1Mcwi) mutant rats. To determine whether this was because of differences in immune signaling, bone marrow transplant studies were performed in which Dahl SS and Sh2b3(em1Mcwi) mutants underwent total body irradiation and were then transplanted with Dahl SS or Sh2b3(em1Mcwi) mutant bone marrow. Rats that received Sh2b3(em1Mcwi) mutant bone marrow had a significant reduction in mean arterial pressure and kidney injury when placed on a high salt diet (4% NaCl). These data further support a role for the immune system as a modulator of disease severity in the pathogenesis of hypertension and provide insight into inflammatory mechanisms at play in human hypertension and renal disease.

Rudemiller|Nathan P|NP|
Lund|Hayley|H|
Priestley|Jessica R C|JR|
Endres|Bradley T|BT|
Prokop|Jeremy W|JW|
Jacob|Howard J|HJ|
Geurts|Aron M|AM|
Cohen|Eric P|EP|
Mattson|David L|DL|

D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing

D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

hypertension
rats
kidney
immune system
lymphocytes


RELL1, a novel oncogene, accelerates tumor progression and regulates immune infiltrates in glioma.

Abstract:
BACKGROUND
Diffuse gliomas are the most prevalent primary brain tumors. The Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases provide evidence of the relationships between gliomas and altered molecular pathways. In glioma pathogenesis, the microenvironment has emerged as a potential indicator of tumor progression.

METHODS
We investigated and confirmed the role of RELT-like 1 (RELL1) oncogene in glioblastoma and low-grade glioma by data mining large cohorts of TCGA and the CGGA. Correlations between immune cells and RELL1 were verified using the CIBERSORT algorithm.

RESULTS
Our analysis revealed that RELL1 expression was much higher in grade-dependent glioma patients with poor prognosis. Comparable prognostic values for isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) and RELL1 were observed during in-depth analyses of the integrated correlations. Moreover, RELL1 was found to be associated with numerous tumor-infiltrating immune cells in glioma-affected patients.

CONCLUSION
We conclude that RELL1 might serve as a potential therapeutic target or prognostic marker in glioblastoma and diffuse glioma cases.

Jin|Xiaohong|X| Xie|Huiwen|H| Liu|Xiaoman|X| Shen|Qiuyan|Q| Wang|Ziheng|Z| Hao|Haiyan|H| Gu|Yan|Y|

D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic


Evolving ethics, policy and reimbursement issues of vascularized composite allotransplantation: Symposium summary.

Abstract: In this article, we present a report from a national meeting titled, "Evolving Issues of Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation-A Symposium on Ethics, Policy, and Reimbursement Issues," which convened in September 2017. We discuss the maturation of vascularized composite allotransplantation from an emerging technology to becoming an extension of clinical practice for select patients with complex reconstructive needs. Viewpoints and action items were presented by and discussed among the 70+ clinicians, researchers, policymakers, ethicists, healthcare administrators, and third-party payers who attended the symposium with the goals of implementing a collaborative roadmap for vascularized composite allotransplantation growth, evaluation, and sustainability by establishing a unified plan to help address concerns of the public, policymakers, and healthcare finance. We review the current status of vascularized composite allotransplantation in clinical practice and summarize symposium discussions regarding ethical considerations, reimbursement, payer strategies, and standardization of data collection.

Rose|John|J|
Cooney|Carisa M|CM|
Kaufman|Christina|C|
Talbot|Simon G|SG|
Caplan|Arthur|A|
Kahn|Jeffrey|J|
Sugarman|Jeremy|J|
Shores|Jaimie T|JT|
Levin|L Scott|LS|
Brandacher|Gerald|G|
McDiarmid|Sue V|SV|
Lee|Wp Andrew|WA|
Dean|Wendy|W|


Toxicity assay of lanthanum and cerium in solutions and soil.

Abstract: Lanthanum (La) and cerium (Ce) are one of the most abundant rare earth elements (REEs). In spite of quite extensive studying of the effects of these lanthanides on biota, some contradictions remain in the results. Also little is known about the effect of lanthanum and cerium on plant cells and their mitotic cycle, especially in soils. In this study, the effects of La and Ce in solutions and soil samples on root growth, mitotic index (MI) and frequency of aberrant cells (FAC) were assayed using one of the most convenient objects for testing of cytotoxicity - onion Allium cepa L. Bulbs were germinated on media containing La and Ce in concentrations 0-200 mg/l and 0-50 mg/l respectively for solutions and 0-200 mg/kg for soil samples. After 5 days of germination in solutions, a significant decrease in root elongation and MI in apical meristem cells are shown. We have also observed an increase in the number of cells with aberrations at 50 mg/l La and Ce concentration. The number of observed stickiness and disturbed metaphase has increased significantly. Soil samples turned out to be less toxic compared to the solutions probably due to the decreased availability of REEs. In spite of this, significant cytotoxicity of soil samples containing the highest concentration of La and Ce (200 mg/kg) is observed. The latter may indicate the importance of considering the cytotoxicity of soils containing high lanthanides concentrations - in extraction and production areas and actively fertilized fields.

Kotelnikova|Anna|A|
Fastovets|Ilya|I|
Rogova|Olga|O|
Volkov|Dmitry S|DS|
Stolbova|Valeriya|V|

Rare earth elements
Lanthanides
Mitotic index
Cytotoxicity
Allium-test


Comparison of permeatal medial placement of graft without raising the tympano-meatal flaps to conventional methods of myringoplasty: An experience at tertiary care hospital in Pakistan.

Abstract:
OBJECTIVE
To compare the results of permeatal approach without raising the tympano-meatal flap to end-aural or post-aural approach in myringoplasty.

METHODS
This Quasi-experimental study was carried out in CMH (Combined Military Hospital) Peshawar, from August 2006 to July 2013. Three hundred fifty patients of chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) with dry central; small, medium and large perforations were selected. They were divided into two groups depending upon the type of approach. In Group-A (n-200); permeatal approach without raising tympano-meatal flap was used; while in Group-B (n-150) end-aural or post-aural approach was used. Subjects were followed up for two years; graft take was checked regularly by examinations of ear under microscope. Data was collected on structured Performa and analysed by SPSS-17.

RESULTS
Male and female were 74% and 26% respectively; Age ranged from 15 to 46 Years. There was no significant difference in the graft success at the end of two years in Group-A(80%) and Group-B(85%) (p-0.261). Type of approach had a significant impact on duration of surgery(p<0.001) and post-operative recovery time(p<0.001).

CONCLUSION
The permeatal approach and end-aural/post-aural approach had almost equal graft success rates, but former is more useful as it causes lesser morbidity, decreased post-operative hospital stay and reduced operative time. It is under-utilized and should be employed more frequently.

Niazi|Saleem Asif|SA|
Hassan|Zaheer Ul|ZU|
Atif|Khaula|K|
Ullah|Saeed|S|

Permeatal
Myringoplasty
End aural/Post aural


Floating rice-culture system for nutrient remediation and feed production in a eutrophic lake.

Abstract: The increased inputs of nutrients have been demonstrated to be a major contributing factor to the eutrophication of lakes and reservoirs which can lead to the production of harmful algal/cyanobacterial blooms and deleteriously affect the aesthetics of water-bodies. Floating plant-culture systems have been widely used for the ecological remediation of eutrophic water in a cost-effective manner. We investigated the applicability of Korean japonica rice variety 'Nampyeong' in a floating-culture system in a eutrophic lake for nutrient uptake and biomass production. Chemical and organic compound compositions were analyzed two times during the growth stages of the rice plant: 98 DAT (days after transplanting) and 165 DAT. Total nitrogen and phosphorus contributed around 1.36 and 0.15 (% dry weight), respectively, in rice plant components at 165 DAT. Crude protein, lipids, fiber and ash were 4.35, 1.91, 23.66 and 5.55 (% dry weight), respectively. In addition, microcystin levels in the rice plant components ranged from 0.0008 to 0.002 μg/g and did not exceed the recommended tolerable limits. These results suggested that the developed floating rice-culture system showed a good potential as a holistic management approach in terms of nutrient reduction, rice production for further use as feed and for bloom control.

Srivastava|Ankita|A| Chun|Seong-Jun|SJ| Ko|So-Ra|SR| Kim|Junhwan|J| Ahn|Chi-Yong|CY| Oh|Hee-Mock|HM|

Rice
Microcystin
Bloom control
Floating culture system
Phytoremediation


Osimertinib-resistant NSCLC cells activate ERBB2 and YAP/TAZ and are killed by neratinib.

Abstract: We performed additional mechanistic analyses to redefine neratinib biology and determined the mechanisms by which the multi-kinase inhibitor neratinib interacted with the thymidylate synthase inhibitor pemetrexed to kill NSCLC cells expressing either mutant KRAS (G12S; Q61H; G12A; G12C) or mutant NRAS (Q61K) or mutant ERBB1 (L858R; L858R T790M; exon 19 deletion). Neratinib rapidly reduced KRASG12V and RAC1G12V nanoclustering which was followed by KRASG12V, but not RAC1G12V, being extensively mislocalized away from the plasma membrane. This correlated with reduced levels of, and reorganized membrane localization of phosphatidylserine and cholesterol. Reduced nanoclustering was not associated with inactivation of ERBB1, Merlin or Ezrin. The drug combination killed cells expressing mutant KRAS, NRAS or mutant ERBB1 proteins. Afatinib or osimertinib resistant cells were killed with a similar efficacy to non-resistant cells. Compared to osimertinib-resistant cells, sensitive cells had less ERBB2 Y1248 phosphorylation. In osimertinib resistant H1975 cells, the drug combination was less capable of inactivating AKT, mTOR, STAT3, STAT5, ERK1/2 whereas it gained the ability to inactivate ERBB3. In resistant H1650 cells, the drug combination was less capable of inactivating JAK2 and STAT5. Sensitive cells exhibited elevated basal phosphorylation of YAP and TAZ. In resistant cells, portions of YAP and TAZ were localized in the nucleus. [Neratinib + pemetrexed] increased phosphorylation of YAP and TAZ, caused their nuclear exit, and enhanced ERBB2 degradation. Thus, neratinib targets an unidentified protein whose functional inhibition directly results in RAS inactivation and tumor cell killing. Our data prove that, albeit indirectly, oncogenic RAS proteins are druggable by neratinib.

Dent|Paul|P|
Booth|Laurence|L|
Poklepovic|Andrew|A|
Von Hoff|Daniel|D|
Martinez|Jennifer|J|
Zhou|Yong|Y|
Hancock|John F|JF|

D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins

D000091364:Transcriptional Coactivator with PDZ-Binding Motif Proteins


Acute Lethal Toxicity of Heavy Metals to the Seeds of Plants of High Importance to Humans.

Abstract: Laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the effects of highly toxic and dangerous metals (Pb, Cd, Hg) and essential microelements (Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn) on the seed germination process in vetch and eight plant species of major importance to human consumption. The degree of metal toxicity was determined on the basis of acute LC50 values calculated by means of two different methods. All the metals were found to inhibit the germination process, but in a varying, species-dependent degree. Of all the plant seeds under study, the most sensitive to the presence of the examined metals during germination were the seeds of cress (Cu, Pb, Hg), rye (Ni, Zn, Cd) and barley (Cr), while vetch (Cr, Ni, Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg), rape (Cr, Cu) and pea (Ni, Cd) were found to be least affected.

Heavy metals
Seed germination
LC50
Phytotoxicity
Toxicity test


Genome-wide association study of type 2 diabetes in Africa.

Abstract:
AIMS/HYPOTHESIS
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for type 2 diabetes have uncovered >400 risk loci, primarily in populations of European and Asian ancestry. Here, we aimed to discover additional type 2 diabetes risk loci (including African-specific variants) and fine-map association signals by performing genetic analysis in African populations.

METHODS
We conducted two type 2 diabetes genome-wide association studies in 4347 Africans from South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya and meta-analysed both studies together. Likely causal variants were identified using fine-mapping approaches.

RESULTS
The most significantly associated variants mapped to the widely replicated type 2 diabetes risk locus near TCF7L2 (p = 5.3 × 10-13). Fine-mapping of the TCF7L2 locus suggested one type 2 diabetes association signal shared between Europeans and Africans (indexed by rs7903146) and a distinct African-specific signal (indexed by rs17746147). We also detected one novel signal, rs73284431, near AGMO (p = 5.2 × 10-9, minor allele frequency [MAF] = 0.095; monomorphic in most non-African populations), distinct from previously reported signals in the region. In analyses focused on 100 published type 2 diabetes risk loci, we identified 21 with shared causal variants in African and non-African populations.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION
These results demonstrate the value of performing GWAS in Africans, provide a resource to larger consortia for further discovery and fine-mapping and indicate that additional large-scale efforts in Africa are warranted to gain further insight in to the genetic architecture of type 2 diabetes.

Chen|Ji|J|
Sun|Meng|M|
Adeyemo|Adebowale|A|
Pirie|Fraser|F|
Carstensen|Tommy|T|
Pomilla|Cristina|C|
Doumatey|Ayo P|AP|
Chen|Guanjie|G|
Young|Elizabeth H|EH|
Sandhu|Manjinder|M|
Morris|Andrew P|AP|
Barroso|Inês|I|
McCarthy|Mark I|MI|
Mahajan|Anubha|A|
Wheeler|Eleanor|E|
Rotimi|Charles N|CN|
Motala|Ayesha A|AA|

D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease

D058118:Transcription Factor 7-Like 2 Protein

Genome-wide association study
Type 2 diabetes
Africa
Fine-mapping
Established loci


Rapid ultrasound-assisted microextraction of atorvastatin in the sample of blood plasma by nickel metal organic modified with alumina nanoparticles.

Abstract: In the present work, nickel-1,4-benzenedioxyacetic acid was synthesized as a rod-like metal organic material and then modified with alumina nanoparticles to synthesize nickel metal organic modified-Al2 O3 nanoparticles. The material was found as an efficient sorbent for the enrichment of atorvastatin in human blood plasma. After the extraction of the sample of plasma by ultrasound-assisted dispersive solid phase extraction, high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet was used to determine the quantitatively pre-concentrated interest analyte. The conditions for optimum extraction were achieved by the optimization of the volume of eluent, dosage of the sorbent, and time of sonication. Solution pH of 7.0, 250 μL of ethanol, 45 mg of the sorbent, and 10 min of sonication time were the conditions for extracting the atorvastatin maximum recovery of higher than 97.0%. By using desirability function for the optimization of the process, the present method showed a response that was linear ranging from 0.2 to 800 ng/mL with regression coefficient of 0.999 in the plasma of human blood with a satisfactory detection limit of 0.05 ng/mL, while the precision of interday for the current method was found to be <5%. It can be concluded that dispersive solid phase extraction method is effective for the extraction of atorvastatin from human plasma samples (97.4-102%) due to its easy operation, simplicity, repeatability, and reliability.

D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid

atorvastatin
blood plasma
metal organic materials
enrichment
desirability function


Economic burden of inappropriate antibiotic use for prophylactic purpose in shiraz, iran.

Abstract:
BACKGROUND
Because economic data on the prophylactic usage of antibiotic in Iran are scant, we have conducted a cross-sectional study with provider perspective to measure costs and appropriate use of antibiotics in surgical wards of 6 training hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS), Iran.

METHODS
Over a six-month period 1,000 consecutive patients undergoing surgical operation were enrolled and information on prophylactic antibiotic administration was collected. The information included basic patient's demographic data, types of surgery, category of antibiotic, dosage, dosage intervals, route of administration, number of doses, initiation times and duration of administration. In order to determine the agreement between prescribed antibiotics and medical indication, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) guidelines were applied.

RESULTS
Nine hundred and ninety three out of 1,000 patients (99.3%) had received at least one antibiotic and 908 patients (91.4 %) received antibiotics because of a medical indication. Five out of 913 patients who had indications for antibiotic prophylaxis did not receive any antibiotic. Antibiotics were prescribed for 85 out of 87 (98%) procedures in which an antibiotic was not indicated. The average cost of antibiotic prescription per surgical procedure was 786,936 Iranian Rials (corresponding to 99.60 USD or €82.90). The most frequent prescribed antibiotic was cefazoline adding 53.3% of the total cost of antibiotics. In total, 36,516,190 Iranian Rials (corresponding to 4,622.95 USD or €3,845.20) were spent for cefazoline alone.

CONCLUSION
The results of this study showed that all surgical patients received at least one antibiotic as prophylaxis for any infection in the surgical site. Our results indicate over- and misuse of antibiotics in Iran leading to a great amount of economic burden, since in 98% of all procedures, antibiotics were used inappropriately.

Hatam|N|N|
Askarian|M|M|
Moravveji|A R|AR|
Assadian|O|O|

Economic Burden
Antibiotic
Iran
Prophylaxis


Acceptability of human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling among never- and under-screened Indigenous and other minority women: a randomised three-arm community trial in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Abstract:
Background
Internationally, self-sampling for human papillomavirus (HPV) has been shown to increase participation in cervical-cancer screening. In Aotearoa New Zealand, there are long-standing ethnic inequalities in cervical-cancer screening, incidence, and mortality, particularly for indigenous Māori women, as well as Pacific and Asian women.

Methods
We invited never- and markedly under-screened (≥5 years overdue) 30-69-year-old Māori, Pacific, and Asian women to participate in an open-label, three-arm, community-based, randomised controlled trial, with a nested sub-study. We aimed to assess whether two specific invitation methods for self-sampling improved screening participation over usual care among the least medically served populations. Women were individually randomised 3:3:1 to: clinic-based self-sampling (CLINIC - invited to take a self-sample at their usual general practice); home-based self-sampling (HOME - mailed a kit and invited to take a self-sample at home); and usual care (USUAL - invited to attend a clinic for collection of a standard cytology sample). Neither participants nor research staff could be blinded to the intervention. In a subset of general practices, women who did not participate within three months of invitation were opportunistically invited to take a self-sample, either next time they attended a clinic or by mail.

Findings
We randomised 3,553 women: 1,574 to CLINIC, 1,467 to HOME, and 512 to USUAL. Participation was highest in HOME (14.6% among Māori, 8.8% among Pacific, and 18.5% among Asian) with CLINIC (7.0%, 5.3% and 6.9%, respectively) and USUAL (2.0%, 1.7% and 4.5%, respectively) being lower. In fully adjusted models, participation was statistically significantly more likely in HOME than USUAL: Māori OR=9.7, (95%CI 3.0-31.5); Pacific OR=6.0 (1.8-19.5); and Asian OR=5.1 (2.4-10.9). There were no adverse outcomes reported. After three months, 2,780 non-responding women were invited to participate in a non-randomised, opportunistic, follow-on substudy. After 6 months,192 (6.9%) additional women had taken a self-sample.

Interpretation
Using recruitment methods that mimic usual practice, we provide critical evidence that self-sampling increases screening among the groups of women (never and under-screened) who experience the most barriers in Aotearoa New Zealand, although the absolute level of participation through this population approach was modest. Follow-up for most women was routine but a small proportion required intensive support.

Trial registration
ANZCTR Identifier: ACTRN12618000367246 (date registered 12/3/2018) https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=371741&isReview=true; UTN: U1111-1189-0531.

Funding
Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC 16/405).

Protocol
http://publichealth.massey.ac.nz/assets/Uploads/Study-protocol-V2.1Self-sampling-for-HPV-screening-a-community-trial.pdf.

Brewer|Naomi|N|
Bartholomew|Karen|K|
Grant|Jane|J|
Maxwell|Anna|A|
McPherson|Georgina|G|
Wihongi|Helen|H|
Bromhead|Collette|C|
Scott|Nina|N|
Crengle|Sue|S|
Foliaki|Sunia|S|
Cunningham|Chris|C|
Douwes|Jeroen|J|
Potter|John D|JD|

Self-sampling
Indigenous
minorities
Cervical screening
HPV DNA testing


Constitutive BRCA1 Promoter Hypermethylation Can Be a Predisposing Event in Isolated Early-Onset Breast Cancer.

Abstract: Early age at onset of breast cancer (eoBC) is suggestive of an increased genetic risk. Although genetic testing is offered to all eoBC-affected women, in isolated cases the detection rate of pathogenic variants is <10%. This study aimed at assessing the role of constitutive promoter methylation at BC-associated loci as an underlying predisposing event in women with eoBC and negative family history. Promoter methylation at 12 loci was assessed by the MassARRAY technology in blood from 154 BRCA1/2 negative patients with eoBC and negative family history, and 60 healthy controls. Hypermethylation was determined, within each promoter, by comparing the patient's mean methylation value with thresholds based on one-sided 95% bootstrap confidence interval of the controls' mean. Three patients had hypermethylated results, two at BRCA1 and one at RAD51C. Analyses on tumor tissue from the patient exceeding the highest threshold at BRCA1 revealed a mean methylation >60% and loss of heterozygosity at chromosome 17q. The patient hypermethylated at RAD51C showed low methylation in the tumor sample, ruling out a role for methylation-induced silencing in tumor development. In isolated eoBC patients, BRCA1 constitutive promoter methylation may be a predisposing event. Further studies are required to define the impact of methylation changes occurring at BC-predisposing genes and their role in tumorigenesis.

BRCA1
breast cancer
promoter methylation
epigenetics


One-step fabrication of hydrophilic MIL-68(Al)/Chitosan-coated melamine sponge for vortex-assisted solid-phase extraction of parabens in water samples.

Abstract: A novel vortex-assisted solid-phase extraction method based on MIL-68(Al)/Chitosan-melamine sponge column (or V-MIL-68(Al)/CS-SC-SPE) is presented in this paper. The MIL-68(Al)/Chitosan-sponge column was prepared by a simple infiltration method and a preparation process that does not consume organic solvents. Scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize the functionalized sponge columns, and the skeleton and pores of the melamine sponge were successfully modified with the coating material (MIL-68(Al) and chitosan). Chitosan was used successfully not only as an adsorption adjuvant material, but also as an adhesive in the preparation of MIL-68(Al)/CS coating sponge materials. The presented method was further combined with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and used in the determination of trace parabens (including methyl-, ethyl-, propyl- and butyl-parabens) in environmental water samples. Several important factors that affect the extraction performance were investigated. Under the optimum conditions, the method was successfully used to detect the four kinds of parabens in different water samples (domestic water, lake water and river water). The limits of detection ranged between 0.21 and 0.50 ng/mL, and the relative standard deviations for all parabens were below 10.8%.

Jiang|Yanxiao|Y| Zhang|Bo|B| Li|Jingkang|J| Sun|Ying|Y| Wang|Xinghua|X| Ma|Pinyi|P| Song|Daqian|D|

Melamine sponge
Vortex-assisted solid-phase extraction
Parabens
Water samples
MIL-68(Al)/chitosan-sponge column


Advances in the clinical management of type 2 diabetes: a brief history of the past 15 years and challenges for the future.

Abstract: Remarkable progress has been made in some aspects of diabetes care over the last 15 years, but there have also been a rising number of challenges that differ between high and low-income countries. In high-income countries, a substantial increase in the use of preventative drugs for cardiovascular disease has lowered vascular complications and improved diabetes survival. More recently, new classes of diabetes drugs have emerged that can variably lower cardiovascular outcomes, new-onset heart failure and slow renal decline, thereby meaningfully increasing the diabetes armoury that should help patients to live even longer lives and with fewer complications. At the other end of the disease spectrum, we can now better prevent diabetes in people who are at elevated risk of developing it, whereas other new research has shown that diabetes remission is possible when lifestyle changes are made in the early years after diagnosis. The downside is that more people than ever before have type 2 diabetes, so despite such progress in high-income countries, the absolute burden of disease is rising. Furthermore, it is rising even faster in low and middle-income countries, where rising adiposity is driving a tidal wave of new diabetes cases; yet, healthcare systems are less able to cope, lacking sufficient drugs, trained personnel and integrated care systems. Thus, despite advances, the future challenges from rising diabetes rates worldwide are daunting.

Prevention
Cardiovascular disease
Heart failure
Remission
Adiposity
Glycaemia
Prevalence
Risk factors


Comments on the Classification of Neotropical Scionini (Tabanidae) with a Description of a New Genus.

Abstract: The classification of the Tabanidae had remained stable over the last 60 years after Mackerras proposed a great revolution in the arrangement of the family. Recently, some new proposals based on molecular data have once again changed the classification of the family, mainly with a focus on the tribe Scionini. The present paper introduces a critical analysis based on the taxonomical view of the recent proposed classification of Scionini. Three genera are discussed: Lepmia Fairchild, Parosca Enderlein, and Pseudoscione Lutz. Lepmia atra (Philippi), L. grisea (Jaennicke), and L. leucothorax (Ricardo) are transferred to a new genus, Sixtomyiagen.n., based on its morphological differences from Lepmia. Other three species receive a new combination: Parosca subulipalpis (Enderlein) n. comb., Pseudoscione albifrons (Macquart) n. comb., Ps. hibernus (Wilkerson & Coscarón) n. comb. A key to species of Sixtomyia is provided and diagnostic characters are illustrated.

Krolow|T K|TK|
Henriques|A L|AL|
González|C R|CR|
Nihei|S S|SS|

morphology Sixtomyia Pangoniinae Taxonomy systematics


International trends in liver cancer incidence, overall and by histologic subtype, 1978-2007.

Abstract: Primary liver cancer, the most common histologic types of which are hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. While rising incidence of liver cancer in low-risk areas and decreasing incidence in some high-risk areas has been reported, trends have not been thoroughly explored by country or by histologic type. We examined liver cancer incidence overall and by histology by calendar time and birth cohort for selected countries between 1978 and 2007. For each successive 5-year period, age-standardized incidence rates were calculated from volumes V-IX of the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents electronic database (CI5plus) and the newly released CI5X (volume X) database. Wide global variations persist in liver cancer incidence. Rates of liver cancer remain highest in Asian countries, specifically Eastern and South-Eastern Asian countries. While rates in most of these high-risk countries have been decreasing in recent years, rates in India and several low-risk countries of Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania have been on the rise. Liver cancer rates by histologic type tend to convey a similar temporal profile. However, in Thailand, France, and Italy, ICC rates have increased while HCC rates have declined. We expect rates in high-risk countries to continue to decrease, as the population seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) continues to decline. In low-risk countries, targeted screening and treatment of the hepatitis C virus (HCV), treatment of diabetes and primary prevention of obesity, will be key in reducing future liver cancer incidence.

Petrick|Jessica L|JL|
Braunlin|Megan|M|
Laversanne|Mathieu|M|
Valery|Patricia C|PC|
Bray|Freddie|F|
McGlynn|Katherine A|KA|

international
trends
liver cancer
incidence


A cost effective model for appropriate administration of red cell units and salvaging un-transfused red cell units by using temperature sensitive indicators for blood component transportation in a hospital setting.

Abstract:
BACKGROUND
A rule called "30-min rule" defines that red cell unit cannot be used if it has been out of blood bank refrigerator for over 30 min. This rule is useful to guide initiation of transfusion, but is inadequate for deciding whether to reuse or discard units received-back at blood transfusion services (BTS). A simple cost-effective temperature-sensitive indicator was evaluated to decide upon reuse (cold chain was uninterrupted) or discard (where cold chain was interrupted) in a simulation exercise.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Temperature-sensitive indicators TH-F™ that irreversibly changed color from white to red demonstrated that heat excursion has occurred and the cumulative temperature has exceeded 10°C for over 30 min, were used in outdated red cells for simulating units, which are not used and received-back. These units were also tagged with a standard temperature monitoring device, which was a re-usable credit card sized device, which would log the actual time and temperature. In few units percent hemolysis was also calculated.

RESULTS
Statistically insignificant elevation in average temperature was noted in 102 simulated units at the time of return to BTS (Δ 0.04°C), despite the fact that these units were in the transport box for over 4 h. The average supernatant hemoglobin in these units was 0.24%, much below the prescribed threshold.

CONCLUSION
Transportation of blood in controlled conditions with temperature-sensitive indicator is a cost-effective model to save blood, a precious human resource.

Tiwari|Aseem K|AK|
Sharma|Pooja|P|
Pandey|Prashant K|PK|
Rawat|Ganesh S|GS|
Dixit|Surbhi|S|
Raina|Vimarsh|V|
Bhargava|Richa|R|

red cells
Blood transfusion services
temperature-sensitive indicators


Neural representations of imagined speech revealed by frequency-tagged magnetoencephalography responses.

Abstract: Speech mental imagery is a quasi-perceptual experience that occurs in the absence of real speech stimulation. How imagined speech with higher-order structures such as words, phrases and sentences is rapidly organized and internally constructed remains elusive. To address this issue, subjects were tasked with imagining and perceiving poems along with a sequence of reference sounds with a presentation rate of 4 Hz while magnetoencephalography (MEG) recording was conducted. Giving that a sentence in a traditional Chinese poem is five syllables, a sentential rhythm was generated at a distinctive frequency of 0.8 Hz. Using the frequency tagging we concurrently tracked the neural processing timescale to the top-down generation of rhythmic constructs embedded in speech mental imagery and the bottom-up sensory-driven activity that were precisely tagged at the sentence-level rate of 0.8 Hz and a stimulus-level rate of 4 Hz, respectively. We found similar neural responses induced by the internal construction of sentences from syllables with both imagined and perceived poems and further revealed shared and distinct cohorts of cortical areas corresponding to the sentence-level rhythm in imagery and perception. This study supports the view of a common mechanism between imagery and perception by illustrating the neural representations of higher-order rhythmic structures embedded in imagined and perceived speech.

Lu|Lingxi|L| Sheng|Jingwei|J| Liu|Zhaowei|Z| Gao|Jia-Hong|JH|

Speech mental imagery
MEG
Frequency tagging
Speech perception


Leukocyte adhesion defect-I: rare primary immune deficiency.

Abstract: Leukocyte adhesion defect I is a rare disorder (1:1,000,000) caused by diminished expression of CD-18 β2 integrins on leukocytes leading to abnormal adhesion, migration, and chemotaxis. Clinical manifestations include delayed separation of umbilical cord, omphalitis, recurrent severe infections, impaired wound healing, persistent oral ulcers, and severe periodontitis in primary and permanent dentition. A 5-year-old girl, second-born child to parents with consanguinity, presented with pain and mobility of lower teeth. There was history of recurrent infections and multiple hospital admissions with CD18 level-3% and frame shift mutation in ITGB2, on 21q22.3. There were scars on hands and feet. Oral examination revealed multiple missing teeth and periodontitis in primary dentition. Oral prophylaxis and palliative treatments were performed with periodic follow-ups. Interdisciplinary care is ubiquitous for patients with immune deficiencies. Early consultation with pediatric dentists and exploration of medical history is essential for diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases.

Tewari|Nitesh|N|
Mathur|Vijay Prakash|VP|
Yadav|Vikender Singh|VS|
Chaudhari|Prabhat|P|

rare disorders
immunodeficiencies
quality of life


Additive Effect of Oral Steroid with Topical Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug for Preventing Cystoid Macular Edema after Cataract Surgery in Patients with Epiretinal Membrane.

Abstract:
PURPOSE
To investigate the additive effect of oral steroid with topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) on cystoid macular edema (CME) in patients with epiretinal membrane (ERM) after cataract surgery.

METHODS
Medical records of subjects who underwent uneventful cataract surgery (n = 1,349) were retrospectively reviewed; among these patients, those with pre-existing ERM (n = 81) were included. Patients were divided into two groups: one group had postoperative administration of oral steroid for 1 week (n = 45) and the other group did not have oral steroid administration (n = 36). Changes in macular thickness and incidence of CME were compared in both groups. Topical NSAIDs were administered in both groups for 1 month postoperatively. Definite CME and probable CME were defined by changes in retinal contour with or without cystoid changes. Change in central macular thickness of more than three standard deviations (≥90.17 μm) was defined as possible CME. Macular thickness was measured at 1 month after the operation by optical coherence tomography.

RESULTS
The incidence of definite, probable, and possible CME were 2.22%, 4.44%, and 8.89% with the use of steroid and 2.78%, 5.56%, and 8.33% without steroid, respectively (p = 0.694, p = 0.603, and p = 0.625), and regardless of treatment group, the incidences in these patients were higher compared to incidences in whole subjects (1.26%, 2.30%, and 4.32%; p = 0.048, p = 0.032, and p = 0.038, respectively). The differences in macular thickness were not statistically different between the two groups. Average changes of central foveal thickness in 3 mm and 6 mm zone were 29.29 μm, 35.93 μm, and 38.02 μm with the use of steroid and 32.25 μm, 44.08 μm, and 45.39 μm without steroid (p = 0.747, p = 0.148, and p = 0.077, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that administration of oral steroid may not have a synergistic effect in reduction of CME and retinal thickness in patients with pre-existing ERM after cataract surgery, when topical NSAIDs are applied.

Kim|Seonghwan|S|
Kim|Mee Kum|MK|
Wee|Won Ryang|WR|

Oral steroid
Macular edema
Cataract
Epiretinal membrane


Position, Orientation and Velocity Detection of Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) Using an Optical Detector Array.

Abstract: This paper presents a proof-of-concept optical detector array sensor system to be used in Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) navigation. The performance of the developed optical detector array was evaluated for its capability to estimate the position, orientation and forward velocity of UUVs with respect to a light source fixed in underwater. The evaluations were conducted through Monte Carlo simulations and empirical tests under a variety of motion configurations. Monte Carlo simulations also evaluated the system total propagated uncertainty (TPU) by taking into account variations in the water column turbidity, temperature and hardware noise that may degrade the system performance. Empirical tests were conducted to estimate UUV position and velocity during its navigation to a light beacon. Monte Carlo simulation and empirical results support the use of the detector array system for optics based position feedback for UUV positioning applications.

Eren|Firat|F|
Pe'eri|Shachak|S|
Thein|May-Win|MW|
Rzhanov|Yuri|Y|
Celikkol|Barbaros|B|
Swift|M Robinson|MR|

Unmanned Underwater Vehicles
optical detector array
optical communication
pose detection


Jan Evangelista Purkinje: A Passion for Discovery.

Abstract: December 2017 was the 230th anniversary of Jan Evangelista Purkinje's birth, which prompted us to review the life of this remarkable man who established the world's first department of physiology in Wroclaw and whose name is immortalized in the cardiologic eponym, Purkinje fibers. This paper offers an overview of Purkinje's life, legacy, and numerous scientific discoveries.

D035843:Biomedical Research
D002309:Cardiology
D018153:Czech Republic
D049671:History, 18th Century
D049672:History, 19th Century
D010827:Physiology

Purkinje fibers
Cardiology/history
Czech Republic
Poland
Purkinje JE
historical article
history, 19th century
physiology/history


Similarities and Differences of Blood N-Glycoproteins in Five Solid Carcinomas at Localized Clinical Stage Analyzed by SWATH-MS.

Abstract: Cancer is mostly incurable when diagnosed at a metastatic stage, making its early detection via blood proteins of immense clinical interest. Proteomic changes in tumor tissue may lead to changes detectable in the protein composition of circulating blood plasma. Using a proteomic workflow combining N-glycosite enrichment and SWATH mass spectrometry, we generate a data resource of 284 blood samples derived from patients with different types of localized-stage carcinomas and from matched controls. We observe whether the changes in the patient's plasma are specific to a particular carcinoma or represent a generic signature of proteins modified uniformly in a common, systemic response to many cancers. A quantitative comparison of the resulting N-glycosite profiles discovers that proteins related to blood platelets are common to several cancers (e.g., THBS1), whereas others are highly cancer-type specific. Available proteomics data, including a SWATH library to study N-glycoproteins, will facilitate follow-up biomarker research into early cancer detection.

Sajic|Tatjana|T|
Liu|Yansheng|Y|
Arvaniti|Eirini|E|
Surinova|Silvia|S|
Williams|Evan G|EG|
Schiess|Ralph|R|
Hüttenhain|Ruth|R|
Sethi|Atul|A|
Pan|Sheng|S|
Brentnall|Teresa A|TA|
Chen|Ru|R|
Blattmann|Peter|P|
Friedrich|Betty|B|
Niméus|Emma|E|
Malander|Susanne|S|
Omlin|Aurelius|A|
Gillessen|Silke|S|
Claassen|Manfred|M|
Aebersold|Ruedi|R|

blood
carcinoma
SWATH-mass spectrometry
glycoproteins
human clinical study
localized cancer
secreted


Carbon dioxide angiography during peripheral angioplasty procedures significantly reduces the risk of contrast-induced nephropathy in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Abstract:
BACKGROUND
Iodinated contrast media are amongst the most frequently prescribed medications, however, their use is not without complications. With contrast-induced nephropathy constituting a major concern, alternative non-iodine based approaches have been explored such as carbon dioxide angiography. The purpose of this study is to report the incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy following carbon dioxide angiography in patients with impaired renal function that underwent peripheral angioplasty compared with a historical cohort of patients that underwent angioplasty with use of solely iodine contrast medium. The historical cohort of patients treated with iodinated contrast was used as control. Baseline demographics and renal function tests were recorded. Primary outcome was incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy within 48-72 h post intervention. Receiver-Operating-Characteristic curve analysis was used to correlate the volume of iodinated contrast with the risk of contrast-induced nephropathy.

RESULTS
Carbon Dioxide was used as an alternative to iodinated contrast media in patients with impaired renal function (eGFR<60mls/min/1.73 m2) undergoing peripheral angioplasty procedures. Fifty, consecutive patients (baseline eGFR = 38.6 ± 13.2mls/min/1.73 m2) were included in a prospective clinical audit. These were matched (1:2) with a historical cohort of patients (baseline eGFR = 43.3 ± 12.2mls/min/1.73 m2) treated with Iodinated contrast media. The incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy was 14% (n = 7/50) in case of carbon dioxide vs. 29% (n = 29/100) in the matched cohort group (p = 0.045). Receiver-Operating-Characteristic analysis showed that use of >25mls of contrast was 94.4% (95% CI:81-99%) sensitive in predicting contrast-induced nephropathy.

CONCLUSION
Carbon dioxide imaging during peripheral angioplasty procedures protects against contrast-induced nephropathy. Use of >25mls of iodinated contrast media in high-risk patients is a predictor of contrast-induced nephropathy.

Diamantopoulos|Athanasios|A| Patrone|Lorenzo|L| Santonocito|Serafino|S| Theodoulou|Iakovos|I| Ilyas|Shazhad|S| Dourado|Renato|R| Game|David|D| Karunanithy|Narayan|N| Patel|Sanjay|S| Zayed|Hany|H| Katsanos|Konstantinos|K|

Carbon dioxide
Angioplasty
Contrast media
Acute kidney injury
Contrast induced nephropathy
Endovascular procedures


Proteomic study of the microdissected aortic media in human thoracic aortic aneurysms.

Abstract: Aortic aneurysm is a complex multifactorial disease, and its molecular mechanism is not understood. In thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA), the expansion of the aortic wall is lead by extracellular matrix (ECM) degeneration in the medial layer, which leads to weakening of the aortic wall. This dilatation may end in rupture and-if untreated-death. The aortic media is composed of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and proteins involved in aortic elasticity and distensibility. Delineating their functional and quantitative decrease is critical in elucidating the disease causing mechanisms as well as the development of new preventive therapies. Laser microdissection (LMD) is an advanced technology that enables the isolation of the desired portion of tissue or cells for proteomics analysis, while preserving their integrity. In our study, the aortic media layers of 36 TAA patients and 8 controls were dissected using LMD technology. The proteins isolated from these tissue samples were subjected to comparative proteomic analysis by nano-LC-MS/MS, which enabled the identification of 352 proteins in aortic media. Among these, 41 proteins were differentially expressed in the TAA group with respect to control group, and all were downregulated in the patients. Of these medial proteins, 25 are novel, and their association with TAA is reported for the first time in our study. Subsequent analysis of the data by ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) shows that the majority of differentially expressed proteins were found to be cytoskeletal-associated proteins and components of the ECM which are critical in maintaining aortic integrity. Our results indicate that the protein expression profile in the aortic media from TAA patients differs significantly from controls. Further analysis of the mechanism points to markers of pathological ECM remodeling, which, in turn, affect VSMC cytosolic structure and architecture. In the future, the detailed investigation of the differentially expressed proteins may provide insight into the elucidation of the pathological processes underlying aneurysms.

Serhatli|Muge|M|
Baysal|Kemal|K|
Acilan|Ceyda|C|
Tuncer|Eylem|E|
Bekpinar|Seldag|S|
Baykal|Ahmet Tarik|AT|

thoracic aortic aneurysm
vascular smooth muscle
protein expression
label-free proteomics
laser capture microdissection


Characteristic visuomotor influences on eye-movement patterns to faces and other high level stimuli.

Abstract: Eye-movement patterns are often utilized in studies of visual perception as indices of the specific information extracted to efficiently process a given stimulus during a given task. Our prior work, however, revealed that not only the stimulus and task influence eye-movements, but that visuomotor (start position) factors also robustly and characteristically influence eye-movement patterns to faces (Arizpe et al., 2012). Here we manipulated lateral starting side and distance from the midline of face and line-symmetrical control (butterfly) stimuli in order to further investigate the nature and generality of such visuomotor influences. First we found that increasing starting distance from midline (4°, 8°, 12°, and 16° visual angle) strongly and proportionately increased the distance of the first ordinal fixation from midline. We did not find influences of starting distance on subsequent fixations, however, suggesting that eye-movement plans are not strongly affected by starting distance following an initial orienting fixation. Further, we replicated our prior effect of starting side (left, right) to induce a spatially contralateral tendency of fixations after the first ordinal fixation. However, we also established that these visuomotor influences did not depend upon the predictability of the location of the upcoming stimulus, and were present not only for face stimuli but also for our control stimulus category (butterflies). We found a correspondence in overall left-lateralized fixation tendency between faces and butterflies. Finally, for faces, we found a relationship between left starting side (right sided fixation pattern tendency) and increased recognition performance, which likely reflects a cortical right hemisphere (left visual hemifield) advantage for face perception. These results further indicate the importance of considering and controlling for visuomotor influences in the design, analysis, and interpretation of eye-movement studies.

Arizpe|Joseph M|JM|
Walsh|Vincent|V|
Baker|Chris I|CI|

visual perception
distance effect
eye movements
face recognition
gaze control
object recognition
visual fields
visuomotor control


Negotiating Novelty: Constructing the Novel within Scientific Accounts of Epigenetics.

Abstract: Epigenetics is regarded by many as a compelling domain of biomedicine. The purported novelty of epigenetics has begun to have various societal ramifications, particularly in relation to processes of responsibilisation. Within sociology, it has stimulated hopeful debate about conceptual rapprochements between the biomedical and social sciences. This article is concerned with how novelty is socially produced and negotiated. The article engages directly with scientists' talk and writings about epigenetics (as process and field of study). I aim to advance an explicitly sociological analysis about the novelty of epigenetics that underscores its social production rather than an account which participates in its reification. I attend to definitional skirmishes, comparisons with genetics, excitement and intrigue, and considerations of the ethical dimensions of epigenetics. Any assertions that epigenetics is exciting or important should not inadvertently elide reflexive consideration of how such characterisations might be part of the machinery by which they become real.


Molecular profiling of nematode associates with Rhynchophorus ferrugineus in southern Italy.

Abstract: A survey of nematodes associated with the red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus was conducted in southern Italy in 2015 and 2016 in order to create a species inventory and obtain data about nematode biodiversity. A total of 70 insect samples (pupae and adults) were collected from infested Phoenix canariensis, Phoenix dactylifera, and Chamaerops humilis palms in three Italian Regions: sampling took place at 11 locations in Apulia, 1 in Basilicata, and 1 in Sardinia regions. Individual insects were dissected to determine nematode presence, and different nematode species were also recovered from red palm weevil cocoons collected at the sites in Apulia. Individual nematodes were molecularly identified by sequencing the ITS, D2-D3 expansion domains of the 28SrRNA gene and the mitochondrial COI and inferring the phylogenetic relationships. The insect-associated nematofauna identified belonged to the families Rhabditidae, Cephalobidae, and Diplogastridae. Just two nematode species, Teratorhabditis synpapillata and Mononchoides macrospiculum, were always found in association with adult insects and cocoons taken from all sampling sites. This paper reports on the biodiversity of the nematodes associated with R. ferrugineus and on current knowledge of the specific habitat of specialized and divergent entomophilic nematodes.

red palm weevil
molecular biodiversity
nematode fauna
reverse taxonomy


Altered speech-related cortical network in frontotemporal dementia.

Abstract:
BACKGROUND
In healthy subjects (HS), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) demonstrated an increase in motor-evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes during specific linguistic tasks. This finding indicates functional connections between speech-related cortical areas and the dominant primary motor cortex (M1).

OBJECTIVE
To investigate M1 function with TMS and the speech-related cortical network with neuroimaging measures in frontotemporal dementia (FTD), including the non-fluent variant of primary progressive aphasia (nfv-PPA) and the behavioral variant of FTD (bv-FTD).

METHODS
M1 excitability changes during specific linguistc tasks were examined using TMS in 24 patients (15 with nfv-PPA and 9 with bv-FTD) and in 18 age-matched HS. In the same patients neuroimaging was used to assess changes in specific white matter (WM) bundles and grey matter (GM) regions involved in language processing, with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and voxel-based morphometry (VBM).

RESULTS
During the linguistic task, M1 excitability increased in HS, whereas in FTD patients it did not. M1 excitability changes were comparable in nfv-PPA and bv-FTD. DTI revealed decreased fractional anisotropy in the superior and inferior longitudinal and uncinate fasciculi. Moreover, VBM disclosed GM volume loss in the left frontal operculum though not in the parietal operculum or precentral gyrus. Furthermore, WM and GM changes were comparable in nfv-PPA and bv-FTD. There was no correlation between neurophysiological and neuroimaging changes in FTD. Atrophy in the left frontal operculum correlated with linguistic dysfunction, assessed by semantic and phonemic fluency tests.

CONCLUSION
We provide converging neurophysiological and neuroimaging evidence of abnormal speech-related cortical network activation in FTD.

Suppa|Antonio|A|
Fabbrini|Andrea|A|
Guerra|Andrea|A|
Petsas|Nikolaos|N|
Asci|Francesco|F|
Di Stasio|Flavio|F|
Trebbastoni|Alessandro|A|
Vasselli|Federica|F|
De Lena|Carlo|C|
Pantano|Patrizia|P|
Berardelli|Alfredo|A|

Frontotemporal dementia
TMS
Motor cortex
Aphasia
MRI


A (2)H magic-angle spinning solid-state NMR characterisation of lipid membranes in intact bacteria.

Abstract: This work proposes a new approach to characterize cell membranes in intact cells by (2)H solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in only a few hours using magic-angle spinning (MAS) and spectral moment analysis. The method was first validated on model dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) membranes, allowing the detection of lipid fluctuations below the main transition temperature. Then the lipid dynamics in Escherichia coli membranes was compared in bacteria grown under different diets. More specifically, deuterated palmitic acid was used to isotopically label the phospholipid acyl chains in bacteria membranes, with or without the presence of protonated oleic acid. Our results showed improved lipid fluidity when bacteria were grown in the presence of oleic acid, which helps preserving the natural fatty acid profile in E. coli membranes. The MAS (2)H solid-state NMR study of membranes combined with spectral moment analysis showed to be a fast method compatible with in vivo bacterial studies, and should also be applicable to other micro-organisms to obtain molecular information on living cells by solid-state NMR.

Warnet|Xavier L|XL|
Laadhari|Marwa|M|
Arnold|Alexandre A|AA|
Marcotte|Isabelle|I|
Warschawski|Dror E|DE|

In cell solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance


New Diglyme-based Gel Polymer Electrolytes for Na-based Energy Storage Devices.

Abstract: This work presents for the first time a new diglyme-based gel polymer (DOBn-GPE) suitable for Na-based energy storage devices. The DOBn-GPE, which contains a methacrylate-based polymer, exhibited an excellent high ionic conductivity (2.3 mS cm-1 at 20 °C), broad electrochemical stability (>5.0 V), and high mechanical stability. DOBn-GPE could be successfully used for the realization of Na-ion capacitors, sodium-metal batteries, and sodium-ion batteries, displaying performance comparable with those of systems containing liquid electrolytes at room temperature and at 60 °C. The results of these investigation indicated that the development of diglyme-based gel polymer electrolytes represents a promising strategy for the realization of advanced Na-based energy storage devices.

Babu|Binson|B|
Enke|Marcel|M|
Prykhodska|Sofiia|S|
Lex-Balducci|Alexandra|A|
Schubert|Ulrich S|US|
Balducci|Andrea|A|

batteries
diglyme
gel-polymer electrolytes
sodium
supercapacitors


MiR-143 Inhibits Osteoclastogenesis by Targeting RANK and NF-κB and MAPK Signaling Pathways.

Abstract:
OBJECTIVE
To explore the effect of miRNA-143 on osteoclast formation and provide new ideas for the treatment of osteoporosis.

METHODS
Mice macrophage lines RAW264.7 cells after transfection were divided into four groups: control group, RANKL group, RANKL combined with miR-143 mimics group and RANKL combined with miR-NC group. TARCP staining was used to observe the effect of miR-143 on osteoclast formation. The expression of RANK, TRAF6 and NFATc-1 in the upstream of RANKL pathway was detected by real-time quantitative PCR (RT qPCR) and Western blotting (WB). The binding of miR-143 to TNFRSF11A was detected by double Luciferase Reporter Analysis. The effect of miR-143 on the expression of NF-κB (p65, I-κB-α) signal pathway in osteoclasts was detected. The effects of I-BET151 on the expression of osteoclast-specific genes TRACP, MMP 9, CtsK and c-Src were detected.

RESULTS
The positive level of osteoclasts in RANKL group and RANKL combined with miR-NC group was significantly higher than that of RANKL combined with miR-143 mimics group and control group (P < 0.05). The expression levels of RANK, TRAF6, NFATc-1, TRACP, MMP-9, CtsK and c-Src in RANKL group and RANKL combined with miR-NC group were significantly higher than those of RANKL combined with miR-143 mimics group and control group (P < 0.05). The expression levels of I-κB-α were significantly lower than that of RANKL combined with miR-143 mimics group and control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION
MiR-143 can inhibit the expression of RANK, TRAF6 and downstream NFATc-1 in the RANKL pathway, thereby inhibiting the RANK/RANKL pathway. MiR-143 can inhibit the signal pathway of NF-κB (p65, I-κB-α). MiR-143 inhibits the expression of osteoclast-specific genes TRACP, MMP 9, CtsK and c-Src. That is to say, miR-143 inhibits osteoclast formation by targeting RANK, NF- κB and MAPK signaling pathways.

He|Xianfeng|X| Zhu|Limei|L| An|Lin|L| Zhang|Jingwei|J|

D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B

D048029:TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 6

MiR-143 osteoclastogenesis RANK NF-κB MAPK TRAF6 RANK/RANKL


Assessment of a simple and replicable procedure for selective phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge ashes by wet chemical extraction and precipitation.

Abstract: The selective phosphorus recovery by wet chemical extraction and precipitation was assessed at the laboratory scale aiming at identifying a simple and replicable procedure that could be effectively applied to different types of sewage sludge ashes. The experimental work was performed on five samples of sewage sludge ashes, of which three were obtained from muffle-furnace incineration and two from full-scale mono-incineration plants. A single-step extraction procedure has been investigated by applying different operating conditions (type of leaching acid, liquid-to-solid ratio, contact time). Experimental results indicated that phosphorus recovery efficiency varied between 54 and 92% with limited co-dissolution of metals and metalloids, except for arsenic. Operating conditions, sewage sludge ashes characteristics and phosphorus removal processes in the wastewater treatment plant were the main factors affecting phosphorus recovery efficiency. The application of optimal operating conditions (0.2 M sulfuric acid, liquid-to-solid ratio of 20 and contact time of 2 h) resulted in phosphorus recovery from 76 to 92% on four samples. Subsequently, precipitation of phosphorus from acidic leachate was carried out by lime dosing. After filtering and drying, the recovered products presented a P2O5 content between 11.5 and 36.7% dry weight, with a fraction of soluble phosphorus between 75 and 91%, a good percentage for application as fertilizer or animal feed. Since few undesired elements (i.e., As, Cu and Zn) exceeded the limits for fertilizer application (exception was represented by Ni and Pb, which were present at low concentration), an additional purification step may be required. Overall, experimental results highlighted the influence of process parameters on phosphorus recovery.

Boniardi|Gaia|G| Turolla|Andrea|A| Fiameni|Laura|L| Gelmi|Enrico|E| Malpei|Francesca|F| Bontempi|Elza|E| Canziani|Roberto|R|

Wet chemical extraction and precipitation


Racial/Ethnic Differences in Glycemic Control in Older Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: United States 2003-2014.

Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine whether racial differences in HbA1c persist in older adults (≥65 years) living with type 2 diabetes. Data from The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2014 were used to examine the association between HbA1c and older adults (≥65 years) over time. Compared to non-Hispanic Whites, Mexican Americans had the greatest difference in average HbA1c among minority groups, followed by those with unspecified/mixed ethnicities and non-Hispanic Blacks. In the adjusted linear model, racial minorities had a statistically significant relationship with HbA1c. There was no relationship between HbA1c and older age and insulin use. Trends in mean HbA1c over time increased for non-Hispanic Blacks and Mexican Americans and decreased for non-Hispanic Whites. The findings suggest that racial differences in HbA1c persist into older age and compared to non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks and Mexican Americans are at an increased risk of morbidity, mortality, and disability due to high HbA1c. Furthermore, alternate measures of glycemic control may be needed to screen and manage T2DM in racial minorities.

glycemic control
older adults
diabetes
NHANES
race/ethnicity


Body mass index trajectory throughout adolescence: a comparison of maltreated adolescents by maltreatment type to a community sample.

Abstract:
BACKGROUND
Childhood maltreatment is associated with adult obesity, but there is conflicting evidence regarding the relationship between childhood maltreatment and obesity during adolescence.

OBJECTIVES
To compare the body mass index (BMI) trajectory of adolescents with a specific type of maltreatment (sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse or neglect) to adolescents with another type of maltreatment (maltreated sample n = 303) and to a comparison group (n = 151).

METHODS
Individual growth models were used to estimate average growth trajectories of BMI percentile separately by sex (ages 9 to 22 years). Unconditional and conditional linear and quadratic growth models were estimated and maltreatment types were added before including covariates (ethnicity, anxiety, depression and pubertal stage).

RESULTS
BMI growth trajectories of sexually abused girls and neglected girls were significantly different from comparison girls. Comparison girls had a growth trajectory that reached its apex at 15 years and then began to decline, whereas sexually abused girls and neglected girls had lower BMI than comparison girls until age 16-17 years when their BMI was higher than comparison girls.

CONCLUSIONS
Late adolescence appears to be the developmental period during which differences in BMI percentiles become pronounced between girls with sexual abuse or with neglect vs. comparison girls.

Schneiderman|J U|JU|
Negriff|S|S|
Peckins|M|M|
Mennen|F E|FE|
Trickett|P K|PK|

Body mass index trajectory
sexual abuse
neglect
female adolescents


Surgical Embolectomy for Acute Pulmonary Thromboembolism.

Abstract: Acute pulmonary thromboembolism is a catastrophic event, especially for hospitalized patients. The prognosis of pulmonary thromboembolism depends on the degree of pulmonary arterial occlusion. The mortality of massive pulmonary embolism is reportedly as high as 25% without cardiopulmonary arrest and 65% with cardiopulmonary arrest. In patients with unstable hemodynamics due to pulmonary thromboembolism, surgical pulmonary embolectomy is indicated for patients with a contraindication to thrombolysis, failed catheter therapy, or failed thrombolysis. Thrombolytic therapy adds an additional burden on patients who are at risk of potential hemorrhagic complications. It is also indicated if patients are already on a veno-arterial extra-corporate membrane oxygenator for circulatory collapse or cardiopulmonary arrest. The outcome for patients who require cardiopulmonary resuscitation for longer than 30 minutes is poor. Therefore, early triage for massive and sub-massive pulmonary embolism is crucial. A team approach including a cardiovascular surgeon may be effective to save critically ill patients. Prompt removal of emboli reduces the right ventricular load with quick recovery of cardiopulmonary function in the early postoperative period. A recent series reported excellent results, with in-hospital mortality of less than 10%. Surgical pulmonary embolectomy is an effective, safe, and easy procedure to save critical patients due to pulmonary thromboembolism.

pulmonary embolism
pulmonary embolectomy
ECMO
portable cardiopulmonary bypass
venous thromboembolism


Phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate and phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate regulate phagolysosome biogenesis.

Abstract: Professional phagocytic cells ingest microbial intruders by engulfing them into phagosomes, which subsequently mature into microbicidal phagolysosomes. Phagosome maturation requires sequential fusion of the phagosome with early endosomes, late endosomes, and lysosomes. Although various phosphoinositides (PIPs) have been detected on phagosomes, it remained unclear which PIPs actually govern phagosome maturation. Here, we analyzed the involvement of PIPs in fusion of phagosomes with various endocytic compartments and identified phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate [PI(4)P], phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate [PI(3)P], and the lipid kinases that generate these PIPs, as mediators of phagosome-lysosome fusion. Phagosome-early endosome fusion required PI(3)P, yet did not depend on PI(4)P. Thus, PI(3)P regulates phagosome maturation at early and late stages, whereas PI(4)P is selectively required late in the pathway.

Jeschke|Andreas|A|
Zehethofer|Nicole|N|
Lindner|Buko|B|
Krupp|Jessica|J|
Schwudke|Dominik|D|
Haneburger|Ina|I|
Jovic|Marko|M|
Backer|Jonathan M|JM|
Balla|Tamas|T|
Hilbi|Hubert|H|
Haas|Albert|A|

phagosome
lysosome
phosphoinositides
Legionella pneumophila
cell-free membrane fusion


Theoretical Investigations on the Reactivity of Methylidyne Radical toward 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin: A DFT and Molecular Dynamics Study.

Abstract: To explore the potential reactivity of the methylidyne radical (CH) toward 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), the reaction mechanism between them has been systematically investigated employing the density functional theory (DFT) and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. The relevant thermodynamic and kinetic parameters in the possible reaction pathways have been discussed as well as the IR spectra and hyperfine coupling constants (hfcc's) of the major products. Different from the reaction of the CH radical with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran, CH radical can attack all the C-C bonds of TCDD to form an initial intermediate barrierlessly via the cycloaddition mechanism. After then, the introduced C-H bond can be further inserted into the C-C bond of TCDD, resulting in the formation of a seven-membered ring structure. The whole reactions are favorable thermodynamically and kinetically. Moreover, the major products have been verified by ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. The distinct IR spectra and hyperfine coupling constants of the major products can provide some help for their experimental detection and identification. In addition, the reactivity of the CH radical toward the F- and Br-substituted TCDDs has also been investigated. Hopefully, the present findings can provide new insights into the reactivity of the CH radical in the transformation of TCDD-like dioxins.

Wang|Weihua|W| Feng|Wenling|W| Wang|Wenliang|W| Li|Ping|P|

methylidyne radical
2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin
reaction mechanisms
theoretical calculations


Identification of a Yarrowia lipolytica acetamidase and its use as a yeast genetic marker.

Abstract:
BACKGROUND
Yarrowia lipolytica is an oleaginous yeast that can be genetically engineered to produce lipid and non-lipid biochemicals from a variety of feedstocks. Metabolic engineering of this organism usually requires genetic markers in order to select for modified cells. The potential to combine multiple genetic manipulations depends on the availability of multiple or recyclable selectable markers.

RESULTS
We found that Y. lipolytica has the ability to utilize acetamide as the sole nitrogen source suggesting that the genome contains an acetamidase gene. Two potential Y. lipolytica acetamidase gene candidates were identified by homology to the A. nidulans acetamidase amdS. These genes were deleted in the wild-type Y. lipolytica strain YB-392, and deletion strains were evaluated for acetamide utilization. One deletion strain was unable to grow on acetamide and a putative acetamidase gene YlAMD1 was identified. Transformation of YlAMD1 followed by selection on acetamide media and counterselection on fluoroacetamide media showed that YlAMD1 can be used as a recyclable genetic marker in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Ylamd1Δ Y. lipolytica.

CONCLUSIONS
These findings add to our understanding of Y. lipolytica nitrogen utilization and expand the set of genetic tools available for engineering this organism, as well as S. cerevisiae.

Yarrowia lipolytica
Acetamidase
Acetamide
Fluoroacetamide
Counterselectable marker
Dominant marker
Marker recycling
Marker removal


The prevalence of anconeus epitrochlearis muscle and Osborne's ligament in cubital tunnel syndrome patients and healthy individuals: An anatomical study with meta-analysis.

Abstract:
BACKGROUND
Anconeus epitrochlaeris muscle and Osborne's ligament are anatomical variants that are occasionally found at the cubital tunnel of the elbow. In certain individuals, these two structures may compress the ulnar nerve resulting in a cubital tunnel syndrome. Although these variants have been reported extensively, its prevalence is still unclear and its contribution to cubital tunnel syndrome is debatable. The aim of this study is to generate weighted frequency values of the anconeus epitrochlearis and Osborne's ligament, as well as to identify any association of these two structures with gender, side, ethnicity and the development of cubital tunnel syndrome.

METHODS
An anatomical study and a meta-analysis were performed to more accurately study the prevalence of anconeus epitrochlearis and Osborne's ligament. A total of 40 original studies including the present study met the inclusion criteria for meta-analysis and 6 case reports for descriptive analysis.

RESULTS
Crude pooled prevalence estimate of the anconeus epitrochlearis was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in healthy subjects (14.2%) than in subjects diagnosed with cubital tunnel syndrome (4.5%). No significant difference was found for gender, side or laterality. The anconeus epitrochlearis was significantly more common in Europeans populations (18.2%) when compared with North American (6.8%) (p = 0.012) and Asian populations (7.5%) (p < 0.001). Anconeus epitrochlearis had a tendency to be hypertrophied when associated with cubital tunnel syndrome. The definition of Osborne's ligament is unclear, resulting in inconsistent reported prevalence across studies.

CONCLUSION
The present study provides a more accurate estimate of anconeus epitrochlearis across the populations. There was a negative correlation between the presence of anconeus epitrochlearis and the development cubital tunnel syndrome, supporting the idea that the muscle may be protective against cubital tunnel syndrome. Future studies are needed to give proper definition of Osborne's ligament and accurately study its prevalence across populations.

Suwannakhan|Athikhun|A| Chaiyamoon|Arada|A| Yammine|Kaissar|K| Yurasakpong|Laphatrada|L| Janta|Sirorat|S| Limpanuparb|Taweetham|T| Meemon|Krai|K|

Osborne's ligament
Meta-Analysis
Elbow
Anatomical variations
Anconeus epitroclearis


Framework for the use of odour wheels to manage odours throughout wastewater biosolids processing.

Abstract: Odorous emissions from wastewater biosolids processing can cause nuisance impacts to the surrounding community. Odour Wheels are an effective tool for environmental odour management, but have yet to be provided for wastewater biosolids processing. Emissions throughout the biosolids processing from eight wastewater treatment plants, each with different unit operation configurations, were surveyed to identify odorants present and their olfactory properties. Chemical and olfactory methods identified a range of odorants and odours emitted throughout biosolids processing. Within the biosolids processing locations studied Sulfur type odours, described as rotten eggs or cabbage, were typically encountered. However, there was also a varying presence of Rancid/putrid and Faecal/manure type odours. Odour Wheels were generated to communicate both the olfactory and chemical components of emissions which were measured throughout biosolids processing. Examples based on the operation of the eight wastewater treatment plants were used to demonstrate how the Odour Wheels can be used as an onsite odour management aid. The paper demonstrates how Odour Wheels can be prepared using chemical and olfactory measurements and then used to communicate olfactory properties, as well as identify the causes of nuisance emissions throughout biosolids processing at wastewater treatment plants. The linking of odours and odorants to process conditions throughout biosolids processing facilitates effective abatement and management practices.

Fisher|Ruth M|RM|
Barczak|Radoslaw J|RJ|
Suffet|I H Mel|IHM|
Hayes|James E|JE|
Stuetz|Richard M|RM|

Odour management
Nuisance odours
Olfactory analysis
Wastewater sludge


Insights into the influence of dispersion correction in the theoretical treatment of guanidine-quinoline copper(I) complexes.

Abstract: For the description of steric effects, dispersion correction is important in density functional theory. By investigation of sterically encumbered guanidine-quinoline copper bis(chelate) complexes, we could show that the correct description requires modern dispersion correction using Becke-Johnson (BJ) damping and that earlier dispersion corrections are not sufficient. The triple-zeta basis set def2-TZVP of the Ahlrichs series is balanced and converged for the structural description. With regard to functionals, the best structural description is obtained with the TPSSh functional but B3LYP is very suited as well. Cutting of ligand substituents leads to distortions which limit the predictive ability of such calculations. We recommend the calculation of "full" chemical systems with inclusion of dispersion correction using BJ damping. In the further analysis of the regarded copper bis(chelate) complexes, we found that the theoretical description of optical and Raman spectra is not much affected by the dispersion although charge transfer excitations come into play and that B3LYP/def2-TZVP is the best choice. Hence, we can derive the result that the correct structural description with dispersion serves as crucial basis for subsequent calculation steps.


Interactions of dietary fiber bound antioxidants with hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acids in aqueous and liposome media.

Abstract: The interactions between dietary fiber (DF)-bound antioxidants and free antioxidants, with different substitution patterns of -OH and -OCH3 groups on their aromatic rings has been investigated. The activity and efficiency of these interactions were examined with a structural approach. Whole wheat (WW) DF-bound antioxidants and 21 hydroxycinnamic acid/hydroxybenzoic acids (HCA/HBA) were used in the experimental studies. Studies were performed in liposome and aqueous media by monitoring lipid oxidation and scavenging of DPPH radical in the presence of WW-bound antioxidants and HCA/HBA derivatives. Predominantly synergistic interactions were observed in aqueous medium, while both synergistic and antagonistic interactions were seen in liposome medium. Concentrations of HCA/HBA and WW-bound antioxidants in mixtures and their 2-way interactions made significant effect on lipid oxidation and radical scavenging reactions, with some exceptions. HCA/HBA derivatives with 3 ,4 -dihydroxyphenyl substitution acted as strong antioxidants in liposome medium, while the number of -OH groups affected antioxidant activity in aqueous medium.

Çelik|Ecem Evrim|EE|
Rubio|Jose Manuel Amigo|JMA|
Andersen|Mogens Larsen|ML|
Gökmen|Vural|V|

Bound antioxidants
Hydroxybenzoic acids
Liposomes
Hydroxycinnamic acids
DPPH
Cereal fibers


Short-term impact of the smokefree legislation in England on emergency hospital admissions for asthma among adults: a population-based study.

Abstract:
BACKGROUND
Comprehensive smokefree laws have now been introduced in several jurisdictions. Few studies have examined the association between smokefree laws and asthma in adults and these have limitations, such as lacking appropriate adjustment for long-term trends or having limited statistical power due to small study populations. This study addresses these limitations and evaluates the short-term impact of smokefree legislation in England. It aims to investigate whether the introduction of smokefree legislation on 1 July 2007 was associated with an immediate reduction in emergency hospital admissions for asthma in the adult population, and whether any association differs across regions.

METHODS
We identified monthly numbers of emergency admissions for asthma (primary diagnosis, 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases code J45 and J46) in the nine Government Office Regions from April 1997 to December 2010 in the population aged 16 and over. A generalised additive model was fitted that adjusted for seasonality, variation in population size and region-specific, non-linear, long-term trends.

RESULTS
Smokefree legislation was associated with an immediate 4.9% (95% CI 0.6% to 9.0%) reduction in emergency admissions for asthma in the adult population. This implies that approximately 1900 emergency admissions for asthma were prevented in each of the first 3 years after legislation was introduced. The reduction in admissions did not vary significantly across regions.

CONCLUSIONS
Our findings add to the expanding body of evidence that smokefree policies are associated with positive health outcomes. Further research evaluating the impact of legislation in other jurisdictions is needed to support these findings.


Doppler-Assessed Ureteric Jet Frequency: A Valuable Predictor of Ureteric Obstruction.

Abstract:
OBJECTIVES
To compare ureterovesical jet frequency in non-obstructed versus obstructed ureter secondary to ureteric stone using ultrasonography in patients presenting with ureteral stones.

STUDY DESIGN
Cross-sectional prospective study. Place of study and duration: Urology Department, The Kidney Centre Post Graduate Training Institute from May 16 to November 15, 2019.

METHODS
This study included 97 patients having presented in the emergency department with acute renal colic and were diagnosed as having ureteral stones on a non-contrast-enhanced computed tomography (NCCT). The ureteric jet frequency was measured by Doppler ultrasonography by our radiologist with the Hitachi Aloka F-37 ultrasound machine after they underwent CT. Patients were asked to drink 750-1000 ml of liquids 15-20 minutes before their ultrasonographic examination of both kidneys, ureters, and urinary bladder. The kidney size (length and width) and presence/absence of hydronephrosis were evaluated by grayscale ultrasound. Then, with the help of color Doppler ultrasonography, the frequency of the ureteric jet was recorded.

RESULTS
The patient's mean age was 46.66 ± 3.21 years ranging from 37 to 56 years. There were 58 (59.8%) male and 39 (40.2%) female cases. The mean cumulative stone size was 9.77 ± 2.65 mm. According to stone location, 44 (45.4%) cases had upper ureteric, 24 (24.7%) cases had mid ureteric, and 29 (29.9%) cases had lower ureteric stone. The mean obstructive side jet frequency was 0.70/min ± 0.49, and the non-obstructive side jet frequency was 2.89/min ± 1.29 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS
The mean obstructive side jet frequency was 0.70 ± 0.49/min, which, if we compare to the non-obstructed normal ureter, is significantly less. Hence, color Doppler ultrasonography can be helpful to patients who were previously diagnosed with ureteral stones on NCCT to see if their stone has passed. This can be a very cost-effective modality especially in resource-poor countries where repeat CT can be very expensive. The results from this study can also be used in a specific population (i.e., pregnancy) where the use of imaging modalities that involve ionizing radiation is prohibited.

Hassan|Waqar|W|
Sharif|Imran|I|
El Khalid|Salman|S|
Ellahibux|Kausar|K|
Sultan|Silmi|S|
Waqar|Asma|A|
Zohaib|Agha|A|
Yousuf|Fakhir|F|

ureteric jet frequency
ureteric stone
hydronephrosis
color doppler ultrasonography
pregnancy


Nitric oxide signaling in yeast.

Abstract: As a cellular signaling molecule, nitric oxide (NO) is widely conserved from microorganisms, such as bacteria, yeasts, and fungi, to higher eukaryotes including plants and mammals. NO is mainly produced by NO synthase (NOS) or nitrite reductase (NIR) activity. There are several NO detoxification systems, including NO dioxygenase (NOD) and S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR). NO homeostasis based on the balance between NO synthesis and degradation is important for the regulation of its physiological functions because an excess level of NO causes nitrosative stress due to the high reactivity of NO and NO-derived compounds. In yeast, NO may be involved in stress responses, but NO and its signaling have been poorly understood due to the lack of mammalian NOS orthologs in the genome. Even though the activities of NOS and NIR have been observed in yeast cells, the gene encoding NOS and the NO production mechanism catalyzed by NIR remain unclear. On the other hand, yeast cells employ NOD and GSNOR to maintain an intracellular redox balance following endogenous NO production, exogenous NO treatment, or environmental stresses. This article reviews NO metabolism (synthesis, degradation) and its regulation in yeast. The physiological roles of NO in yeast, including the oxidative stress response, are also discussed here. Such investigations into NO signaling are essential for understanding the NO-dependent genetic and physiological modulations. In addition to being responsible for the pathology and pharmacology of various degenerative diseases, NO signaling may be a potential target for the construction and engineering of industrial yeast strains.

Astuti|Rika Indri|RI|
Nasuno|Ryo|R|
Takagi|Hiroshi|H|

D006706:Homeostasis
D009569:Nitric Oxide
D018384:Oxidative Stress
D015398:Signal Transduction
D013312:Stress, Physiological
D015003:Yeasts

Nitric oxide
Nitric oxide signaling
Yeast
Nitrosative stress
Nitric oxide detoxification
Nitric oxide synthase
Nitric oxide synthesis
Reactive nitrogen species
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Schizosaccharomyces pombe


PARP inhibitors.

Abstract: Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerases, abbreviated as PARPs, are a group of familiar proteins that play a central role in DNA repair employing the base excision repair (BER) pathway. There about 17 proteins in this family out of which the primary nuclear PARPs are PARP-1, PARP-2, PARP-3, and tankyrases 1 and 2 (PARP-5a and -5b) .The PARP family members are known to engage in a wide range of cellular activities, for example, DNA repair, transcription, cellular signaling, cell cycle regulation and mitosis amongst others. The chief functional units of PARP-1 are an amino terminal DNA binding domain (DBD), a central auto modification domain (AMD), and a carboxyl-terminal catalytic domain (CD). PARP inhibitors are currently undergoing clinical trials as targeted treatment modalities of breast, uterine, colorectal and ovarian cancer. This review summarizes current insights into the mechanism of action of PARP inhibitors, its recent clinical trials, and potential next steps in the evaluation of this promising class of anti-cancer drugs.

Anwar|Maheen|M|
Aslam|Hafiz Muhammad|HM|
Anwar|Shahzad|S|

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerases
Nicotinamide
Rucaparib


Raoultella ornithinolytica: An unusual pathogen for prosthetic joint infection.

Abstract: We herein report the first case of a prosthetic joint infection caused by Raoultella ornithinolytica in an immunocompetent patient. The clinical outcome was favorable after a two-stage prosthetic exchange and a six-month course of antimicrobial therapy.

Seng|Piseth|P| Theron|Françoise|F| Honnorat|Estelle|E| Prost|Didier|D| Fournier|Pierre-Edouard|PE| Stein|Andreas|A|

Raoultella ornithinolytica
Prosthetic joint infection
Infection
Arthroplasty infection
Bacteria
Human
Osteomyelitis


Quality of life after cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intra-peritoneal chemotherapy for peritoneal carcinomatosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract:
OBJECTIVE
To review the effect of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intra-peritoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis.

BACKGROUND
CRS and HIPEC is increasingly performed with curative intent for peritoneal carcinomatosis. Significant morbidity rates are reported in the context of limited life-expectancy, necessitating accurate post-operative HRQOL outcome data.

METHODS
A systematic review of clinical studies published after January 2000 was performed using strict eligibility criteria. Key outcomes measures were post-operative HRQOL compared to pre-operative levels and reference populations. Quality appraisal and data tabulation were performed using pre-determined forms. Data were synthesised by narrative review and random-effects meta-analysis. Tau2 and I2 values and Funnel plots were analysed for consistency and bias.

RESULTS
15 studies (1583 patients) were included. HRQOL declines at the 3-4 month time-point before becoming similar or better compared to pre-operative levels at 1 year. The pooled-effects of combined post-operative functional assessment of cancer therapy and European organisation for research and treatment quality of life questionnaire scores were significantly improved from baseline on overall health status (p=0.001) and emotional health (p=0.001). Physical health (p=0.83), social health (p=0.48) and functional health (p=0.24) remain similar. HRQOL after 1 year is less clear, but benefits may persist up to 5 years especially on overall and physical health domains. Evidence is conflicted and inconclusive on HRQOL compared to reference populations. Levels of consistency and bias were acceptable.

CONCLUSIONS
CRS and HIPEC for peritoneal carcinomatosis can confer small to medium benefits for HRQOL. These results should be interpreted with in caution due to the small studies and absence of more randomised controlled trials.

Shan|Leonard L|LL|
Saxena|Akshat|A|
Shan|Bernard L|BL|
Morris|David L|DL|

Quality of life
Cytoreductive
Hyperthermic
Peritoneal carcinomatosis
Intraperitoneal
Survival


Cadherin Expression and EMT: A Focus on Gliomas.

Abstract: Cadherins are calcium-binding proteins with a pivotal role in cell adhesion and tissue homeostasis. The cadherin-dependent mechanisms of cell adhesion and migration are exploited by cancer cells, contributing to tumor invasiveness and dissemination. In particular, cadherin switch is a hallmark of epithelial to mesenchymal transition, a complex development process vastly described in the progression of most epithelial cancers. This is characterized by drastic changes in cell polarity, adhesion, and motility, which lead from an E-cadherin positive differentiated epithelial state into a dedifferentiated mesenchymal-like state, prone to metastization and defined by N-cadherin expression. Although vastly explored in epithelial cancers, how these mechanisms contribute to the pathogenesis of other non-epithelial tumor types is poorly understood. Herein, the current knowledge on cadherin expression in normal development in parallel to tumor pathogenesis is reviewed, focusing on epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Emphasis is taken in the unascertained cadherin expression in CNS tumors, particularly in gliomas, where the potential contribution of an epithelial-to-mesenchymal-like process to glioma genesis and how this may be associated with changes in cadherin expression is discussed.


Osteopontin Is a Blood Biomarker for Microglial Activation and Brain Injury in Experimental Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy.

Abstract: Clinical management of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) suffers from the lack of reliable surrogate marker tests. Proteomic analysis may identify such biomarkers in blood, but there has been no proof-of-principle evidence to support this approach. Here we performed in-gel trypsin digestion of plasma proteins from four groups of 10-d-old mice [untouched and 24 h after low-dose lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure, hypoxia-ischemia (HI), or LPS/HI injury; n = 3 in each group) followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and bioinformatics analysis to search for HI- and LPS/HI-associated brain injury biomarkers. This analysis suggested the induction of plasma osteopontin (OPN) by HI and LPS/HI, but not by sham and injury-free LPS exposure. Immunoblot confirmed post-HI induction of OPN protein in brain and blood, whereas Opn mRNA was induced in brain but not in blood. This disparity suggests brain-derived plasma OPN after HI injury. Similarly, immunostaining showed the expression of OPN by Iba1+ microglia/macrophages in HI-injured brains. Further, intracerebroventricular injection of LPS activated microglia and up-regulated plasma OPN protein. Importantly, the induction of plasma OPN after HI was greater than that of matrix metalloproteinase 9 or glial fibrillary acid protein. Plasma OPN levels at 48 h post-HI also parallel the severity of brain damage at 7-d recovery. Together, these results suggest that OPN may be a prognostic blood biomarker in HIE through monitoring brain microglial activation.


Causal capture effects in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).

Abstract: Extracting a cause-and-effect structure from the physical world is an important demand for animals living in dynamically changing environments. Human perceptual and cognitive mechanisms are known to be sensitive and tuned to detect and interpret such causal structures. In contrast to rigorous investigations of human causal perception, the phylogenetic roots of this perception are not well understood. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the susceptibility of nonhuman animals to mechanical causality by testing whether chimpanzees perceived an illusion called causal capture (Scholl & Nakayama, 2002). Causal capture is a phenomenon in which a type of bistable visual motion of objects is perceived as causal collision due to a bias from a co-occurring causal event. In our experiments, we assessed the susceptibility of perception of a bistable stream/bounce motion event to a co-occurring causal event in chimpanzees. The results show that, similar to in humans, causal "bounce" percepts were significantly increased in chimpanzees with the addition of a task-irrelevant causal bounce event that was synchronously presented. These outcomes suggest that the perceptual mechanisms behind the visual interpretation of causal structures in the environment are evolutionarily shared between human and nonhuman animals.

Chimpanzees
Causal perception
Causal illusion
Comparative cognition
Nonhuman primates


Sex Differences in the Circumstances Leading to Falls: Evidence From Real-Life Falls Captured on Video in Long-Term Care.

Abstract:
OBJECTIVES
Falls are a major health concern for older adults. Understanding sex differences in fall circumstances may guide the design of fall management plans specifically to men and women. In this study, analyzed real-life falls captured on video to compare scenarios leading to falls between men and women in 2 long-term care (LTC) facilities.

DESIGN
Prospective cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS/SETTING
A total of 529 participants residing in 2 LTC facilities in British Columbia, Canada.

MEASUREMENTS
Between 2008 and 2016, we video-captured 1738 falls experienced by 231 men and 298 women (mean age = 83 ± 9 years). Each video was analyzed to determine the causes of imbalance and the activities at time of falling. Using generalized estimating equation models, we examined how fall circumstances associated with age, sex, and health status.

RESULTS
Men were more likely than women to fall from loss of support with an external object (odds ratio 1.37; 95% confidence interval 1.08-1.73) and less likely to fall from tripping (0.72; 0.54-0.96). Men were more likely to fall while seated (1.42; 1.07-1.87) or while rising (1.49; 1.11-1.99), and less likely to fall while walking (0.61; 0.50-0.75). After adjusting for age and health status, sex remained significantly associated with loss of support and walking. Furthermore, regardless of sex, falls from loss of support were more common among individuals who were less independent in activities of daily living, who used more medications, and who used diuretic. Individuals with independent activities of daily living and intact cognition were more likely to fall while walking, but less likely to fall while seated or while rising.

CONCLUSIONS
Our results elucidate differences between older men and women in the scenarios that lead to falls, to inform sex-specific fall prevention strategies in the LTC setting.

Yang|Yijian|Y|
van Schooten|Kimberley S|KS|
Sims-Gould|Joanie|J|
McKay|Heather A|HA|
Feldman|Fabio|F|
Robinovitch|Stephen N|SN|

D000058:Accidental Falls
D000369:Aged, 80 and over
D001955:British Columbia
D005260:Female
D006801:Humans
D008134:Long-Term Care
D008297:Male
D012737:Sex Factors
D014741:Video Recording

sex
Long-term care
older adults
health status
accidental falls
circumstances of falls