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Genetic predisposition to alcoholism, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease with psychodiagnostic characteristics in russian population. Results. Interallelic nonrandom associations in paired combinations of GABRA2-PICALM, PICALM-ADCY3, CLU-CBX7 and CLU-ADCY3 polymorphisms were detected. This may indicate the adaptive selection influencing the maintenance of behavioral homeostasis in population. A number of statistically significant associations of genetic variation were found: CLU with perfectionism(Q3) of 16PF and the exaltation of the Leonhard's tests, PICALM with tension (Q4) of 16PF and the imbalance of Leonhard's tests, DISC1 with vigilance(L) of 16PF, and exaltation, cyclothymia of Leonhard's tests, ZNF804A with imbalance by Leonhard's test, SLC6A4 with reasoning(B) of 16PF test, ADCY3 with self-reliance(Q2) and extraversion(F2) of 16PF test, MIR9-2 emotional stability(C), liveliness(F), social boldness(H), extraversion(F2) of 16PF, and dysthymia, hyperthymia of Leonhard's tests, with the personal anxiety of Spielberger-Khanin's test, CBX7 with vigilance(L), warmth(A) of 16PF test, SLC6A3 with IQ.The purpose of this paper is to identify genetic factors connected with personal features using the panel of 12 polymorphic markers associated with the risk of developing dementia in patients with Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia and alcoholism.Materials and methods. The correlation among quantitative traits of personality, temperament and character determined with Cattell's (the Sixteen personality factor questionnaire (16PF)), Leonhard-Schmieschek's, Spielberger-Khanin's, and Eysenck's (IQ) tests were analyzed with polymorphic variants of 12 genes involved in the development of severe mental disorders such as alcoholism, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. DNA samples of 150 students were genotyped using PCR-RPLF method. The data were processed by nonparametric statistical methods.Conclusion. These findings support the idea of overlapping genetic component in common mental and neurological disorders and variability of human cognitive and personality traits.
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Epigenetic properties of fumonisin B-1: Cell cycle arrest and DNA base modification in C6 glioma cells. Fumonisin B-1 produced by the fungus Fusarium moniliforme is a member of a new class of sphinganine analogue mycotoxins that occur widely in the food chain. Epidemiological studies associate FB1 with human oesophageal cancer in China and South Africa. FB1 also causes acute pulmonary edema in pigs and equine leucoencephalomalacia. This disease is thought to be a consequence of inhibition by FB1 of cellular ceramide synthesis in cells. To investigate further on this pathogenesis, the effect of FB1 was studied on cell viability (3 to 54 mu M of FB1), protein (2.5 to 20 mu M of FB1) and DNA syntheses (2.5 to 50 mu M of FB1), and cellular cycle (3 to 18 mu M of FB1) of rat C6 glioma cells after 24 h incubation. The results of the viability test show that FB1 induces 10 +/- 2% and 47 +/- 4% cell death with, respectively, 3 and 54 mu M, in C6 cells. This cytotoxicity induced by FB1 was efficiently prevented when the cells were preincubated 24 h with vitamin E (25 mu M). FB1 displays epigenetic properties since it induced hypermethylation of the DNA (9-18 mu M). Inhibition of protein synthesis was observed with FB1 with an IC50 of 6 mu M showing that C6 glioma cells are very sensitive to FB1; however, the synthesis of DNA was only slightly inhibited, up to 20 mu M of FB1. The flow cytometry showed that the number of cells in phase S decreased significantly as compared to the control p = 0.01 from 18.7 +/- 2.5% to 8.1 +/- 1.1% for 9 mu M FB1. The number of cells in phase G(2)/M increased significantly as compared to the control (p less than or equal to 0.05) from 45.7 +/- 0.4% to 54.8 +/- 1.1% for 9 mu M FB1, whereas no change occurs in the number of cells in the phase G(0)/G(1). These results show that cytotoxic concentrations of FB1 induce cellular cycle arrest in phase G(2)/M in rat C6 glioma cells possibly in relation with genotoxic events. (C) 2000 Academic Press.
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Amniotic membrane transplantation for treatment of symblepharon in a patient with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. Methods: A 12-year-old girt with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa presented to our clinic with a symblepharon connecting the lateral half of the left upper lid to the upper temporal quadrant of the cornea. The central cornea exhibited diffuse opacity and vascularization.Results: During surgery, the symblepharon was lysed, and lamellar keratectomy was performed. The operated portion of cornea and palpebral conjunctiva was covered with amniotic membrane to promote healing. Fourteen months later, the operated eyelid margin was normal and the eye was fully mobile. The temporal portion of the corneal stroma was still thinner than normal and showed mild superficial vascularization and opacification.Conclusion: We believe that amniotic membrane transplantation is a valuable way to treat symblepharon in cases of epidermolysis bullosa.Purpose: To report the surgical treatment of a case with epidermolysis bullosa.
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Press-State relations in Mexico, considerations towards the regulation of official advertising: Regional study. The decision of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation to obligate the Mexican Congress to create a law that regulates the official publicity in the country before April 30, 2018 represents the opportunity to end the historical discretionary allocation of public resources to media Communication. However, the new legislation must cover, from the range of proposals; the particularities of the Press-State relationship through which the finest networks of clientelism and corruption have been woven.This study presents the case of the State of Mexico, the stronghold of the Mexican hegemonic party, where clientelism as a political strategy has infiltrated the press with tactics and other hidden, but both illegal, make it an instrument of control, conservation and expansion of power. Testimonies from leading journalists are presented together with content analysis and official expenditure reports, via Public Transparency, as evidence of the phenomenon of media clientelism in a non-electoral period, in contrast to most studies on clientelism.
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Evidence-based surgery. Understanding the issues associated with surgical epidemiology, knowledge management, and evidence-based surgical practice has implications for clinicians in the community, surgeons in large metropolitan hospitals, surgeon scholars, and the academic surgeon. All need to have some understanding of not only the evaluation of the evidence and how to find it but, in addition, application of those concepts to continuous quality improvement and to closing a circle of surgical audit. If the surgical profession has an obligation to redefine clinical modus operandi and educational processes, the argument for formal training in aspects of clinical epidemiology during the surgical residency program is obvious, because all surgeons will benefit from those educational exercises.
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Goal-programming-assisted visual cryptography method with unexpanded shadow images for general access structures. This paper describes a visual cryptography method for the elimination of pixel expansion and the improvement of contrast. The proposed method uses the probability concept to construct a multiobjective linear programming model for general access structures. Then, the solution space of the model is explored by goal programming. The advantages of the proposed method are fourfold. First, it can avoid expanding the shadow images. Second, it can reach better contrast. Third, it can deal with general access structures and get the desired contrast levels. Fourth, it can be easily extended to deal with the problems of multiple secret images. Experiments on several access structures show that the proposed method is effective against pixel expansion and is capable of contrast improvement. (c) 2006 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.
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Oligocene clockwise rotations along the eastern Pamir:Tectonic and paleogeographic implications. Despite the importance of the Pamir range in controlling Asian paleoenvironments and land-sea paleogeography, its tectonic evolution remains poorly constrained in time and space, hindering its potential for understanding deep to surface processes. We provide here new constraints on vertical-axis tectonic rotations from the southwest Tarim Basin along the eastern flank of the Pamir arcuate range based on paleomagnetic results. Two well-dated Eocene to Oligocene sections, previously analyzed using biostratigraphy and magnetostratigraphy, yield consistently clockwise rotations of 21.64.2 degrees in 41 to 36Ma strata then 17.16.5 degrees in 33 to 28Ma strata at the Aertashi section and 14.211.5 degrees in 41 to 40Ma strata at the Kezi section. Combined with a regional review of existing paleomagnetic studies, these results indicate that most of the clockwise rotations along the eastern Pamir occurred during Oligocene times and did not extend systematically and regionally into the Tarim Basin. In contrast, on the western flank of the Pamir tectonic rotations in Cretaceous to Neogene strata are regionally extensive and systematically counterclockwise throughout the Afghan-Tajik Basin. This timing and pattern of rotations is consistent with paleogeographic reconstructions of the regional sea retreat out of Central Asia and supports a two-stage kinematic model: (1) symmetric rotations of either flanks of the Pamir arcuate range until Oligocene times followed by (2) continued rotations on its western flank associated with radial thrusting and, along the eastern flank, no further rotations due to decoupled transfer slip starting in the Early Miocene.
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Effect of ageing on the transformation behaviour of Ti-49.5 at.% Ni. It is known that ageing treatment causes complex multiple stage transformation behaviour in Ni-rich Ni-Ti alloys. This has been attributed to the formation of coherent Ti3Ni4 precipitates. There have been different views in the literature on the actual roles of the precipitates on the transformation behaviour, including the creation of microscopic variations in local composition and stress field and spatial inhomogeneous distribution of the precipitates. This study investigated the response to ageing treatment of a Ti-49.5 at.% Ni alloy, which does not develop Ti3Ni4 precipitates. It was found that multiple-stage transformation behaviour was also induced by ageing treatment, involving three stages in the forward transformation on cooling and two stages in the reverse transformations on heating. This is attributed to the formation of coherent Ti-rich precipitates in the matrix. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Corrosion inhibition synergism between lanthanum (III) ion and 8-hydroxyquinoline for zinc in hydrochloric acid. The effects of La3+ ion and chelate reagent 8-hydroxyquinoline on the corrosion rate of zinc in hydrochloric acid were investigated by using weight loss method and electrochemical method. It is found that in a specific concentration range of La3+ ion and 8-hydroxyquinoline, the obvious corrosion inhibition synergism is obtained. The mechanism of corrosion inhibition synergism was discussed on basis of adsorption theory.
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Geodynamic environment and tectonic attributes of the hydrocarbon-rich sag in Yanchang Period of Middle-Late Triassic, Ordos Basin. The abundant petroleum resources of Ordos Basin mostly come from the hydrocarbon-rich sag of Middle-Late Triassic Yanchang Formation located at the southern of the basin. The shaly high-quality source rock from Chang 7 Member is the greatest contributor, which has the characteristics of rich uranium and multi-layered tuff. During Yanchang Period, the large hydrocarbon-rich sag had the paleogeographic structure of deep in south and shallow in north, and developed in semi-deep and deep lacustrine facies with high-quality source rock, high uranium content and thick tuff interlayer in trinity and mixed. The high-thermal evolution zones with multi-layers from Upper Paleozoic to Middle Jurassic were basically located at the same area, and the continuous subsidence areas of Early-Middle Jurassic were also superimposed on them. Comprehensive investigations have been revealed that during Yanchang Period, especially in the period of Chang 7 Member, various types of diapir structures ( such as sandstone dyke or vein, mud phacolith as well as hydrothermal calcareous concretion) , syndepositional deformations ( such as faults, folds, crumple deformation, slump and landslide etc. ) and event deposits ( such as turbidite deposit, seismite and sublacustrine fan) occurred due to activity of the deep crust matters and mainly distributed at semi-deep to deep lacustrine facies of the hydrocarbon-rich sag. A variety of minerals and geochemical anomalies are detected in the source rocks which indicate the activity of deep thermal fluid. The deep geophysical survey shows that all the interfaces of crust-mantle above 400km in deep of the sag are arched. All above information indicates that hydrocarbon-rich sag and the high-quality source rock in Yanchang Formation formed under significant tectonic activity and deep process, which reveal the active geodynamic conditions and environments. The hydrocarbon-rich sag was spatially adjacent to the Qinling Orogenic Belt during Indosinian Period. The formation of the sag was simultaneous and synchronous with the development and magmatism, developing states, evolutionary stages and activity level changes of Qinling Orogenic Belt, which was related to the dynamic environment transition from collision to intraplate tectonic of the North China block-Yangtze block. The twice long-distance migration of the deposit-subsidence centers of the sag in Yanchang Period were the response and record to the initial significant environment changing of the Qinling Orogeny. Massive subduction materials were accumulated, melted and converted at the deep part backland of the North China block, which promoted the supersaturated and accumulation of deep matter, and increased abnormally of the thermal energy and pressure in this area during the convergent and collision of the two blocks. Under this circumstance, small scale mantle convection was formed, and material melted and thermal energy arched, caused the shallow superficial rupture and lateral extension in the crust. This process should be the main reasons to lead to the subsidence occurred, and the appeared of the hydrocarbon-rich sag with thermal-tension characteristics in Yanchang Period. This type of basin is named backland basin. The backland basin and the foreland basin are located at the thrusting block side and subduction block side respectively and very close to the collisional orogenic belt. These two types basin differ greatly in tectonic attributes, hydrocarbon occurrence and accumulation characteristics.
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Archaeological and Chemical Investigation on the High Imperial Mosaic Floor Mortars of the Domus Integrated in the Museum of Archaeology D. Diogo de Sousa, Braga, Portugal. This paper intends to characterize the floor mortar layers (nucleus, rudus and statumen) of the high imperial mosaics of the domus integrated in the Museum of Archeology D. Diogo de Sousa, the oldest roman housing testimonies known in Braga, Portugal. It offers an important archaeological and historical contextualization and first chemical characterization attempt on the mortars. The study of 13 mortar samples was carried out at a chemical level through X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). All samples presented low lime content when compared to similar studies. A high chemical similarity between nucleus mortars (opus signinum) and chemical composition differences between rudus and statumen mortars was determined, confirmed by statistical analyses. Their composition was distinctly related to the stratigraphic position of each floor mortar layer, following Vitruvius' model, and to the external conditions and treatments (e.g., capillary rise with soluble salts and application of chemical treatments), to which they were submitted.
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Nuclear magnetic resonance dephasing effects in a spherical pore with a magnetic dipolar field. The NMR dephasing behavior of the nuclear spins of a fluid confined in a porous material can be investigated by Hahn spin echoes. Previous experimental results on water in a magnetically doped clay have shown a nonmonoexponentially decaying magnetization, which can be understood neither by the known dephasing rate of freely diffusing spins in a uniform gradient nor by spins diffusing in a restricted geometry. For a better understanding of NMR measurements on these systems, a systematic survey was performed of the various length scales that are involved. The standard length scales for the situation of a uniform gradient are diffusing length, structure length, and dephasing length. We show that for a nonuniform gradient, a new length scale has to be introduced: the magnetic-field curvature length. When a particle diffuses less than this length scale, it experiences a local uniform gradient. In that case the spin-echo decay can be described by the so-called local gradient approximation (LGA). When a particle diffuses over a longer distance than the structure length, the spin-echo decay can be described by the motional averaging regime. For both regimes, scaling laws are derived. In this paper, a random-walk model is used to simulate the dephasing effect of diffusing spins in a spherical pore in the presence of a magnetic dipole field. By varying the dipole magnitude, situations can be created in which the dephasing behavior scales according to the motional averaging regime or according to the LGA regime, for certain ranges of echo times. Two model systems are investigated: a spherical pore in the vicinity of a magnetic point dipole and a spherical pore adjacent to a magnetic dipolar grain of the same size as the pore. The simulated magnetization decay curves of both model systems confirm the scaling laws. The LGA, characterized by a nonmonoexponential magnetization decay, is also investigated by calculating the spatially resolved magnetization in the pore. For this regime, the magnetization is found to be inhomogeneously distributed within the pore, whereas it is homogeneously distributed in the motional averaging regime. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.
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Evolutionary significance of isoprene emission from mosses. Isoprene emission has been documented and characterized from species in all major groups of vascular plants. We report in our survey that isoprene emission is much more common in mosses and ferns than later divergent land plants but is absent in liverworts and hornworts. The light and temperature responses of isoprene emission from Sphagnum capillifolium (Ehrh.) Hedw. are similar to those of other land plants. Isoprene increases thermotolerance of S, capillifolium to the same extent seen in higher plants as measured by chlorophyll fluorescence. Sphagnum, species in a northern Wisconsin bog experienced large temperature fluctuations similar to those reported in tree canopies. Since isoprene has been shown to help plants cope with large, rapid temperature fluctuations, we hypothesize the thermal and correlated dessication stress experienced by early land plants provided the selective pressure for the evolution of light-dependent isoprene emission in the ancestors of modern mosses. As plants radiated into different habitats, this capacity was lost multiple times in favor of other thermal protective mechanisms.
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Perforator and Secondary Branch Origin in Relation to the Neck of Saccular, Cerebral Bifurcation Aneurysms. RESULTS: The incidence of perforator origin from the aneurysm neck was as follows: basilar, 1/15 (7%); internal carotid artery bifurcation, 4/23 (17%); main stem of the middle cerebral artery/secondary branch of the middle cerebral artery, 6/52 (12%); anterior communicating artery region, 5/46 (11%); and distal bifurcation vessels, 0/6 (0%). Aneurysms arising from the anterior communicating artery between the anterior cerebral arteries had a high incidence of perforator origin from the aneurysm neck. The location of secondary branch origin from the aneurysm neck varied depending on the aneurysm group.OBJECTIVE: Perforator and secondary branch origin in relation to the neck of cerebral, saccular bifurcation aneurysms were analyzed. These two features were considered important for treatment.CONCLUSION: Perforator origin from the aneurysm neck was infrequent. A subgroup of anterior communicating artery region aneurysms had a high incidence of perforator origin from the aneurysm neck. Although protection of these neck perforators will be difficult, their identification may be even more challenging. Secondary branch origin from the aneurysm neck varied depending on the aneurysm group. Advanced endovascular techniques are needed to obliterate aneurysms in which the secondary branch(es) arise from the aneurysm neck. If this is not possible, craniotomy and clip ligation will be required if complete aneurysm obliteration is the goal.METHODS: From a series of microsurgically clipped saccular cerebral aneurysms, 142 bifurcation aneurysms had detailed imaging studies and operative records that could be analyzed.
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Of nanobacteria, nanoparticles, biofilms and their role in health and disease: facts, fancy and future. Nanobacteria have been at the center of a major scientific controversy in recent years owing to claims that they represent not only the smallest living microorganisms on earth but also new emerging pathogens associated with several human diseases. We and others have carefully examined these claims and concluded that nanobacteria are in fact nonliving mineralo-organic nanoparticles (NPs) that form spontaneously in body fluids. We have shown that these mineral particles possess intriguing biomimetic properties that include the formation of cell-and tissue-like morphologies and the possibility to grow, proliferate and propagate by subculture. Similar mineral NPs (bions) have now been found in both physiological and pathological calcification processes and they appear to represent precursors of physiological calcification cycles, which may at times go awry in disease conditions. Furthermore, by functioning at the nanoscale, these mineralo-organic NPs or bions may shed light on the fate of nanomaterials in the body, from both nanotoxicological and nanopathological perspectives.
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The break of L-S coupling and the double Stark resonance in the spectrum of 36P -> 37P two-photon transition in Rydberg atoms of sodium. New results are presented of an experimental investigation of the spectrum of 36P --> 37P two-photon microwave transition in Rydberg atoms of sodium in a constant electric field. Depending on the conditions of excitation of the initial 36P state (the constant electric field is switched on either before or after the exciting laser pulse) and polarization of laser radiation, a strong variation is observed of the amplitudes of individual two-photon transitions between the fine-structure Stark components of the 36P and 37P states. This effect is an analog of the Paschen-Back effect in a strong magnetic field and is due to the break of L-S coupling and to the variation of the wave functions of Rydberg electrons in an electric field. It is also found that the break of L-S coupling affects considerably the shape of double Stark resonance arising upon intersection of the virtual intermediate level of two-photon transition with the real intermediate 37S level. (C) 2002 MAIK \\'Nauka/Interperiodica\\'.
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P-A LOGIC - A COMPOSITIONAL PROOF SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTED PROGRAMS. This paper describes a compositional proof system called P-A logic for establishing weak total correctness and weak divergence correctness of CSP-like distributed programs with synchronous and asynchronous communication. Each process in a network is specified using logical assertions in terms of a presupposition Pre and an affirmation Aff as a triple {Pre} S {Aff}. For purely sequential programs, these triples reduce to the familiar Hoare triples. In distributed programs, P-A triples allow the behaviour of a process to be specified in the context of assumptions about its communications with the other processes in the network. Safety properties of process communications, and progress properties such as finiteness and freedom from divergence can be proved. An extension of P-A logic allowing proof of deadlock freedom is outlined. Finally, proof rules for deriving some liveness properties of a program from its P-A logic specification are discussed; these properties have the form \\'Q until R\\', where Q, R are assertions over communication traces. Other liveness properties may be derived from these properties using the rules of temporal logic.
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A cross-cultural comparison of visual search strategies and response times in road hazard perception testing. Road hazard perception is considered the most prominent higher-order cognitive skill related to traffic-accident involvement. Regional cultures and social rules that govern acceptable behavior may influence drivers' interpretation of a traffic situation and, consequently, the correct identification of potentially hazardous situations. Here, we aimed to compare hazard perception skills among four European countries that differ in their traffic culture, policies to reduce traffic risks, and fatal crashes: Ukraine, Italy, Spain, and Sweden. We developed a static hazard perception test in which driving scenes with different levels of braking affordance were presented while drivers' gaze was recorded. The test required drivers to indicate the action they would undertake: to brake vs. to keep driving. We assessed 218 young adult drivers. Multilevel models revealed that the scenes' levels of braking affordance (i.e., road hazard) modulated drivers' behavior. As the levels of braking affordance increased, drivers' responses became faster and their gaze entropy decreased (i.e., visual search strategy became less erratic). The country of origin influenced these effects. Ukrainian drivers were the fastest and Swedish drivers were the slowest to respond. For all countries, the decrement in response times was less marked in the case of experienced drivers. Also, Spanish drivers showed the most structured (least erratic) visual search strategy, whereas the Italians had the most rigid (most constant) one. These results suggest that road hazard perception can be defined cross-culturally, with cultural factors (e.g., traffic climate, legislation) modulating response times and visual search strategies. Our results also support the idea that a multimodal assessment methodology is possible for mass testing of road hazard perception and its outcomes would be relevant to understand how different traffic cultures shape driving behavior.
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Oral histories in meteoritics and planetary science-XXV: Vagn F. Buchwald. Vagn Buchwald (Fig. 1) was born in Copenhagen where he attended school and college. Then after 18 months of military service, he assumed a position at the Technical University of Copenhagen. A few years later, he was presented with a piece of the Cape York meteorite, which led to an interest in iron meteorites. Through a campaign of informed searching, Vagn found the 20 ton Agpalilik meteorite (part of the Cape York shower) on 31st July 1963 and by September 1967 had arranged its transport to Copenhagen. After sorting and describing the Danish collection, which included application of the Fe-Ni-P phase diagram to iron meteorite mineralogy, Vagn was invited to sort and describe other iron meteorite collections. This led to a 7 yr project to write his monumental Handbook of Iron Meteorites. Vagn spent 3 yr in the United States and visited most of the world's museums, the visit to Berlin being especially important since the war had left their iron meteorites in bad condition and without labels. During a further decade or more of iron meteorite research, he documented natural and anthropomorphic alterations experienced by iron meteorites, discovered five new minerals (roaldite, carlsbergite, akaganeite, hibbingite, and arupite); had a mineral (buchwaldite, NaCaPO4) and asteroid (3209 Buchwald 1982 BL1) named after him; and led expeditions to Chile, Namibia, and South Africa in search of iron meteorites and information on them. Vagn then turned his attention to archeological metal artifacts. This work resulted in many papers and culminated in two major books on the subject published in 2005 and 2008, after his retirement in 1998. Vagn Buchwald has received numerous Scandinavian awards and honors, and served as president of the Meteoritical Society in 1981-1982.
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Prevalence of Testicular Microlithiasis in Males with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia and Its Association with Testicular Adrenal Rest Tumors. Background: Testicular microlithiasis (TM) is characterized by calcium deposits within the seminiferous tubules and is associated with benign and malign conditions. Aim: To determine TM prevalence in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and its association with testicular adrenal rest tumors (TART). Patients and Methods: Scrotal ultrasound using a high-frequency linear transducer (12 MHz) was performed in 41 patients aged 12.1 +/- 4.7 (range 3.523.3) years and 49 healthy similarly aged controls. TM was classified with respect to the number of microliths per ultrasound field as limited (LTM, <5 microliths) and classic (CTM, >= 5 microliths). CTM was graded as grade 1 (5-10 microliths), grade 2 (11-20 microliths), and grade 3 (>20 microliths). Results: TM was detected bilaterally in 9 (21.9%) patients and 2 (4.1%) control cases (1 bilateral, 1 unilateral). Four patients had LTM, one evaluated as grade 1, one as grade 2, and three as grade 3. There were 9 patients with TART. Four patients had TM and TART concomitantly. Conclusion: Because TM is frequently found in patients with CAH and may also exist concomitantly with TART, we recommend that these patients be followed annually by testicular ultrasound. Copyright (C) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel
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Vehicle Ownership Modeling Framework for the State of Maryland: Analysis and Trends from 2001 and 2009 NHTS Data. This paper presents a vehicle ownership modeling framework for the state of Maryland estimated on data extracted from the 2001 and 2009 National Household Travel Survey. The framework consists of vehicle ownership models and vehicle usage models; the models are based on a wide variety of sociodemographics, land-use variables, and operating cost. The models' results and the deriving sensitivity analyses show that changes in income and unemployment rate or compact development have little effect on vehicle ownership rates. Nevertheless, the combined effect of high density and increase in fuel cost produce a significant reduction in vehicle usage. The vehicle ownership model estimated on 2001 data has been successfully incorporated into the Maryland Statewide Transportation Model (MSTM). DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)UP.1943-5444.0000128. (C) 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Hardware- and Interference-Limited Cognitive IoT Relaying NOMA Networks With Imperfect SIC Over Generalized Non-Homogeneous Fading Channels. Internet-of-Things (IoT) technology has received much attention due to its great potential to interconnect billions of devices in a broad range of applications. IoT networks can provide high-quality services for a large number of users and smart objects. On the other hand, massive connectivity in IoT networks brings problems associated with spectral congestion. This issue can be solved by applying cognitive radio (CR) and non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) techniques. In this respect, this paper studies the performance of cooperative CR-NOMA enabled IoT networks over a generalized fading channel model. Closed-form analytical expressions of the end-to-end outage probability (OP) for the secondary NOMA users are derived using the Meijer & x2019;s G-function with a consideration of the impacts of the interference temperature constraint, primary interference, residual hardware impairments and imperfect successive interference cancellation. Moreover, to acquire some useful insights on the system performance, asymptotic closed-form OP expressions are provided. Additionally, the impact of and fading parameters on the outage performance is examined and, as a result, it is concluded that the system performance sufficiently improves as increase. Furthermore, the outage performance of the proposed system model is shown to outperform that of an identical IoT network operating on orthogonal multiple access. Finally, the provided closed-form OP expressions are validated with Monte Carlo simulations.
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Analysis of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy in Medicine: A Narrative Review. Psilocybin-containing mushrooms have been consumed by various cultures in many different parts of the world for thousands of years. Psilocybin, a classic psychedelic, contains unique psychoactive properties and has been incorporated into religious ceremonies and investigated for its medicinal value. In the mid-20th century, psilocybin, along with most other classic psychedelics (5HT-2A agonists), was classified as a Schedule I substance, bringing a halt to research on its medicinal utility. The resurgence of clinical trials involving psilocybin in the 21st century has produced promising results concerning the treatment of addiction, depression, and end-of-life mood disorders. Results from these trials have shown significant reductions in depression and anxiety when compared with a placebo, and one trial found no significant difference when compared to a routinely prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Studies conducted with patients with advanced-stage cancer have demonstrated that psilocybin may also be beneficial at reducing depression and anxiety associated with psychological crises due to a terminal diagnosis. Psilocybin therapy in the treatment of addiction, which is notoriously difficult to treat, has shown encouraging results. Due to its low toxicity and low risk of overuse, psilocybin has the potential to have a significant influence in the field of addiction medicine. Psilocybin addiction research has been primarily focused on nicotine and alcohol and, in a few small, open-label trials, has shown superiority over traditional therapies. Psilocybin has a relatively unique and incompletely understood mechanism of action, which allows it to be given at several isolated periods. This infrequent dosing regimen has been shown to produce durable effects with minimal toxicity. This review analyzes the potential of psilocybin in the treatment of addiction, depression, and end-of-life mood disorders. In addition, it will discuss the difficulties involved with conducting scientific research on psychedelic compounds, adverse effects, and the therapeutic measures that are necessary to accompany the safe and effective administration of these psychoactive chemicals.
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Togetherness: intersubjectivity revisited. This paper aims to contribute to recent advances in person-centered and experiential theory in the field of dialogue and encounter. Both an appreciation and a constructive critical adjunct to these developments, it offers a socio-historical perspective rooted in phenomenology. It draws on the Hegelian notion of acknowledgement, on MerleauPonty's \\'risk of communication\\', on Levinas' ethics of alterity, and on Schmid's notion of en-counter. It formulates the notion of \\'togetherness\\', one that appreciates the realities of conflict and disparity alongside mutuality, and the dimensions of solitude and autonomy alongside relatedness.
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Separation and determination of vanadium in fertiliser by capillary electrophoresis with a light-emitting diode detector. A method has been developed for determination of vanadium, as an anionic ternary complex of vanadium(V) with 4-(2-pyridylazo) resorcinol (PAR) and hydrogen peroxide, after separation by capillary electrophoresis (CE). The optimum conditions for the formation of the ternary complex were acetate buffer (3 mmol L-1) at pH 6 containing 0.15 mmol L-1 PAR and 7.1 mmol L-1 H2O2. The CE separation was conducted using 15 mmol L-1 acetate buffer at pH 6 as the background electrolyte; the separation potential was -30 kV and the injection time 100 s. The vanadium complex was detected photometrically at 568 nm, by use of a light-emitting diode (LED); the detection limit was 19 ppb. The method was applied to the analysis of vanadium in fertilisers. Clean-up of the digested fertiliser sample, with Sep-Pak C-18 coated with tetrabutylammonium hydroxide, before analysis was used to remove matrix ions which otherwise caused electrophoretic de-stacking. Vanadium levels found in the fertiliser samples by use of the CE method were found to be comparable with results obtained by HPLC and ICP-MS.
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An endoscope with integrated transparent bioelectronics and theranostic nanoparticles for colon cancer treatment. The gastrointestinal tract is a challenging anatomical target for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for bleeding, polyps and cancerous growths. Advanced endoscopes that combine imaging and therapies within the gastrointestinal tract provide an advantage over stand-alone diagnostic or therapeutic devices. However, current multimodal endoscopes lack the spatial resolution necessary to detect and treat small cancers and other abnormalities. Here we present a multifunctional endoscope-based interventional system that integrates transparent bioelectronics with theranostic nanoparticles, which are photoactivated within highly localized space near tumours or benign growths. These advanced electronics and nanoparticles collectively enable optical fluorescence-based mapping, electrical impedance and pH sensing, contact/temperature monitoring, radio frequency ablation and localized photo/chemotherapy, as the basis of a closed-loop solution for colon cancer treatment. In vitro, ex vivo and in vivo experiments highlight the utility of this technology for accurate detection, delineation and rapid targeted therapy of colon cancer or precancerous lesions.
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225
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Oedemognathus exodon and Sternarchogiton nattereri (Apteronotidae, Gymnotiformes): the case for sexual dimorphism and conspecificity. Oedemognathus exodon, a monotypic genus and species of Amazonian apteronotid electric fishes, is based on a single specimen with uniquely externalized jaw teeth projecting from a bulbous snout. Recently, many additional specimens of Oedemognathus, all mature males, have been collected in the Amazon by trawling in channels and seining in floating vegetation mats. These new specimens were collected with many monomorphic female, male and immature specimens of Sternarchogiton nattereri, a related and similar species. On this basis we suggested a hypothesis of sexual dimorphism and conspecificity for O. exodon and S. nattereri. Although this idea has been taxonomically accepted by recent authors with treatment of O. exodon as a junior synonym of S. nattereri, the evidenciary basis for this remains unpublished. Herein we present that evidence. In addition to being associated at sexual maturity during breeding season, S. nattereri and O. exodon are closely similar in external and internal morphology, pigmentation, and mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences. Furthermore, we observe that the striking dentition,jaw and snout morphology of Oedemognathus has its developmental origin in mature males that are equal, or nearly so, in size to non-dimorphic S. nattereri.
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[
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19
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Match-related statistics discriminating between playing positions during the men's 2011 Rugby World Cup. The aim of the study was to investigate and compare the match-related statistics for the different playing positions based on the match outcome during the men's 2011 Rugby World Cup. A total of 48 matches from the men's 2011 Rugby World Cup were used for the purpose of this study. The performance indicators were divided into two groups based on the principles of play: attack and defence. Univariate (t-test) and multivariate (discriminant) analyses of data were done. The results demonstrated performance indicators that measure positive aspects of performance (kicks executed, tries, try assists, runs executed, kick return runs, metres gained per run, line breaks, and offload) as well as negative aspects (pick up and drives, tackles executed, ineffective tackles and missed tackles) which discriminate the final outcome regarding playing positions. This paper discusses the characteristics of each playing position regarding their game actions and their incidence in the game. The results and evaluations obtained in the present study can serve as a guide or criteria to take into consideration when training as well as in the research field of rugby with regard to game patterns.
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Evaluation of interleukin-1 beta and the ratio of interleukin-1 beta to interleukin-1 receptor antagonist in gingival crevicular fluid during orthodontic canine retraction. Conclusions. An increase in the IL-1 beta level in GCF was observed both at the tension and compression sides of the actively retracted canine 2.3 as well as the contralateral canine 1.3; a significant rise in the IL-1 beta/IL-1RA ratio was noted only at the compression side of the experimental tooth 2.3, indicating the zone of active bone resorption.Objectives. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the level of IL-1 beta and the ratio of IL-1 beta to interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) at the tension and compression sides during orthodontic canine retraction.Material and methods. Seventeen patients scheduled for orthodontic treatment with bilateral extraction of maxillary first premolars and canine retraction were enrolled. Tooth 2.3 was retracted, teeth 1.3 and 3.3 served as controls. Gingival crevicular fluid samples were collected from the tension and compression sides of each tooth at baseline (before the 1st activation - day 0) and at days 2 and 7, and then again before the 2nd activation (day 28) and at days 30 and 35. The levels of IL-1 beta and IL-RA were evaluated with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Results. After the 1st activation, a statistically significant increase in the level of IL-1 beta was observed at teeth 2.3 (p < 0.03 mesially and p < 0.05 distally) and 1.3 (p < 0.05 mesially and distally), both at the tension and compression sides. The 2nd activation resulted in a gradual increase in the IL-1 beta level at both canines; however, statistical significance was reached only for tooth 2.3 (p < 0.05 mesially and p < 0.02 distally). In terms of the IL-1 beta/IL-1RA ratio, a significant increase was observed only at the compression side of the experimental tooth (p < 0.01).Background. Orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) is a complex phenomenon mediated by cytokines, of which interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) is potently involved in the remodeling of the periodontal ligament (PDL) and bone. Whether the pattern of IL-1 beta release differs at the sides of tension and compression is not yet clarified.
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[
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48
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The multivariate detection limit for Mycoplasma pneumoniae as determined by nanorod array-surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy and comparison with limit of detection by qPCR. Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a cell wall-less bacterial pathogen of the human respiratory tract that accounts for up to 20% of community-acquired pneumonia. At present, the standard for detection and genotyping is quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), which can exhibit excellent sensitivity but lacks standardization and has limited practicality for widespread, point-of-care use. We previously described a Ag nanorod array-surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (NA-SERS) biosensing platform capable of detecting M. pneumoniae in simulated and true clinical throat swab samples with statistically significant specificity and sensitivity. We report here that differences in sample preparation influence the integrity of mycoplasma cells for NA-SERS analysis, which in turn impacts the resulting spectra. We have established a multivariate detection limit (MDL) using NA-SERS for M. pneumoniae intact-cell sample preparations. Using an adaptation of International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC)-recommended methods for analyzing multivariate data sets, we found that qPCR had roughly 10 x better detection limits than NA-SERS when expressed in CFU ml(-1) and DNA concentration (fg). However, the NA-SERS MDL for intact M. pneumoniae was 5.3 +/- 1.0 genome equivalents (cells per mu l). By comparison, qPCR of a parallel set of samples yielded a limit of detection of 2.5 +/- 0.25 cells per mu l. Therefore, for certain standard metrics NA-SERS provides a multivariate detection limit for M. pneumoniae that is essentially identical to that determined via qPCR.
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278
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Forecasting religious change: a Bayesian model predicting proportional Christian change in New Zealand. For over a century, sociologists of religion have been describing declining trends in religious affiliation across most industrialized countries, a trend that Max Weber characterized as \\'the disenchantment of the world.\\' Although secularization is a matter of ongoing debate, there is relatively little predictive modeling. Using New Zealand census data from 1966-2006, we develop a Bayesian predictive model to forecast the proportion of the population identifying as Christian in the future. A surprisingly simple linear model revealed that Christian affiliation in New Zealand has been steadily declining at a constant rate of around 0.90% per year since 1966. The model explained 97.4% of the variance in proportional change in the New Zealand Christian population over the past half-century. The model also offers testable predictions. We estimate that 46.1% of the population will identify as Christian in New Zealand in 2015, with a further decline to 41.7% by 2020. The 95% credible interval for the 2015 estimate is between 42.5% and 49.6%. The 95% credible interval for the 2020 estimate is between 37.7% and 45.8%. We consider both the strengths of this Bayesian crystal ball and its potential limitations.
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[
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264
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Hydroxyl and 1-hydroxyethyl free radical detection using spin traps followed by derivatization and gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Detection of hydroxyl free radicals is frequently performed by electron spin resonance (ESR) following spin trapping of the radical using 5,5-dimethylpyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) to generate a stable free radical having a characteristic ESR spectrum. The necessary ESR equipment is expensive and not readily available to many laboratories. In the present study, a specific and sensitive gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method for detection of hydroxyl and hydroxyethyl free radicals is described. The DMPO or N-t-butyl-alpha-phenylnitrone (PBN) radical adducts are extracted and derivatized by trimethylsylilation and analyzed by GC/MS. To standardize the method, . OH and 1-hydroxyethyl radicals were generated in two different systems: 1) a Fenton reaction in a pure chemical system in the absence or presence of ethanol and 2) in liver microsomal suspensions where ethanol is metabolized in the presence of NADPH. In the Fenton system both radicals were easily detected and specifically identified using DMPO or PEN. In microsomal suspensions DMPO proved better for detection of . OH radicals and PEN more suitable for detection of 1-hydroxyethyl radicals. The procedure is specific, sensitive and potentially as useful as ESR.
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206
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Factors affecting longitudinal trajectories of plasma sphingomyelins: the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Sphingomyelin metabolism has been linked to several diseases and to longevity. However, few epidemiological studies have quantified individual plasma sphingomyelin species (identified by acyl-chain length and saturation) or their relationship between demographic factors and disease processes. In this study, we determined plasma concentrations of distinct sphingomyelin species in 992 individuals, aged 55 and older, enrolled in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Participants were followed, with serial measures, up to 6 visits and 38years (3972 total samples). Quantitative analyses were performed on a high-performance liquid chromatography-coupled electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometer. Linear mixed models were used to assess variation in specific sphingomyelin species and associations with demographics, diseases, medications or lifestyle factors, and plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels. We found that most sphingomyelin species increased with age. Women had higher plasma levels of all sphingomyelin species and showed steeper trajectories of age-related increases compared to men. African Americans also showed higher circulating sphingomyelin concentrations compared to Caucasians. Diabetes, smoking, and plasma triglycerides were associated with lower levels of many sphingomyelins and dihydrosphingomyelins. Notably, these associations showed specificity to sphingomyelin acyl-chain length and saturation. These results demonstrate that longitudinal changes in circulating sphingomyelin levels are influenced by age, sex, race, lifestyle factors, and diseases. It will be important to further establish the intra-individual age- and sex-specific changes in each sphingomyelin species in relation to disease onset and progression.
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ARGUING ABOUT INTERVENTION: A COMPARISON OF BRITISH AND FRENCH RHETORIC SURROUNDING THE 1882 AND 1956 INVASIONS OF EGYPT. This article compares the rhetorical justifications surrounding two landmark instances of Western imperialism. In 1882, the British occupied Egypt, ousting indigenous protonationalist forces that supposedly threatened British and other foreign interests. The consequences of this intervention were still being worked out in 1956 when, in the wake of the Cairo regime's nationalization of the Suez Canal, the British again invaded. France participated on this occasion, with serious but differing political consequences for both. We suggest that comparing how the British and French argued about these issues, and also examining how the rhetoric of the later crisis contrasted with the earlier one, offers useful insights into the two nations' respective imperial cultures. Specifically, we suggest that the latter-day imperialists Anthony Eden and Guy Mollet couched their actions in internationalist rhetoric reminiscent both of the Gladstone government's justifications for intervention in 1882 and of French official explanations for their takeover in Tunisia a year earlier. Each claimed their actions were taken both to uphold better standards of governance and to restore regional order, itself a highly loaded concept. The language of imperial domination was eschewed; but the ends of empire were served by the use of this rhetoric of 'liberal order'.
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[
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183
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The comparative behavior of apatite-zircon U-Pb systems in Apollo 14 breccias: Implications for the thermal history of the Fra Mauro Formation. We report secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) U-Pb analyses of zircon and apatite from four breccia samples from the Apollo 14 landing site. The zircon and apatite grains Occur as cogenetic minerals in lithic clasts in two of the breccias and as unrelated mineral clasts in the matrices of the other two. SIMS U-Pb analyses show that the ages of zircon grains range from 4023 +/- 24 Ma to 4342 +/- 5 Ma, whereas all apatite grains define all isochron corresponding to all age of 3926 +/- 3 Ma. The disparity in the ages of cogenetic apatite and zircon demonstrates that the apatite U-Pb systems have been completely reset at 3926 +/- 3 Ma, whereas the U-Pb system of zircon has not been noticeably disturbed at this time. The apatite U-Pb age is slightly older than the ages determined by other methods oil Apollo 14 materials highlighting need to reconcile decay constants used for the U-Pb, Ar-Ar and Rb-Sr systems. We interpret the apatite age as a time of formation of the Fra Mauro Formation. If the interpretation of this Formation as all Imbrium ejecta is correct, apatite also determines the timing of Imbrium impact. The contrast in the Pb loss behavior of apatite and zircon places constraints oil the temperature history of the Apollo 14 breccias and we estimate, from the experimentally determined Pb diffusion constants and all approximation of the original depth of the excavated samples ill the Fra Mauro Formation, that the breccias experienced ail initial temperature of about 1300-1100 degrees C, but cooled within the first five to ten years.
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[
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292
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Kinetics and mechanism of the reaction of ozone with pyrocatechol and its derivatives. An extensive investigation of the reaction of ozone with two sets of catechols in organic solvents was carried out. One of the sets comprised pyrocatechol and three derivatives of that compound. The other group involved pyrocatechol derivatives in which the OH groups were protected as cyclic acetals. The rate constants of the two series of catechols are 3100-3230 and 500-828 dm(3) mol(-1) s(-1) and energy of activation: 1.7-2.5 and 5.5-6.0 kcal/mol, respectively. The values of the stoichiometry coefficients of these reactions are 5-6. At low conversions the main products of ozonation of the former type of catechols were quinones, while the latter type of catechols gave rise to compounds with an opened benzene ring. No signals could be registered when the reactions were followed by ESR. Calculations of the heats of reactions and reaction preexponentials are in agreement with the suggestion that the activated complexes of these reactions have an open structure. A probable scheme of the reactions is proposed.
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[
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331
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Toxicological evaluation of propane expanded tobacco. A tiered testing strategy has been developed to evaluate the potential for tobacco processes, ingredients, and other technological developments to increase or decrease the biological activity resulting from burning tobacco. The strategy is based on comparative chemical and biological testing. Propane expanded tobacco is an example of a processed tobacco used in the modern manufacture of cigarettes. Test cigarettes containing propane expanded tobacco were compared to control cigarettes containing tobacco expanded with a traditional expansion agent (Freon-11). The toxicological evaluation included chemistry studies using mainstream cigarette smoke (determination of selected constituent yields), in vitro studies using cigarette smoke condensate (Ames study in Salmonella typhimurium and sister chromatid exchange study in Chinese hamster ovary cells) and in vivo studies (13-week inhalation study of mainstream cigarette smoke in Sprague Dawley rats and 30-week dermal tumor promotion study of cigarette smoke condensate in SENCAR mice). Although statistically significant differences in several smoke constituents were observed, most constituents from cigarettes containing 100% propane expanded tobacco were within market survey ranges. Furthermore, biological tests indicated that the cigarettes containing propane or Freon-11 expanded tobacco were not significantly different. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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The Flexible Ends of CENP-A Nucleosome Are Required for Mitotic Fidelity. CENP-A is a histone variant, which replaces histone H3 at centromeres and confers unique properties to centromeric chromatin. The crystal structure of CENP-A nucleosome suggests flexible nucleosomal DNA ends, but their dynamics in solution remains elusive and their implication in centromere function is unknown. Using electron cryo-microscopy, we determined the dynamic solution properties of the CENP-A nucleosome. Our biochemical, proteomic, and genetic data reveal that higher flexibility of DNA ends impairs histone H1 binding to the CENP-A nucleosome. Substituting the 2-turn alpha N-helix of CENP-A with the 3-turn alpha N-helix of H3 results in compact particles with rigidified DNA ends, able to bind histone H1. In vivo replacement of CENP-A with H3-CENP-A hybrid nucleosomes leads to H1 recruitment, delocalization of kinetochore proteins, and significant mitotic and cytokinesis defects. Our data reveal that the evolutionarily conserved flexible ends of the CENP-A nucleosomes are essential to ensure the fidelity of the mitotic pathway.
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[
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56
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Carbon coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for sentinel lymph nodes mapping. Intra-operative lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph-adenectomy (LM/SL) maps the lymphatic path from the primary tumor to the regional nodes and permits selective excision of the first sentinel lymph nodes. It is a well established technique to detect occult regional node metastases for melanoma patients and breast cancer patients. In continuing attempts to improve accuracy, most surgeons now combine a dye (such as carbon particles) and radiopharmaceuticals when performing LM/SL. We developed a proto-type of carbon coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIO@C) for sentinel lymph nodes mapping. Compared with combining carbon particles and radiopharmaceuticals for performing LM/SL, there are a number of advantages with our approach: I. SPIO is an MRI contrast agent, thus pre-operative MRI may be used for LM/SL instead of gamma camera. There is no radiation associated with MRI, and MRI offers good tissue contrast and detailed cross-sectional images. II. There will be only needed one injection of SPIO@C nanoparticles, instead of administrating two successive injections of radiopharmaceuticals and carbon particles. III. During the operation, an intra-operative MRI scanner can be used, or more conveniently by a simple magnetometer.
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157
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Polyaniline-dioctyl phosphate salt for corrosion protection of iron. Dioctyl phosphate doped polyaniline (PANI-DOPH) was incorporated as active pigment in various resins. These were coated on MS panels, the coating was characterized and the resistance to corrosion was studied. FTIR spectra revealed the formation of an oxide layer on MS surface. Adhesion strength of the coating was found to decrease marginally after incorporating polyaniline. Impedance measurement and humidity cabinet exposure indicate that 5 phr PANI-DOPH containing epoxy coating offers protective performance for longer period compared to other resins. Field exposure study carried out in surf zone exhibited similar phenomena. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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SPONTANEOUS BACTERIAL PERITONITIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH-LEVELS OF INTERLEUKIN-6 AND ITS SECONDARY MEDIATORS IN ASCITIC FLUID. We investigated 37 patients with ascites and liver cirrhosis in order to examine whether on the basis of correlation of cytokines and acute phase proteins of the ascitic fluid, prognosis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis can be made. Significantly enhanced levels of interleukin-6, as well as acute phase reactants alpha-1-antitrypsin and C-reactive protein were found in the ascitic fluid of patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. The levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), neopterin, interleukin 2-receptor and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor were higher in patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, but without statistical significance, whereas no differences were found between the interferon gamma, interleukin-2 and interleukin-1 levels. In addition, interleukin-6, TNF-alpha and neopterin levels were found to correlate significantly with the outcome of the disease. These findings show that acute phase reaction occurs in the ascitic compartment in correlation with the development of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.
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155
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A new design technique for non-homogeneous media filters. Artificial dielectrics with a continuous spatial variation of the electromagnetic parameters used as high-pass filters are presented. First the theoretical model for the Propagation of the TFM field inside these materials is carried out by means of the nonuniform transmission lines. Second by using a generalization of the nonuniform transmission line theory a new, reflection coefficient closed form, that can be useful both in analysis and in synthesis purposes because of its easiness, speed and accuracy, is obtained Thus, a new design technique for microwave filters using such inhomogeneous materials, based on the new reflection coefficient closed form, is proposed Finally some numerical results that show both the filtering behavior of the inhomogeneous media and the capabilities of the new synthesis method are presented.
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[
8,
182
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Optimum cycle length models using atom search optimization and grasshopper optimization algorithms. A fixed-time traffic control system is widely used to manage the traffic flow at intersections. Cycle length has an important effect on the performance of the fixed-time control system and the Webster model is widely used in the literature to determine the cycle length. However, when the traffic flow ratio (Y) approaches 1, the Webster model loses its effectiveness and cannot determine the cycle length when Y is above 1. In the scope of this study, it is aimed to develop models that can predict cycle length for all traffic conditions in which are Y <= 1 and Y >= 1. Two different heuristic algorithms, atom search optimization (ASO) and grasshopper optimization algorithm (GOA) were used in the development of models and the performances of these algorithms were demonstrated. The efficiency of the developed models has been demonstrated by comparing them with both Webster's model and VISTRO optimization program. Models developed in exponential, power, and quadratic forms have been able to predict cycle lengths with lower delay values by showing better performance than Webster and VISTRO. In addition, statistical results show that the ASO approach is more successful than the GOA approach.
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[
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316
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Study protocol: efficacy of oral alitretinoin versus oral cyclosporine A in patients with severe recurrent vesicular hand eczema (ALICsA): a randomised prospective open-label trial with blinded outcome assessment. Methods and analysis This is an investigator-initiated randomised prospective open-label trial with blinded outcome assessment. Severity assessments and laboratory measurements will be conducted corresponding to daily practice. The study population will consist of 72 adult patients (age 18-75 years) with severe recurrent vesicular hand eczema. Patients are treated with either (group I) alitretinoin 30 mg once daily or (group II) cyclosporine with a starting dose of 5 mg/kg/day and a decrease in dosage after 8 weeks to 3-3.5 mg/kg/day. The treatment period is 24 weeks for both drugs. Primary endpoint for efficacy is response to treatment, defined as an improvement of 2 steps on a Physician Global Assessment, using a validated Photoguide, after 24 weeks of treatment. Secondary endpoints are improvement of Hand Eczema Severity Index, Quality of Life in Hand Eczema Questionnaire and a Patient Global Assessment. Adverse events and time to response will be registered. Furthermore, cost-utility, quality-adjusted life years and cost-effectiveness will be assessed with the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire while monitoring costs.Ethics and dissemination This protocol was reviewed and approved by the Medical Ethical Review Board of the University Medical Centre Groningen (reference METc 2015/375). The study will be conducted according to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki, in accordance with the Dutch Medical Research Involving Human Subjects Act.Introduction Systemic treatment with alitretinoin is registered for all clinical types of severe chronic hand eczema. However, it is especially effective in the hyperkeratotic subtype and less effective in non-hyperkeratotic forms. Cyclosporine A (cyclosporine) is prescribed for hand eczema in daily practice as well. It has shown to be particularly effective in patients with vesicular hand eczema. The primary objective of this study is to compare efficacy of alitretinoin and cyclosporine in the treatment of severe recurrent vesicular hand eczema.
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[
2,
80
] |
Indeterminate cell histiocytosis in association with later occurrence of acute myeloblastic leukaemia. Indeterminate cell histiocytosis (ICH) is a proliferation of indeterminate CD1a+, CD68+, S100+ and CD207- dermal dendritic cells. We describe a 39-year-old man who developed diffuse ICH and, 6 years later, acute myeloblastic leukaemia (AML). He was treated with cyclophosphamide, etoposide and vinblastine until 2003. In August 2004, he presented dyspnoea, hyperpyrexia and infiltration of the lung parenchyma, compatible with an AML invasion, and died after a course of induction chemotherapy. Cytomorphology and immunophenotype analyses suggested an ICH clonal evolution. The leukaemogenic role of etoposide is discussed. ICH has previously been reported in association with B-cell malignancy, but only one case has shown systemic progression.
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[
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323
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Effect of surfactant alkyl chain length on lyotropic uniaxial to biaxial cholesteric phase transitions. Some ionic surfactant-based lyotropic mixtures, exhibiting cholesteric phases, were prepared to investigate the effect of the surfactant alkyl chain length on a) uniaxial-to-biaxial phase transitions and b) stabilization of different cholesteric phases. Potassium alkanoates, KCx, (potassium undecanoate, KC11, potassium dodecanoate, KC12, and potassium tridecanoate, KC13) were chosen as the surfactant molecules. The lyotropic mixtures, which were composed of KCx/potassium sulfate (K2SO4)/decanol (DeOH)/water/brucine, where brucine is a chiral dopant molecule, were studied. Partial phase diagrams were constructed to show how the surfactant alkyl chain affects the phase topologies in the phase diagrams. It was observed that the presence of a longer surfactant alkyl chain in the mixture favors the stabilization of the larger discotic cholesteric, Ch(D), and cholesteric biaxial, Ch(B), phase domains. The phase transitions from the uniaxial cholesteric to biaxial cholesteric phase were shifted to lower temperatures.
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Digenic inheritance of an SMCHD1 mutation and an FSHD-permissive D4Z4 allele causes facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy type 2. Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD) is characterized by chromatin relaxation of the D4Z4 macrosatellite array on chromosome 4 and expression of the D4Z4-encoded DUX4 gene in skeletal muscle. The more common form, autosomal dominant FSHD1, is caused by contraction of the D4Z4 array, whereas the genetic determinants and inheritance of D4Z4 array contraction-independent FSHD2 are unclear. Here, we show that mutations in SMCHD1 (encoding structural maintenance of chromosomes flexible hinge domain containing 1) on chromosome 18 reduce SMCHD1 protein levels and segregate with genome-wide D4Z4 CpG hypomethylation in human kindreds. FSHD2 occurs in individuals who inherited both the SMCHD1 mutation and a normal-sized D4Z4 array on a chromosome 4 haplotype permissive for DUX4 expression. Reducing SMCHD1 levels in skeletal muscle results in D4Z4 contraction-independent DUX4 expression. Our study identifies SMCHD1 as an epigenetic modifier of the D4Z4 metastable epiallele and as a causal genetic determinant of FSHD2 and possibly other human diseases subject to epigenetic regulation.
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194
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The impact of 2 years of high-intensity exercise training on a model of integrated cardiovascular regulation. Assessing the effects of exercise training on cardiovascular variability is challenging because of the complexity of multiple mechanisms. In a prospective, parallel-group, randomized controlled study, we examined the effect of 2 years of high-intensity exercise training on integrated cardiovascular function, which incorporates the dynamic Starling mechanism, dynamic arterial elastance and arterial-cardiac baroreflex function. Sixty-one healthy participants (48% male, aged 53 years, range 52-54 years) were randomized to either 2 years of exercise training (exercise group: n = 34) or control/yoga group (controls: n = 27). Before and after 2 years, subjects underwent a 6 min recording of beat-by-beat pulmonary artery diastolic pressure (PAD), stroke volume index (SVindex), systolic blood pressure (sBP) and RR interval measurements with controlled respiration at 0.2 Hz. The dynamic Starling mechanism, dynamic arterial elastance and arterial-cardiac baroreflex function were calculated by transfer function gain between PAD and SVindex; SVindex and sBP; and sBP and RR interval, respectively. Fifty-three participants (controls: n = 25; exercise group: n = 28) completed the intervention. After 2 years, the dynamic Starling mechanism gain (Group x Time interaction: P = 0.008) and the arterial-cardiac baroreflex gain (P = 0.005) were significantly increased in the exercise group but remained unchanged in the controls. There was no change in dynamic arterial elastance in either of the two groups. The integrated cardiovascular function gain in the exercise group increased 1.34-fold, whereas there was no change in the controls (P = 0.02). In these previously sedentary, otherwise healthy middle-aged adults, a 2 year programme of high-intensity exercise training improved integrated cardiovascular regulation by enhancing the dynamic Starling mechanism and arterial-cardiac baroreflex sensitivity, without changing dynamic arterial elastance.
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[
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36
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The Use of Green Leaf Membranes to Promote Appetite Control, Suppress Hedonic Hunger and Loose Body Weight. On-going research aims at answering the question, which satiety signal is the most potent or which combination of satiety signals is the most potent to stop eating. There is also an aim at finding certain food items or food additives that could be used to specifically reduce food intake therapeutically. Therapeutic attempts to normalize body weight and glycaemia with single agents alone have generally been disappointing. The success of bariatric surgery illustrates the rationale of using several hormones to treat obesity and type-2-diabetes. We have found that certain components from green leaves, the thylakoids, when given orally have a similar rationale in inducing the release of several gut hormones at the same time. In this way satiety is promoted and hunger suppressed, leading to loss of body weight and body fat. The mechanism is a reduced rate of intestinal lipid hydrolysis, allowing the lipolytic products to reach the distal intestine and release satiety hormones. The thylakoids also regulate glucose uptake in the intestine and influences microbiota composition in the intestine in a prebiotic direction. Using thylakoids is a novel strategy for treatment and prevention of obesity.
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82
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Effect of Ionicity of Three Protic Ionic Liquids as Neat Lubricants and Lubricant Additives to a Biolubricant. Friction and wear of sliding surfaces are responsible for important energy losses and negative environmental effects. The use of environmentally friendly and cost-effective protic ionic liquids as neat lubricants and lubricant additives has the potential to increase the efficiency and durability of mechanical components without increasing the environmental damage. In this work, three halogen-free protic ionic liquids with increasing extent of ionicity, 2-hydroxyethylammonium 2-ethylhexanoate, 2-hydroxymethylammonium 2-ethylhexancate, and 2-hydroxydimethylammonium 2-ethylhexanoate, were synthesized and studied as neat lubricants and additives to a biodegradable oil in a steel-steel contact. The results show that the use of any protic ionic liquid as a neat lubricant or lubricant additive reduced friction and wear with respect to the biodegradable oil. The ionic liquid with the lowest ionicity reached the highest wear reduction. The one possessing the highest ionicity presented the poorest friction and wear behaviors as a neat lubricant, probably due to the more ionic nature of this liquid, which promoted tribocorrosion reactions on the steel surface. This ionic liquid performed better as an additive, showing that a small addition of this liquid in a biodegradable oil is enough to form protective layers on steel surfaces. However, it is not enough to accelerate the wear process with detrimental tribocorrosion reactions.
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SELF-SENSING ACTIVE MAGNETIC-LEVITATION. Magnetic bearing technology is now rapidly being introduced to industrial applications. The most popular configuration-applied is the ''classical'' one of gap sensor, current control, current-amplifier and magnetic coil. Here we present a magnetic levitation method which combines all the known advantages of active magnetic bearings in a self-sensing configuration. The novel method realizes stable and well damped levitation without any sensor hardware at the rotor. This is achieved by using the coil voltage of the magnetic bearing as system input (voltage instead of current amplifiers) and the current as system output. It is demonstrated that the resulting system is observable and controllable in the sense of control theory, allowing a magnetic bearing to be stabilized with a simple linear controller using current measurements alone. Several self-sensing bearings have been constructed at our lab. Their performance is comparable to systems with sensors, but hardware requirements and costs are substantially reduced. Experimental results are included.
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[
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A rare case of primary cutaneous diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, leg type, presenting as cellulitis: a case report. Primary cutaneous diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, leg type, accounts for only 4% of all cutaneous lymphomas and bears a worse prognosis than other cutaneous B-cell lymphomas. Diagnosis at an early stage may be difficult due to its nonspecific manifestations. We report an 88-year-old female who was brought to our emergency department due to two rapidly growing painful skin lesions with local redness and swelling on her right lower leg. We performed incisional biopsy of the two right lower leg skin lesions and sent the specimens for histopathological examination. The pathological examination was compatible with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Primary cutaneous diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, leg type, is a rare condition that can present as skin cellulitis, thereby misleading clinicians and resulting in delayed treatment. This diagnosis should be considered when assessing skin lesions.
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Thermodynamic optimization of Co-Ge binary system. Phase diagram of Co-Ge binary system was thermodynamically assessed by using CALPHAD approach in this study. The excess Gibbs energy of the solution phases, liquid, alpha(Co) and epsilon(Co), were modeled with Redlich-Kister polynomial. Magnetic contribution to the Gibbs energy was also taken into account for alpha(Co) and epsilon(Co). Considering its crystal structure and solubility range, the intermetallic compound beta Co5Ge3, with B8(2)-structure, was particularly described with a three-sublattice model, (Co,Va)(1):(Co)(4):(Co,Ge)(3). And the compound CoGe was described with two-sublattice model according to its crystal structure. Other intermetallic compounds were described as stoichiometric phases because of their narrow homogeneity ranges or unknown crystal structure. In order to obtain a reasonable description of several Co-Ge compounds, first-principle calculations were performed before optimization to determine their formation enthalpies. Finally, a set of thermodynamic parameters was finally obtained so that most data of phase boundaries and thermodynamic properties of various phases were reproduced in present optimization. Crown Copyright (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Research trends in MSC 65 numerical analysis. The modern research area of numerical analysis was created to study the mathematics of computation after the second World War. Mathematicians in general and even specialists may not be aware of overall trends in research and especially not in quantifiable form because of the diverse subject matter. Bibliometric data show that the largest and most rapidly growing portion of numerical analysis is statistical computing. The geographic distribution of researchers is also uneven reflecting differences in national research policies.
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Type I interferons attenuate T cell activating functions of human mast cells by decreasing TNF-alpha production and OX40 ligand expression while increasing IL-10 production. Recent studies have demonstrated that mast cells not only mediate inflammatory reactions in type I allergy but also play an important role in adaptive immunity. In the present study, we investigated the effects of interferon-alpha, which shares the same receptor as IFN-beta, on human cord blood-derived mast cells. Mast cells produced TNF-alpha, and IL-10, and expressed OX40 ligand upon activation by crosslinking of Fc epsilon RI. When treated with interferon-alpha, TNF-alpha production was decreased while IL-10 and TGF-beta productions were increased. Furthermore, flow cytometric analysis revealed that interferon-alpha downregulated expression OX40 ligand on mast cells which is crucial for mast cell-T cell interaction. We confirmed that the viability of mast cells was not affected by interferon-alpha treatment. Accordingly, interferon-alpha-treated mast cells induced lower levels of CD4(+) T cell proliferation compared with those without interferon-alpha treatment. These results suggest that type I interferons suppress T cell immune responses through their regulatory effects on mast cells.
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16
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Integrating sense of place in planning and management of multifunctional river landscapes: experiences from five European case studies. River landscapes are complex social-ecological systems with many benefits for people. A common challenge is to integrate social values in river planning and management. In particular, there is a paucity of research on the meaning and significance of place in river recreation and how people feel emotionally and spiritually connected to river landscapes. Based on five European case studies, this study compares different methods and approaches for mapping sense of place in river landscapes and subsequently addresses the question of how these studies can inform participatory processes. The case studies are set in diverse geographical, institutional and policy contexts, including the planning and evaluation of river restoration projects in Switzerland, Denmark, Germany and Spain and the monitoring of the effects of newly constructed river dams in the Netherlands. This comparative study is a first step in understanding the breadth of analytical and spatial approaches that can be used to assess sense of place in river landscapes and their implications for resilient river landscape planning and management.
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Multiple circadian clock outputs regulate diel turnover of carbon and nitrogen reserves. Plants accumulate reserves in the daytime to support growth at night. Circadian regulation of diel reserve turnover was investigated by profiling starch, sugars, glucose 6-phosphate, organic acids, and amino acids during a light-dark cycle and after transfer to continuous light in Arabidopsis wild types and in mutants lacking dawn (lhy cca1), morning (prr7 prr9), dusk (toc1, gi), or evening (elf3) clock components. The metabolite time series were integrated with published time series for circadian clock transcripts to identify circadian outputs that regulate central metabolism. (a) Starch accumulation was slower in elf3 and prr7 prr9. It is proposed that ELF3 positively regulates starch accumulation. (b) Reducing sugars were high early in the T-cycle in elf3, revealing that ELF3 negatively regulates sucrose recycling. (c) The pattern of starch mobilization was modified in all five mutants. A model is proposed in which dawn and dusk/evening components interact to pace degradation to anticipated dawn. (d) An endogenous oscillation of glucose 6-phosphate revealed that the clock buffers metabolism against the large influx of carbon from photosynthesis. (e) Low levels of organic and amino acids in lhy cca1 and high levels in prr7 prr9 provide evidence that the dawn components positively regulate the accumulation of amino acid reserves.
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Extracellular Vesicles: Schistosomal Long-Range Precise Weapon to Manipulate the Immune Response. Schistosomiasis (Bilharziasis), a neglected tropical disease that affects more than 240 million people around the world, is caused by infection with the helminth parasite Schistosoma. As part of their secretome, schistosomes release extracellular vesicles (EVs) that modulate the host immune response. The EV-harbored miRNAs upregulate the innate immune response of the M1 pathway and downregulate the differentiation toward the adaptive Th2 immunity. A schistosomal egg-derived miRNA increases the percentage of regulatory T cells. This schistosomal-inducible immunoediting process generates ultimately a parasitic friendly environment that is applied carefully as restrained Th2 response is crucial for the host survival and successful excretion of the eggs. Evidence indicates a selective targeting of schistosomal EVs, however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear yet. The effects of the schistosomes on the host immune system is in accordance with the hygiene hypothesis, attributing the dramatic increase in recent decades in allergy and other diseases associated with imbalanced immune response, to the reduced exposure to infectious agents that co-evolved with humans during evolution. Deciphering the bioactive cargo, function, and selective targeting of the parasite-secreted EVs may facilitate the development of novel tools for diagnostics and delivered therapy to schistosomiasis, as well as to immune-associated disorders.
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Modeling the Co2+ Binding to Amyloid Peptide A beta 13-23 in Water Environment by NMR Spectroscopy. Alzheimer's disease is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder involving the abnormal accumulation and deposition of peptides (amyloid-beta, A beta) derived from the amyloid precursor protein. Various factors that cause pathology data are revealed, but, at the moment, there is no clear understanding of the processes of plaque formation. This is interesting and actual problem because metals such as zinc, manganese, and others induce A beta aggregation and fibril formation at high metal concentrations, while low concentration metal ions selectively destabilize the A beta oligomeric species. In present paper, we report a structural studies of the Co2+ ion binding sites of A beta fragments in water environment by 1D (H-1) and 2D (H-1-H-1) NMR spectroscopy. According to the observed changes in the NMR spectra that were determined, the cobalt binding center of the A beta(13-23) peptide is associated with the aspartate and glutamine residues. Structural model of cobalt associated with A beta peptide was obtained.
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Dielectric constant and density of aqueous alkali halide solutions by molecular dynamics: A force field assessment. The concentration dependence of the dielectric constant and the density of 11 aqueous alkali halide solutions (LiCl, NaCl, KCl, RbCl, CsCl, LiI, NaI, KI, CsI, KF, and CsF) is investigated by molecular simulation. Predictions using eight non-polarizable ion force fields combined with the TIP4P/epsilon water model are compared to experimental data. The influence of the water model and the temperature on the results for the NaCl brine are also addressed. The TIP4P/epsilon water model improves the accuracy of dielectric constant predictions compared to the SPC/E water model. The solution density is predicted well by most ion models. Almost all ion force fields qualitatively capture the decline of the dielectric constant with the increase of concentration for all solutions and with the increase of temperature for NaCl brine. However, the sampled dielectric constant is mostly in poor quantitative agreement with experimental data. These results are related to the microscopic solution structure, ion pairing, and ultimately the force field parameters. Ion force fields with excessive contact ion pairing and precipitation below the experimental solubility limit generally yield higher dielectric constant values. An adequate reproduction of the experimental solubility limit should therefore be a prerequisite for further investigations of the dielectric constant of aqueous electrolyte solutions by molecular simulation.
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Robust Detection of Premature Ventricular Contractions Using a Wave-Based Bayesian Framework. Detection and classification of ventricular complexes from the ECG is of considerable importance in Holter and critical care patient monitoring, being essential for the timely diagnosis of dangerous heart conditions. Accurate detection of premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) is particularly important in relation to life-threatening arrhythmias. In this paper, we introduce a model-based dynamic algorithm for tracking the ECG characteristic waveforms using an extended Kalman filter. The algorithm can work on single or multiple leads. A \\'polargram\\'-a polar representation of the signal-is introduced, which is constructed using the Bayesian estimations of the state variables. The polargram allows the specification of a polar envelope for normal rhythms. Moreover, we propose a novel measure of signal fidelity by monitoring the covariance matrix of the innovation signals throughout the filtering procedure. PVCs are detected by simultaneous tracking the signal fidelity and the polar envelope. Five databases, including 40 records from MIT-BIH arrhythmia database, are used for differentiating normal, PVC, and other beats. Performance evaluation results show that the proposed method has an average detection accuracy of 99.10%, aggregate sensitivity of 98.77%, and aggregate positive predictivity of 97.47%. Furthermore, the method is capable of 100% accuracy for records that contain only PVCs and normal sinus beats. The results illustrate that the method can contribute to, and enhance the performance of clinical PVC detection.
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52
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Quality Specifications for the Determination of Copper, Zinc, and Selenium in Human Serum or Plasma: Evaluation of an Approach Based on Biological and Analytical Variation. RESULTS: Minimal quality specifications developed from the biological intra- and interindividUal variability were, for Cu, +/- 0.84 mu mol/L or 12% of the assigned target concentration, whichever is greater; for Zn, +/- 1.20 mu mol/L, or 15% of the assigned target concentration, whichever is greater; and for Se, +/- 0.072 mu mol/L, or 12% of the assigned target concentration, whichever is greater. Reported performance of the participating laboratories depended on analyte, concentration, and the selected quality specification. In addition, the most commonly used methods for the determination of Cu, Zn, and Se may give different results.BACKGROUND: Trace element external quality assessment schemes monitor laboratory performance and provide a stimulus for improvement in accuracy. However, monitoring of participant performance varies according to the scheme and can lead to conflicting conclusions.CONCLUSIONs: The proposed minimal quality specifications based on biological variation are generally slightly less stringent than those currently in use, although they do not drastically change the performance evaluation in the different schemes. These specifications are a first step in the harmonization of practices among the schemes and remain to be evaluated. (C) 2008 American Association for Clinical ChemistryMETHODS: Quality specifications based on biological intra- and interindividual variability were calculated and compared to those currently used by various trace element external quality assessment schemes for plasma or serum copper, zinc, and Selenium concentrations. For this purpose, we evaluated results reported by participating laboratories in different schemes, at key concentrations, using z scores.
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Synthesis, growth and computational studies on vanillin nicotinamide single crystals. Vanillin nicotinamide (VN) has been grown by the slow evaporation method using ethanol solvent. The structural parameters and crystalline nature occurring in the crystal were analyzed by X-ray diffraction techniques. The functional groups and vibrational modes were analyzed by spectral studies. The optical absorption property of the VN crystal was analyzed using Ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer. Thermal stability of the grown crystal was performed through thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis. The Fourier transform infrared spectrum of VN in solid-phase was recorded in order to identify the functional groups. Density functional theory computations were used by B3LYP/6-3-21G (d, P) as a standard basis set to optimize molecular geometry. The highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO)- lowest-unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy gap and natural bond orbital of the grown VN crystal were examined using the B3LYP/3-21G (d, p) basis set.
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Habitat use of large ungulates in northeastern Germany in relation to forest management. Estimating large herbivore density has been a major area of research in recent decades. Previous studies monitoring ungulate density, however, focused mostly on determining animal abundance, and did not interpret animal distribution in relation to habitat parameters. We surveyed large ungulates in the Biodiversity Exploratory Schorfheide-Chorin using faecal pellet group counts. This allowed us to explore the link between relative ungulate abundance, habitat use, and browsing damage on trees in a region with several types of forest, including unharvested and age-class beech forests, as well as age-class pine forests. Our results demonstrate that roe deer and fallow deer relative abundance is negatively correlated with large tree cover, and positively correlated with the cover of small shrubs (Rubus spec., Vaccinium spec.), and winter food supply. Habitat use of roe deer and fallow deer, as estimated by counting faecal pellet groups, revealed a preference for mature pine forests, and avoidance of deciduous forests. This differential habitat use is explained by different distributions of high quality food resources during winter. The response of deer to understory cover differed between roe deer and fallow deer at high cover percentages. The amount of browsing damage we observed on coniferous trees was not consistent with the relative deer abundance. Browsing damage was consistently higher on most deciduous trees, except for beech saplings which sustained less damage when roe deer density was low. Because roe deer is a highly selective feeder, it was reported to affect tree diversity by feeding only on trees with high nutritional value. Consequently, we propose that managing the number of all deer species by hunting is necessary to allow successful forest regeneration. Such an adjustment to deer numbers would need to account for both current tree diversity and alternative food resources. Our findings may be applicable to other forest landscapes in northeastern Germany including mature pine stands and differently harvested deciduous forests. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Maghemite-human serum albumin hybrid nanoparticles: towards a theranostic system with high MRI r(2)(star) relaxivity. Human Serum Albumin (HSA) is the most abundant plasma protein in human blood, and therefore, it is the material of choice for the development of particulate formulations due to its biodegradable and biocompatible nature. Over the last decade, HSA nanoparticles (NPs) have been prepared mostly using desolvation techniques and evaluated as promising drug carriers. In addition, controlling the particle size has become a primary concern while formulating such nanoparticulate systems. Since many of these HSA-based carrier systems have often demonstrated batch-to-batch fabrication variability, significant efforts have been made to develop and characterize HSA-based NPs featuring a robust and controllable particle size, by using a desolvation/cross-linking-type Divinyl Sulfone (DVS)-mediated nanofabrication method. For this purpose and for global multi-parameter fabrication process optimization, a statistically significant Design of Experiment (DoE, MINITAB (R) DoE software) methodology has been successfully implemented. It aimed to disclose an optimal set of HSA NP fabrication conditions in order to afford highly reproducible and stable 23.05 +/- 5.3 nm-sized DoE-globally optimized core HSA NPs. Due to the use of bifunctional DVS as a cross-linker for the preparation of such DoE-optimized HSA NPs, their surface contains a variety of free functional groups which are available for further second step functional modifications. Moreover, related hybrid organic/inorganic nanosystems consisting of DoE-optimized HSA NPs that encapsulated hydrophilic (NH4)(2)Ce(IV)(NO3)6 (Ceric Ammonium Nitrate CAN) modified gamma-Fe2O3 NPs (CAN-maghemite or CAN-gamma-Fe2O3 NPs), which enable medical imaging using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have also been fabricated and characterized. The resulting hybrid magnetic NPs are a quite powerful T-2(star) contrast agent (r(2)(star) of 482 mM(-1) s(-1)), which may be used as a powerful dual phase platform for both therapeutic (drug delivery) and diagnostic imaging (MRI) applications.
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Burden of disease in Thailand: changes in health gap between 1999 and 2004. Conclusion: The study highlights unique pattern of disease burden in Thailand whereby epidemiological transition have occurred as non-communicable diseases were on the rise but burden from HIV/AIDS resulting from the epidemic in the 1990s remains high and injuries show negligent change. Lessons point that assessing DALY over time critically requires continuing improvement in data sources particularly on cause of death statistics, institutional capacity and long term commitments.Results: Between 1999 and 2004, DALYs loss per 1,000 population in 2004 slightly decreased in men but a minor increase in women was observed. HIV/AIDS maintained the highest burden for men in both 1999 and 2004 while in 2004, stroke took over the 1999 first rank of HIV/AIDS in women. Among the top twenty diseases, there was a slight increase of the proportion of non-communicable diseases and two out of three infectious diseases revealed a decrease burden except for lower respiratory tract infections.Background: Continuing comprehensive assessment of population health gap is essential for effective health planning. This paper assessed changes in the magnitude and pattern of disease burden in Thailand between 1999 and 2004. It further drew lessons learned from applying the global burden of disease (GBD) methods to the Thai context for other developing country settings.Methods: Multiple sources of mortality and morbidity data for both years were assessed and used to estimate Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) loss for 110 specific diseases and conditions relevant to the country's health problems. Causes of death from national vital registration were adjusted for misclassification from a verbal autopsy study.
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Substrate oxidation during exercise: type 2 diabetes is associated with a decrease in lipid oxidation and an earlier shift towards carbohydrate utilization. Results: Lipid oxidation was lower in the diabetic group, independent of exercise intensity. PLipoxMax and COP were lower in the diabetic group [PLipoxMax=25.3 +/- 1.4% vs. 36.6 +/- 1.7% %Wmax (P < 0.0001)] - COP =24.2 +/- 2.2% vs. 38.8 +/- 1.9% %Wmax (P < 0.0001).Conclusions: Type 2 diabetes is associated with a decrease in lipid oxidation at exercise and a shift towards a predominance of carbohydrate oxidation for exercise intensities lower than in control subjects. Taking into account these alterations could provide a basis for personalizing training intensity.Objectives: Exercise is a recommended treatment for type 2 diabetes but the actual pattern of metabolic adaptation to exercise in this disease is poorly known and not taken in account in the protocols used. Metabolic defects involved in the pathways of substrate oxidation were described in type 2 diabetes. We hypothesized that type 2 diabetes, regardless of age, gender, training status and weight, could influence by its own the balance of substrates at exercise.Methods: 30 sedentary type 2 diabetic subjects and 38 sedentary matched control subjects were recruited. We used exercise calorimetry to determine lipid and carbohydrate oxidation rates. We calculated two parameters quantifying the balance of substrates induced by increasing exercise intensity: the maximal lipid oxidation point (PLipoxMax) and the Crossover point (COP), intensity from which the part of carbohydrate utilization providing energy becomes predominant on lipid oxidation.
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Effect of Pt and FePt Layer Thickness on Microstructure and Magnetic Properties of L1(0) FePt Films With Perpendicular Anisotropy. The effect of the thicknesses of the Pt intermediate layer and FePt magnetic layer in CrV/ Pt/ FePt multilayers on the microstructure and magnetic properties for the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy was investigated. The Pt (0-4 nm) and FePt (7-28 nm) layers were deposited on a 90 nm-thick Cr94V6 underlayer at 350 degrees C, and the crystal structure and magnetic properties of the fabricated CrV/ Pt/ FePt multilayers were characterized. X-ray diffraction and vibrating sample magnetometer measurements revealed that the out-of-plane coercivity (Hc-out) and squareness increase when the Pt intermediate layer is deposited between CrV and FePt because it protects against diffusion of Cr and V atoms into the FePt magnetic layer during deposition. In addition, we confirmed that Hc-out and squareness decrease with increasing FePt layer thickness in the range of 7-28 nm. As a result, the maximum Hc-out, S, and squareness were obtained for a multilayer with a CrV thickness of 90 nm, Pt thickness of 2 nm, and FePt thickness of 7 nm. This paper shows that highly ordered FePt L1(0) (001) can be fabricated by sublayer thickness control.
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Solution Structure of the Heterotrimeric Complex between the Interaction Domains of RFX5 and RFXAP from the RFX Gene Regulatory Complex. The mammalian immune response is mediated by a heterotetrameric transcriptional control complex, called regulatory factor X (RFX), that regulates the expression of major histocompatibility complex class H genes. RFX comprises three proteins: RFX5 (two copies), RFXAP, and RFXB, and mutations and deletions that prevent the assembly of the RFX complex have been linked to a severe immunodeficiency disorder. Two RFX5 molecules and one RFXAP molecule assemble in the cytoplasm prior to nuclear localization, a process mediated by an N-terminal \\'dimerization domain\\' of RFX5 (RFX5(N)) and a C-terminal domain of RFXAP (RFXAP(C)). We previously presented evidence that RFXAP(C) is unstructured in the absence of RFX5(N) but adopts a regular structure in the RFX5(2)(N)_RFXAP(C) complex and that the RFX5(2)(N)_RFXAP(C) complex binds RFXB with high affinity. We now report the structure of the RFX5(2)(N)_RFXAP(C) complex, determined in solution by N-15- and C-13-edited NMR spectroscopy. RFX5(N) consists of a long central helix flanked by two shorter helices The central helices of the two RFX5(N) molecules form an antiparallel coiled coil, and the flanking helices pack at the ends of the long helices in a perpendicular arrangement such that the RFX5(N) dimer is shaped like a staple. RFXAP(C) consists of two a-helices that form a V-shaped structure that packs within the RFX5(2)(N) staple. Leucine residues in the leucine-rich region of RFX5(N) (62-LYLYLQL-68) that are critical for major histocompatibility complex class II gene expression in vivo contribute to both the dimer (Leu64 and Leu68) and the RFX5(N) _RFXAP(C) interfaces (Leu62 and Leu66). The clustering of hydrophobic residues from different regions of RFXAPc suggests a potential binding site for RFXB. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.
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An anti-hair loss treatment in the management of mild androgenetic alopecia: Results from a large, international observational study. Androgenic alopecia (AGA) is a common and chronic condition. It may impact self-esteem, self-image and quality of life. Benefit, tolerability, cosmetic acceptance and patient satisfaction are key to ensure good treatment outcome. Hair loss improvement and hair quality with AC5 (2,4-Diamino-Pyrimidine-N-Oxyde, arginine, 6-O glucose linoleate (SP94), piroctone olamine and Vichy mineralizing water) once daily was assessed in 527 subjects with mild AGA in an open-label, observational, international real-life study. After 3 months, investigators evaluated the impact of AC5 on hair loss, product satisfaction and asked subjects about local tolerance; subjects assessed hair growth and quality and satisfaction. Data from 357 subjects were evaluable for the benefit analysis; 59.9% of subjects were female; the mean age was 33.6 +/- 8.7 years. Duration of hair loss was 1.62 +/- 2.24 years. 71.3% of women had a Ludwig score of 1 and 40.8% of men had a Hamilton Norwood score of 2. At the end of study, hair loss was reduced in 89.0% of subjects; it was slightly higher in women (92.5%) than in men (83.8%). Subject satisfaction on a scale from 0 (not satisfied at all) to 10 (completely satisfied) was 7.9 +/- 1.7. Tolerance was rated good to very good by 98.6% of all subjects. In conclusion, AC5 reduces mild AGA in both men and women with a pleasant texture. AC5 was well tolerated and highly appreciated.
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Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency genotypes and allele frequencies in the Kavango and Zambezi regions of northern Namibia. Methods A multistaged cross-sectional sampling method was used to enrol 212 children 2-9 y of age from schools and clinics in the Okavango and Zambezi regions of northern Namibia. Genotypes for the 202 G -> A and 376 A -> G mutations were assigned by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism.Conclusions The frequency of G6PD deficiency alleles in males in the Kavango and Zambezi regions of northern Namibia constitute 3.27%, a first report to inform policy on primaquine role out.Background Namibia has made significant gains in the fight against malaria, with a target of elimination by 2023. We examined the genotype and allele frequencies of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency to inform decisions on primaquine use, as we recently detected clusters of Plasmodium ovale curtisi in Kavango.Results Of the 212 subjects enrolled, genotypes were available for 210, made up of 61 males and 149 females. G6PD-deficient males (hemizygotes) and females (homozygotes) constituted 3.27% (2/61) and 0.0% (0/149), respectively. Female heterozygotes (AA- and BA-) constituted 10.07% (15/149), while G6PD wild-type males (with A or B haplotype) and females (with AA, BB or AB haplotypes) consisted of 96.72% (59/61) and 89.93% (134/149), respectively. The A-, A and B allele frequencies were 0.0474, 0.3036 and 0.6490, respectively. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium tests for female genotype frequencies did not show deviation (p=0.29).
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RISE Up: Facilitating Frontline Responder Collaboration on Co-Occurring Child Welfare and Intimate Partner Violence Cases. Intimate partner violence (IPV) services are necessary in numerous human service systems, requiring responders (e.g., victim services, law enforcement, social service providers) to collaborate with one another to best meet the needs of their respective clients. Child welfare workers, in particular, carry caseloads with a high prevalence of IPV, yet have reported significant barriers to successful collaboration with other responder roles, such as tension regarding who is the primary client (i.e., the IPV victim or the child). This study explores the qualitative responses of child welfare workers in Florida to understand their collaboration experiences, focusing specifically on their perceptions of facilitative factors of collaboration. Data were collected in Wave 4 of the Florida Study of Professionals for Safe Families, an ongoing longitudinal study of turnover among newly hired child welfare workers. Participants in child welfare and health and human services roles were asked to provide a response to the open-ended item: \\'What is most helpful in establishing strong collaborations with other responders on cases that involve intimate partner violence?\\' To better contextualize the results, the analytic sample was ultimately reduced to 526 child welfare workers currently employed in Florida who reported ever working on cases with IPV and provided a response to the open-ended item. Based on a thematic analysis, findings lend to a conceptual model of IPV collaboration among frontline workers that promotes institutional empathy through a cumulative building of communication, rapport, appreciation for teamwork, and consistent understanding of case processes: The Responder InStitutional Empathy (RISE) model of collaboration. Frontline worker efforts to improve collaboration would be bolstered by the accompanying efforts of leadership. The authors suggest increasing mechanisms to promote joint work between responder roles, such as cross-training and colocation.
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Real time near-infrared Raman spectroscopy for the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal cancer. Near-infrared (NIR) Raman spectroscopy has been investigated as a tool to differentiate nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) from normal nasopharyngeal tissue in an ex-vivo setting. Recently, we have miniaturized the fiber-optic Raman probe to investigate its utility in real time in-vivo surveillance of NPC patients. A posterior probability model using partial linear square (PLS) mathematical technique was constructed to verify the sensitivity and specificity of Raman spectroscopy in diagnosing NPC from post-irradiated and normal tissue using a diagnostic algorithm from three significant latent variables. NIR-Raman signals of 135 sites were measured from 79 patients with either newly diagnosed NPC (N = 12), post irradiated nasopharynx (N = 37) and normal nasopharynx (N = 30). The mean Raman spectra peaks identified differences at several Raman peaks at 853 cm-1, 940 cm(-1), 1078 cm(-1), 1335 cm(-1), 1554 cm(-1), 2885 cm(-1) and 2940 cm(-1) in the three different nasopharyngeal conditions. The sensitivity and specificity of distinguishing Raman signatures among normal nasopharynx versus NPC and post-irradiated nasopharynx versus NPC were 91% and 95%; and 77% and 96% respectively. Real time near-infrared Raman spectroscopy has a high specificity in distinguishing malignant from normal nasopharyngeal tissue in vivo, and may be investigated as a novel non-invasive surveillance tool in patients with nasopharyngeal cancer.
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Bullying during adolescence in Brazil: an overview. Bullying has been the subject of worldwide study for over four decades and is widely reported by social media. Despite this, the issue is a relatively new area of research in Brazil. This study analyzes academic literature addressing bullying produced in Brazil focusing on aspects that characterize this issue as a subtype of violence: gender differences, factors associated with bullying, consequences, and possible intervention and prevention approaches. The guiding question of this study was: what have Brazilian researchers produced regarding bullying among adolescents? The results show that over half of the studies used quantitative approaches, principally cross-sectional methods and questionnaires, and focused on determining the prevalence of and factors associated with bullying. The findings showed a high prevalence of bullying among Brazilian adolescents, an association between risk behavior and bullying, serious consequences for the mental health of young people, lack of awareness and understanding among adolescents about bullying and its consequences, and a lack of strategies to manage this type of aggression. There is a need for intervention studies, prevention and restorative practices that involve the community and can be applied to everyday life at school.
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Genetic Diversity of Soft Rot Pathogens in Potato of South Indian Origin. Totally 25 isolates were obtained from spoiled potato, among those isolates virulent strains were screened by pathogenecity. Diversity of soft rot pathogens in spoiled potato was identified by 16 S rRNA sequencing revealing Cellulosimicrobium funkei, Enterobacter asburiae, Kocuria palustris, Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum, Bacillus subtilis subsp. inaquosorum, Bacillus aryabhattai, Arthrobacter nicotianae and Klebsiella oxytoca. Among those pathogens Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum has higher polygalacturonase, pectinolytic and cellulolytic activity. It has higher rot severity and broad host range infecting various families of vegetables like Alliaceae (Onion), Apiaceae (carrot), Brassicaceae (cabbage, broccoli, radish), Cucurbitaceae (Ivy gourd) and Solanaceae (green pepper, capsicum, potato, tomato).
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Moire topography: Characteristics and clinical application. Since 1970, the Moire phenomenon has been employed as a method of clinical diagnosis in topographical analyses of the human body. The objective of this study was to review the literature on the main characteristics of the Moire phenomenon and its use as a topographical method for clinical applications, particularly those related to postural deviations. A systematic search for papers written in English between 1966 and 2010 was performed according to pre-established selection criteria and the selected studies underwent a content analysis. The results showed an evolution in the method of Moire topography (MT), which reflect an increasing effort to improve the accuracy and precision of the method, as well as to facilitate the interpretation of topograms using specific software. The Shadow and Projection Moire techniques have more frequently been used in comparison with other techniques. On the other hand, the methodological procedures of MT are apparently not well defined in the literature. Although MT was shown to be useful in the detection of spinal deformities, there is still a lack of research in clinical settings, especially in the elderly. For the most part, the studies involve the tracking of scoliosis in school age children. Japan appears to be the most advanced country in terms of the application of MT. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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A new estimation of the axial shielding factors for multishell cylindrical shields. A new, more accurate formula describing double and multiple-shell axial magnetic shielding is obtained as a result of numerical verification of existing estimations. A standard ANSYS (R) software package was used. Parameters of the numerical model are as follows. Two concentric, closed cylinders of equal thickness and constant permeability are considered. The thickness-to-diameter ratio of the outer cylinder is t/D-2=1/100, its length-to-diameter ratio varies as L-2/D-2=3, 4, and 5, the ratio of the cylinders' outer diameters varies as D-1/D-2=0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, and 0.9, a range of the ratio of the cylinders' lengths is L-1/L-2=0.1-0.9, and a range of the relative permeability is mu =10(3)-10(6). A significant disagreement between the existing estimations and between each of them and the numerical model is found. One of the examined algorithms is modified to improve its precision. A remarkable improvement in the accuracy of the new algorithm compared to both existing methods is achieved. On a basis of the new algorithm, a new formula describing multishell axial magnetic shielding is suggested. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)82008-3].
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Legislative smoking bans for reducing harms from secondhand smoke exposure, smoking prevalence and tobacco consumption. Main resultsOne author extracted characteristics and content of the interventions, participants, outcomes and methods of the included studies and a second author checked the details. We extracted health and smoking behaviour outcomes. We did not attempt a meta-analysis due to the heterogeneity in design and content of the studies included. We evaluated the studies using qualitative narrative synthesis.To assess the effects of legislative smoking bans on (1) morbidity and mortality from exposure to secondhand smoke, and (2) smoking prevalence and tobacco consumption.Search methodsData collection and analysisObjectivesSelection criteriaBackgroundWe considered studies that reported legislative smoking bans affecting populations. The minimum standard was having an indoor smoking ban explicitly in the study and a minimum of six months follow-up for measures of smoking behaviour. Our search included a broad range of research designs including: randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies (i. e. non-randomized controlled studies), controlled before-and-after studies, interrupted time series as defined by the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Group, and uncontrolled pre-and post-ban data.Authors' conclusionsWe searched the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group Specialised Register, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and reference lists of included studies. We also checked websites of various organisations. Date of most recent search; February 2015.There are 77 studies included in this updated review. We retained 12 studies from the original review and identified 65 new studies. Evidence from 21 countries is provided in this update, an increase of eight countries from the original review. The nature of the intervention precludes randomized controlled trials. Thirty-six studies used an interrupted time series study design, 23 studies use a controlled before-and-after design and 18 studies are before-and-after studies with no control group; six of these studies use a cohort design. Seventy-two studies reported health outcomes, including cardiovascular (44), respiratory (21), and perinatal outcomes (7). Eleven studies reported national mortality rates for smoking-related diseases. A number of the studies report multiple health outcomes. There is consistent evidence of a positive impact of national smoking bans on improving cardiovascular health outcomes, and reducing mortality for associated smoking-related illnesses. Effects on respiratory and perinatal health were less consistent. We found 24 studies evaluating the impact of national smoke-free legislation on smoking behaviour. Evidence of an impact of legislative bans on smoking prevalence and tobacco consumption is inconsistent, with some studies not detecting additional long-term change in existing trends in prevalence.Since the first version of this review was published, the current evidence provides more robust support for the previous conclusions that the introduction of a legislative smoking ban does lead to improved health outcomes through reduction in SHS for countries and their populations. The clearest evidence is observed in reduced admissions for acute coronary syndrome. There is evidence of reduced mortality from smoking-related illnesses at a national level. There is inconsistent evidence of an impact on respiratory and perinatal health outcomes, and on smoking prevalence and tobacco consumption.Smoking bans have been implemented in a variety of settings, as well as being part of policy in many jurisdictions to protect the public and employees from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke (SHS). They also offer the potential to influence social norms and the smoking behaviour of those populations they affect. Since the first version of this review in 2010, more countries have introduced national smoking legislation banning indoor smoking.
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Metal Sulfides as Excellent Co-catalysts for H2O2 Decomposition in Advanced Oxidation Processes. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are widely proposed for treating persistent pollutants by the, OH radicals generated from H2O2 decomposition. However, their broad applications in practical settings have been hampered by the low efficiency of H2O2 decomposition. Here, we report that metal sulfides (MoS2, WS2, Cr2S3, CoS2, PbS, or ZnS) can serve as excellent co-catalysts to greatly increase the efficiency of H2O2 decomposition and significantly decrease the required dosage of H2O2 and Fe2+ in AOPs. Unsaturated S atoms on the surface of metal sulfides can capture protons to form H2S and expose metallic active sites with reductive properties to accelerate the rate-limiting step of Fe3+/Fe2+ conversion. The efficiency of AOPs involving co-catalysts can be further enhanced by visible-light illumination thanks to the sensitization of organic pollutants. This discovery is expected to drive great advances in the use of AOPs for large-scale practical applications such as environmental remediation.
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Endothelin receptor subtypes in the microvillous trophoblastic membrane of early gestation and term human placentas. The I-125-labeled endothelin-l ([I-125]ET-1) binding sites in microvillous membranes from early gestation and term human placentas were investigated. The KdS for [I-125]ET-1 binding to early gestation (68 +/- 15 pmol/l) and term (45 +/- 8 pmol/l) microvilli (n = 4) were not significantly different. The density of binding sites decreased significantly, from 243 +/- 80 fmol/mg protein in early gestation microvilli to 54 +/- 10 fmol/mg protein in term microvilli. The endothelin (ET) receptor (ET-R) subtype profiles were determined by competition binding studies with unlabeled ET-1, ET-3, and selective agonists and antagonists for ETA-R and ETB-R. In early gestation placental microvilli, we observed the presence of 72% ETB-R, (mainly ETB2-R subtype), and 28% ETA-R. Only ETB-R (mainly the ETB2-R subtype) was present in term placental microvilli. We suggest that the ETB-R on the placental microvillous membrane is involved in specific trophoblastic functions and may play a major role in ET clearance by modulating the amounts of ETs in the maternal intervillous blood space.
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USE OF IN-VITRO METHODOLOGY TO PREDICT THE IRRITANCY POTENTIAL OF SURFACTANTS. A battery of confirmatory and complementary in vitro assays was used to investigate a series of surfactants with different irritancy potentials, as confirmed by human skin patch testing. This was found to distinguish between sodium lauryl sulfate and its analogues, and when further tested on formulations the battery of assays was again capable of predicting the human data.
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Production risk and technical efficiency of fish farms in Ghana. This paper adopts the stochastic frontier model with flexible risk to analyze production risk, technical efficiency and its determinants of fish farms in four regions of Ghana including Greater Accra, Volta, Western and Ashanti regions. The study employs a two year panel data from 320 farms making a total of 640 observation through a random selection. The findings demonstrates that the translog model is best fit for the mean output function, whilst the input variables: hired labour, family labour, fingerlings, feed and other cost are identified to positively influence fish farm output at an increasing returns to scale. The paper also finds that feed and other cost are risk increasing inputs, whilst hired labour, family labour and fingerlings are identified to be risk decreasing inputs. The estimated average technical efficiency score of 0.74 shows that efficiency is compromised when the production technology is modeled without the flexible risk property which gave a score of 0.87. Additionally, the results show that age(2), experience, pond area, gender, pond type and fish farming education significantly influence technical efficiency of farmers. This paper also highlights that technical efficiency of fish farms in the study area improved over time. In conclusion, the paper notes that on the average, 26% of potential output is lost due to technical inefficiency and production risk and given the present state of technology and input level, the possibility of enhancing production can be achieved by reducing technical inefficiency by 26% through adoption of practices of the best fish farm, whilst taking production risk into consideration.
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Targeting Complement Pathways in Polytrauma- and Sepsis-Induced Multiple-Organ Dysfunction. Exposure to traumatic or infectious insults results in a rapid activation of the complement cascade as major fluid defense system of innate immunity. The complement system acts as a master alarm system during the molecular danger response after trauma and significantly contributes to the clearance of DAMPs and PAMPs. However, depending on the origin and extent of the damaged macro- and micro-milieu, the complement system can also be either excessively activated or inhibited. In both cases, this can lead to a maladaptive immune response and subsequent multiple cellular and organ dysfunction. The arsenal of complement-specific drugs offers promising strategies for various critical conditions after trauma, hemorrhagic shock, sepsis, and multiple organ failure. The imbalanced immune response needs to be detected in a rational and real-time manner before the translational therapeutic potential of these drugs can be fully utilized. Overall, the temporal-spatial complement response after tissue trauma and during sepsis remains somewhat enigmatic and demands a clinical triad: reliable tissue damage assessment, complement activation monitoring, and potent complement targeting to highly specific rebalance the fluid phase innate immune response.
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Prevalence of urinary incontinence in high-impact sports athletes and their association with knowledge, attitude and practice about this dysfunction. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) in female athletes practising high-impact sports and its association with knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP).Design: Observational study.Methods: A semi-structured evaluation form, KAP survey and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire- Short Form were used. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to verify the association of UI with KAP, sociodemographic, gynaecological and sports-related variables, with significant variables remaining in the model (p<.05), through a stepwise strategy.Results: The prevalence of UI in 118 athletes was 82 (70%), of which 19 (23%) had pure stress UI, 19 (23%) had pure urgency UI and 44 (54%) had mixed UI; with 50 (61%) athletes losing urine during training and 37 (45%) during competitions. Regarding the KAP survey, 37 athletes (31%) demonstrated adequate knowledge, 63 (53%) adequate attitude and zero adequate practice. In the multivariate analysis, a sports practice time of over 8 years and dyspareunia presented significant values, with odds ratios (OR) of 2.66 and 2.99, respectively. Knowledge was significantly associated with UI (OR 0.43). UI had a slight impact on QOL.Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of UI yet low levels of adequate knowledge and practice regarding the occurrence of UI in sports, with sports practice time over 8 years and dyspareunia factors predisposing female athletes to UI by 2.7 and 3 times, respectively. Athletes with adequate knowledge were 57% less likely to develop UI.
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Primary Role for Kinin B-1 and B-2 Receptors in Glioma Proliferation. This study investigated the role of kinins and their receptors in malignant brain tumors. As a first approach, GL-261 glioma cells were injected (2 x 10(5) cells in 2 mu l/2 min) into the right striatum of adult C57/BL6 wild-type, kinin B-1 and B-2 receptor knockout (KOB1R and KOB2R) and B-1 and B-2 receptor double knockout mice (KOB1B2R). The animals received the selective B1R (SSR240612) and/or B2R (HOE-140) antagonists by intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) route at 5, 10, and 15 days. The tumor size quantification, mitotic index, western blot analysis, quantitative autoradiography, immunofluorescence, and confocal microscopy were carried out in brain tumor samples, 20 days after tumor induction. Our results revealed an uncontrolled tumor growing in KOB1R or SSR240612-treated mice, which was blunted by B2R blockade with HOE-140, suggesting a crosstalk between B1R and B2R in tumor growing. Combined treatment with B1R and B2R antagonists normalized the upregulation of tumor B1R and decreased the tumor size and the mitotic index, as was seen in double KOB1B2R. The B1R was detected on astrocytes in the tumor, indicating a close relationship between this receptor and astroglial cells. Noteworthy, an immunohistochemistry analysis of tumor samples from 16 patients with glioma diagnosis revealed a marked B1R immunopositivity in low-grade gliomas or in older glioblastoma individuals. Furthermore, the clinical data revealed a significantly higher immunopositivity for B1R, when compared to a lower B2R immunolabeling. Taken together, our results show that blocking simultaneously both kinin receptors or alternatively stimulating B1R may be of therapeutic value in the treatment of brain glioblastoma growth and malignancy.
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On Cauchy's bound for zeros of a polynomial. In many cases, our result gives better bounds than those obtainable by most of the other known results.In this paper we have improved Cauchy's bound for zeros of a polynomialp(z) = z(n) + a(1)z(n-1) + a(2)z(n-2) + ... + a(n).
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Non-isothermal crystallization of UHMWPE. Processing of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) parts involves non-isothermal cooling leading to crystallinity variations, which cause variations in the mechanical properties. Study of non-isothermal crystallization kinetics of UHMWPE forms the basis for process modelling. The crystallization of UHMWPE was studied at seven different cooling rates. The crystallization onset and peak temperatures were linearly related to the cooling rate. The crystallization of UHMWPE was concluded to be a nucleation dominated process with small contribution from growth of nuclei. Differences in ultimate crystallinity (similar to 11%) were produced due to different cooling rates. A significant portion of the change in ultimate crystallinity occurred at lower cooling rates (< 6 degrees C min(-1)). At higher cooling rates (6-22 degrees C min(-)1) the change in ultimate crystallinity was insignificant.
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Two conversational practices for encouraging adults with intellectual disabilities to reflect on their activities. Background Staff can encourage adults with intellectual disabilities to reflect on their experiences in a number of ways. Not all are equally successful interactionally. Methods Conversation Analysis is used to examine c. 30h of recordings made at two service-provider agencies. Results I identify two practices for soliciting reflection: both start with open-ended test' questions, but they differ on how these are followed up. A more interrogatory practice is to follow up with alternatives and yes/no questions. A more facilitative practice is to give hints and elaborate the replies. Conclusions I discuss the differences between the two practices in terms of the institutional agendas that guide the staff's interactional routines. With regard to the more successful one, I note the sensitivity of using hints' when asking about clients' own experiences.
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Outcomes of Postchemotherapy Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection from a High-volume UK Centre Compared with a National Data Set. Conclusions: Centralisation led to high quality of RPLND in UK. Within that, our series (the largest in the UK) demonstrates no significant difference in outcomes despite higher complexity cases. Our blood transfusion rates are in fact lower than national figures. Complex RPLNDs should be performed in high-volume centres where possible.Patient summary: In the UK, retroperitoneal lymph node dissections (RPLND) are centralised to specialist centres and the quality of surgery is high, with low complications and good histological outcomes. When compared to national data, we found no significant difference in the majority of outcomes from our highvolume centre despite our complex case-mix. (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of European Association of Urology.Results and limitations: A total of 178 procedures were performed, including 31 (17%) redo RPLNDs. Clavien 3+ complications occurred in 11 (7%). Histological findings in non-redo cases were the following: necrosis 24%, teratoma 62%, viable germ cell tumour 11%, and dedifferentiated cancers 3%. Rates of positive margin, relapse, and in-field recurrence were 11%, 17%, and 2%, respectively. Overall survival was 89% at a median of 36 mo. The median blood loss was 650 ml (350,1250), with a transfusion rate of 8%. Nephrectomy, vascular reconstruction, and visceral resection was required in 12%, 6%, and 3% respectively. The median inpatient stay was 6 d (5, 8) and the median node count was 35 (20, 37). A comparison of all RPLNDs with national data showed no statistical difference in primary outcomes. Our blood transfusion rate was significantly lower (12% vs 21%, chi(2) [1, N = 322] = 4.296, p = 0.038).Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: Primary outcomes were Clavien 3 + complications, histology, rates of positive margin, relapse, in-field recurrences, and mortality. Secondary outcomes were blood loss, operation time, blood transfusion, adjuvant procedures, length of stay, and lymph node count. Surgical and histological outcomes of all RPLNDs for testicular cancers were compared with national RPLND registry data. For statistical difference, x2 testing was used.Background: Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) is essential for the treatment of metastatic germ cell tumours of the testis. Recommendations on the referral and management of complex urological cancers in the UK includes centralisation of services to regional centres.Design, setting, and participants: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of PC-RPLNDs performed for germ cell tumours at our centre between July 2012 and September 2018.Objective: To review contemporary PC-RPLND outcomes at a high-volume centre with a complex case-mix, and compare with national registry data.
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Optimal handling and processing techniques of biopsies for the diagnosis and treatment of Hirschsprung's disease. Hirschsprung's disease (HD) is a congenital malformation of the neural innervation of the large intestine that affects normal peristaltic action and causes obstructive constipation in neonates. A narrowed segment of distal large bowel of variable length lacks neuronal ganglion cells, and the normally innervated bowel upstream becomes dilated. The gold standard for the pathologic diagnosis of HD has traditionally consisted of microscopic evaluation of rectal tissue for the absence (lack) of ganglion cells and an increased acetylcholinesterase staining pattern. The following article describes a protocol that optimizes the handling and processing conditions of suction rectal mucosal biopsies so that an accurate diagnosis can be made, emphasizing a detailed gross and microscopic examination. Once the diagnosis is established, mapping identifies a normally innervated bowel segment that can be used for repair. Even among Children's Hospitals, there is variation in the diagnostic approaches taken in rectal biopsy evaluation.
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A randomized trial of education to prevent lead burden in children at high risk for lead exposure: Efficacy as measured by blood lead monitoring. In this article we report on the effectiveness of a community-based, culture-specific, controlled trial of intensive peer education aimed at preventing lead burden in children 0-36 months of age within a neighborhood with high risk for lead exposure. Mothers (n = 594) were randomly assigned to control or intervention groups. Offspring blood lead levels were assessed every 4 months. All participants received brochures on basic lead prevention strategies. Intervention participants were offered 20 bi-weekly educational sessions by same-ethnicity peer educators over the course of I year, and quarterly booster sessions for 2 years afterward. The intervention group's educational curriculum included information on lead sources (e.g., paint, dust, water, soil, and risks from home repairs and remodeling), health consequences of lead burden, and strategies to reduce lead exposure, including household cleaning, hygiene, safe use of water, and nutritional recommendations. Results indicated that of the 378 children contributing sufficient blood data for analysis, 23% had blood lead levels > 10 mug/dL before 3 years of age. Intervention participants were more likely to maintain blood lead levels < 10 mug/dL than were controls (81% vs. 73%; p = 0.08). Multivariate analyses demonstrated that the intervention reduced the risk of blood lead levels > 10 mug/dL by approximately 34%. We conclude that although intensive education resulted in a lower proportion of children with elevated lead levels, education alone cannot be relied upon to prevent lead burden.
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Admission Glucose Level, Left Ventricular Function and the Severity of Coronary Atherosclerosis in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction with and Without Diabetes. Background. Prior studies have suggested that increased admission glucose is an independent predictor of both in hospital and long-term mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but the relationship between them is not well defined.Results. In Group A, anterior/anterolateral myocardial infarction were confirmed much more frequently than in Group B (p < 0.05). There was no difference between Groups A and B in the number of significantly narrowed coronary vessels; nor was there any significant correlation between admission glucose and the number of arteries blocked by coronary atherosclerosis in any of the groups. LVEF did not differ significantly between Groups A and B, nor was any significant correlation found between LVEF and admission glucose. Admission glucose in Group A showed a positive correlation with the patients' age (r = 0.318; p < 0.005) and gender (it was higher in men R = 0.415; p < 0.05), while in Group B a positive correlation was found between admission glucose and BMI (r = = 0.294; p < 0.05). Admission glucose in Group 3 showed a positive correlation with LVEF (r = 0.451; p < 0.005).Conclusions. Admission glucose level in patients with STEMI does not reveal the severity of coronary atherosclerosis. Moreover, in patients with type 2 diabetes/IGT, admission glucose level does not correlate with LVEF in the early phase of myocardial infarction (Adv Clin Exp Med 2011, 20, 1, 57-64).Material and Methods. The study group consisted of a total of 100 patients with AMI, 27 women and 73 men (aged 56-86 years), who underwent coronary angiography followed by angioplasty within 12 hours after the onset of chest pain. Plasma glucose level was measured at the time of hospital admission. Either diabetes type II or IGT were diagnosed in 52 patients Group A. In 48 patients there was neither diabetes nor IGT - Group B. Then the patients were divided into 4 groups: Group 1 consisted of 37 diabetic/IGT patients with admission glucose level < 180 mg%; Group 2 - 15 diabetic/IGT patients with admission glucose level >= 180 mg%; Group 3 - 23 non- diabetic/IGT patients with admission glucose level < 140 mg%; and Group 4 - 25 non-diabetic/IGT patients with admission glucose level >= 140 mg%. The severity of atherosclerosis in coronary angiography and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were assessed.Objectives. This study was undertaken to assess the relationship between increased admission glucose in patients with ST-elevated AMI (STEMI) and left ventricular function and the degree of severity of atherosclerosis in diabetic/impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and non-diabetic patients with STEMI.
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Synthesis and application of poly(vinylamine-co-acrylic acid) macromolecule dyes with high light fastness. New types of poly(vinylamine-co-acrylic acid) macromolecule dyes were designed and synthesized based on poly(vinylamine-co-acrylic acid) and reactive dyes. The structures of the synthesized dyes were characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance and thin layer chromatography. They were applied for dyeing cotton fibers and high fixations were achieved due to their reactive abilities. The dyed samples showed excellent fastness to washing and rubbing and the light fastness of red, blue and yellow poly(vinylamine-co-acrylic acid) dye could reach grades 3-4, 4 and 6-7, respectively.
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Changes in content and biosynthetic activity of caffeine and trigonelline during growth and ripening of Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora fruits. Caffeine and trigonelline are major nitrogenous alkaloids found in coffee seeds. Accumulation of these alkaloids in two cultivars of Coffea arabica and in a cultivar of Coffea canephora seeds was monitored. Growth stages are specified by letters, A to G. They correspond to the pinhead and small (A), rapid expansion and pericarp growth (13), endosperm formation (C), early dry matter accumulation (D), mature (green) (E), ripening (pink) (F) and fully ripened (red) (G) stages. Caffeine and trigonelline content increased at stages D and E. The concentrations of caffeine in ripe seeds (stage G) of the two cultivars of C. arabica and C. canephora seeds were respectively 1.0% and 1.9% dry weight. A high biosynthetic activity of caffeine, which was estimated via the incorporation of [8-C-14]adenine into purine alkaloids, was found in whole fruits (perisperm and pericarp) in stages B and C, and in developing seeds (endosperm) in stages D and E. The biosynthetic activities of caffeine were reduced in both pericarp and seeds in stages F and G. In C. arabica cv. Mokka and in C. canephora, the transcripts of CmXRS1, CTS2 and CCS1, three N-methyltransferase genes for caffeine biosynthesis, and of methionine synthase gene (MS) were detected in every stage of growth, although the amounts of these transcripts were significantly less in stage G. The pattern of expression of genes for caffeine synthesis during growth is roughly related to the in situ synthesis of caffeine from adenine nucleotides, although exceptions were found in the very early and later stages of fruit growth. The amounts of the transcripts of CmXRS1, CTS2 and CCS1 were higher in seeds than in pericarp, but reverse was true for MS transcripts in developing coffee fruits. Similarly, caffeine synthase (N3-methyltransferase) activity was also higher in seeds than in pericarp. Concentrations of trigonelline in ripe seeds (stage G) of C. arabica cv. Mokka, C. arabica cv. Catimor and C. canephora were ca. 1.3%, 1.0% and 1.4% of dry weight, respectively. High biosynthetic activity of trigonelline was found in young fruits (stages A-C) and in the pericarp of developing fruits (stage E). The biosynthetic activity was reduced markedly in seeds at stages F and G. These results suggest that active trigonelline biosynthesis occurs in the pericarp of coffee fruits. Although the final concentration of caffeine and trigonelline varies in the three Coffea plants, the patterns of fluctuations of the caffeine and trigonelline biosynthetic activity in all Coffea plants are all similar. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Effect of 905 MHz microwave radiation on colony growth of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains FF18733, FF1481 and D7. Conclusions. The findings indicate that pulsed RF/MW radiation at a low SAR level can affect the rate of colony growth of different S. cerevisiae strains.Results. Following 15-, 30- and 60-minutes exposure to RF/MW radiation, strain FF18733 did not show statistically significant changes in colony growth compared to the control sample. The irradiated strains FF1481 and D7 demonstrated statistically significant reduction of colony growth compared to non-irradiated strains after all exposure times. Furthermore, strain FF1481 was more sensitive to RF/MW radiation than strain D7.Background. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of weak radiofrequency microwave (RF/MW) radiation emitted by mobile phones on colony growth of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.Materials and methods. S. cerevisiae strains FF18733 (wild-type), FF1481 (rad1 mutant) and D7 (commonly used to detect reciprocal and nonreciprocal mitotic recombinations) were exposed to a 905 MHz electromagnetic field that closely matched the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) pulse modulation signals for mobile phones at a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 0.12 W/kg.
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Mycobacterium cell wall: An alternative to intravesical bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) therapy in orthotopic murine bladder cancer.. Results: Serial MRI of BCG-treated mice revealed significant tumor regression. The MR images correlated well with the corresponding histology of the whole mount bladder sections. Treatment with MCW also resulted in significant inhibition of tumor growth compared with control untreated animals (p <0.05) although the antitumor effect was less pronounced than that of live BCG. Treatment was well tolerated in the MCW group with no apparent ill effects. Flow cytometric (FCM) analysis of bladder washings with phenotype-specific monoclonal antibodies revealed predominantly a CD3+ T cell infiltrate in the control and BCG-treated as well as the MCW-treated mice. The CD4+ (helper/inducer) subset of T cells predominated over the CD8+ (suppressor/cytotoxic) subset in both the BCG- and MCW-treated animals, and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio in both of the treated groups differed significantly from that of the control untreated groups.Materials and Methods: The live bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) organism was replaced with a cell wall extract derived from the outer capsule of Mycobacterium phlei. This alternative form of intravesical therapy was used with the aim of reducing the toxicity associated with the live mycobacterium organism without compromising efficacy. Response to multiple doses of intravesical MCW and BCG was assessed in mice with established MBT-2 tumors after transurethral tumor implantation.Conclusion: Intravesical MCW appears to invoke a similar inflammatory response in the mouse bladder mucosa as the live BCG organism and retains an antitumor action. It deserves further evaluation as a potential antitumor agent against bladder cancer. A Phase II clinical trial is now underway.Purpose: The antitumor effect of intravesical mycobacterium cell wall (MCW) therapy on orthotopic and heterotopic bladder tumors in the mouse was assessed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
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Quality Indicators Targeting Low-Value Clinical Practices in Trauma Care. OBJECTIVE To develop a set of evidence and patient-informed, consensus-based quality indicators targeting reductions in low-value clinical practices in acute, in-hospital trauma care.IMPORTANCE The use of quality indicators has been shown to improve injury care processes and outcomes. However, trauma quality indicators proposed to date exclusively target the underuse of recommended practices. Initiatives such as Choosing Wisely publish lists of practices to be questioned, but few apply to trauma care, and most have not successfully been translated to quality indicators.DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This 2-round Research and Development/University of California at Los Angeles (RAND/UCLA) consensus study, conducted from April 20 to June 9, 2021, comprised an online questionnaire and a virtual workshop led by 2 independent moderators. Two panels of international experts from Canada, Australia, the US, and the UK, and local stakeholders from Quebec, Canada, represented key clinical expertise involved in trauma care and included 3 patient partners.MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Panelists were asked to rate 50 practices on a 7-point Likert scale according to 4 quality indicator criteria: importance, supporting evidence, actionability, and measurability.RESULTS Of 49 eligible experts approached, 46 (94%;18 experts [39%) aged >= 50 years; 37 men [80%]) completed at least 1 round and 36 (73%) completed both rounds, Eleven quality indicators were selected overall, 2 more were selected by the international panel and a further 3 by the local stakeholder panel. Selected indicators targeted low-value clinical practices in the following aspects of trauma care: (1) initial diagnostic imaging (head, cervical spine, ankle, and pelvis), (2) repeated diagnostic imaging (posttransfer computed tomography [CT] and repeated head CT), (3) consultation (neurosurgical and spine), (4) surgery (penetrating neck injury), (5) blood product administration, (6) medication (antibiotic prophylaxis and late seizure prophylaxis), (7) trauma service admission (blunt abdominal trauma), (8) intensive care unit admission (mild complicated traumatic brain injury), and (9) routine blood work (minor orthopedic surgery).CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this consensus study, a set of consensus-based quality indicators were developed that were informed by the best available evidence and patient priorities, targeting low-value trauma care. Selected indicators represented a trauma-specific list of practices, the use of which should be questioned. Trauma quality programs in high-income countries may use these study results as a basis to select context-specific quality indicators to measure and reduce low-value care.
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TWO PERSPECTIVES, THE SAME TARGET - A SUSTAINABLE MUNICIPAL WASTE MANAGEMENT. EVIDENCE FROM LATIN AMERICA AND CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE. The main assumption of the study is that management of municipal solid waste is a major decision-making issue with respect to sustainable development in developing world communities. Thus, the paper provides an overview on the institutional contributions towards a better municipal waste management, targeting two regions - Latin America and Central and Eastern Europe. The first objective is to advance an understanding of the importance of institutions in propelling workers from the informal sector into legitimate and socially-accepted positions in the developing world. The second objective is to reveal, from a judicial perspective, how waste is managed in different CEECs, by using two procedural instruments. We conclude with a discussion of the controversial role of waste projects in relation to their environmental benefits, arguing also for its contribution to the understanding of the dynamics of the waste environmental law application and control in CEECs.
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Interaction of Pb-16Li melt with EUROFER97 under higher temperature and neutron irradiation. The behaviour of ferritic-martensitic steel EUROFER97 was evaluated after its exposure in a liquid Pb-16Li environment under neutron flux simulating the conditions of operating parameters of the HCLL test blanket module using a test train inserted into the LVR 15 research reactor in CV Rez. The interaction of the Pb-16Li alloy with neutron flux results in radioisotope formation due to transmutation reactions. The formation of tritium and polonium was measured and compared with calculated values. The Pb-16Li corrosion effect leads to dissolution of steel matric. Two reaction layers were observed on the exposed EUROFER97 surface. The first continuous surface layer is characterized by uneven thickness, the second subsurface layer confirms that dissolution of the metal matrix takes place along martensitic lath boundaries. The performed examinations proved that the mechanism of corrosion in the liquid melt was volume dissolution of steel.
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Nocardiosis in cancer patients. NOC, although infrequent, is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with cancer. It has pleomorphic manifestations, and it can be seen as a breakthrough infection. The present study confirms that timely diagnosis, the site of NOC, the type of Nocardia, the presence of comorbidities, and cytomegalovirus coinfection influence the outcome of patients with cancer and NOC.Nocardiosis (NOC) is an important cause of infection in immunocompromised patients. However, large series in patients with cancer have not been described. We review the records of patients with cancer and NOC who were evaluated at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, between 1988 and 2001, and we describe the incidence, microbiologic and clinical characteristics, treatment, and outcome of NOC in this population. Forty-two patients with a total of 43 episodes of NOC were identified (incidence of 60 cases of NOC per 100,000 admissions). Twenty-seven patients (64%) had hematologic malignancies. In 13 patients, NOC complicated bone marrow transplantation. Neutropenia was observed in 4 (10%) of 40 episodes with information available, and lymphopenia in 20 (50%) of 40 episodes. Patients had received steroids for 25 episodes (58%) and had received chemotherapy for 10 episodes (23%) within 30 days before the onset of NOC. Nine episodes of breakthrough NOC were identified in 7 (23%) of the 40 patients with information available. Pulmonary NOC was seen in 30 (70%) of 43 cases; soft-tissue NOC in 7 (16%); central venous catheter-related nocardemia in 3 (7%); and disseminated NOC, central nervous system NOC, and a perinephric abscess each in 1 (2%). Twenty-three percent of patients with pulmonary NOC had an acute presentation. Nocardia asteroides complex was the most common causative species (77%). Therapy for NOC was mainly concurrent trimethoprim/ sulfamethoxazole and either a tetracycline or a beta-lactam. The median duration of treatment was 113 days (range, 10-600 d). Nine (60%) of 15 patients with outcome data died from NOC.
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